Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/185

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had been elected prosecuting attorney for two years. At the end of that time he came up for reëlection. Just before the balloting came off he said to a friend:—

"I don't wish you to speak of it to anybody, but I have figured it out, and I think it is going against me."

"How can that be?" answered the friend. "Surely all your friends are still your friends."

"That is true, but the population of the county has increased somewhat during the past two years, and the increase is largely on the Democratic side. If I win, I shall be very agreeably surprised."

Nevertheless, McKinley went into the contest heart and soul, for he believed that what was worth doing at all was worth