Hamlin Garland's Books.
Uniform edition.
Each, 12mo, cloth, $1.25.
Wayside Courtships.
Jason Edwards.
A Spoil of Office.
A Member of the Third House.
A Little Norsk. 16mo. 50 cents.
D. APPLETON & COMPANY, NEW YORK.
A SPOIL OF OFFICE
A Story of the Modern West
Author of Jason Edwards,
A Member of the Third House,
A Little Norsk, etc.
New and Revised Edition
New York
D. Appleton and Company
M DCCC XCVII
ii Copyright, 1897, by
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
Copyright, 1892, by Hamlin Garland
TO
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS,
The foremost historian of our common lives
and the most vital figure in our literature,
I dedicate this study
of the great middle west,
its contemporary life and landscape.
Preface to the New Edition.
In this story of "A Spoil of Office" it was my intention to treatlife as it would present itself to a young Western man of humble condition,who should set himself to the task of winning a political success. I havetherefore maintained with considerable care the point of view of BradleyTalcott. Such a design loses in variety but gains, it seems to me, inunity and continuity of movement.
It has one marked disadvantage, however: it is apt to be misunderstood bythe reader who may take the characters, events, and theories, judged by thecentral figure, to be the author's estimate. To illustrate: Ida Wilbur ispresented as she appeared to Bradley Talcott, and not as the reader wouldsee her, and not as the author would have delineated her had she been takenas the central figure of the book. Thisviiiexplanatory word seemed needed;being given, I leave its working out to the reader.
The three great movements of the American farmer, herein used asbackground—the Grange, the Alliance, and the People's party—seemto me to be as legitimate subjects for fiction as any war or crusade. Theycame in impulses with mightiest enthusiasms, they died out like waves uponthe beach; but the power which originated them did not die; it will returnin different forms again and again, so long as the love of liberty and thehatred of injustice live in the hearts of men and women.
What the next movement will be I do not know; but when it comes, BradleyTalcott and Ida his wife will be foremost among its leaders.
Hamlin Garland.
Chicago,May, 1897.