Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "It seems to me I can never outlive this moment of joyous welcome."] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- A Woman For Mayor A Novel of To-day By Helen M. Winslow Author of "Literary Boston of Today," etc. Former Editor of "The Club Woman" Frontispiece by Walter Dean Goldbeck ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1909 by The Reilly & Britton Co. All rights reserved Published June, 1909 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LIST OF CHAPTERS CHAPTER PAGE I An Unprecedented Proposal 11 II A Perplexed Reformer 23 III Learning the Ropes 35 IV Practical Politics 55 V The Opposition Candidate 65 VI A Political Trick 77 VII An Unusual Ride 90 VIII Modern Journalism 102 IX Election Day 112 X The New Mayor's Policy 125 XI At Work 140 XII Skirmishing 152 XIII An Important Appointment 166 XIV Graft 177 XV Setting the Trap 191 XVI Divided Interests 207 XVII A Dumbfounded Populace 220 XVIII A Futile Search 230 XIX The Boodlers Score 240 XX An Enforced Vacation 247 XXI Word from the Missing 261 XXII A Daring Escape 273 XXIII The Hearts of the People 284 XXIV An Honest Confession 295 XXV The Old, Old Story 310 XXVI Retrospect and Prophecy 326 XXVII A Heart's Awakening 338 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FOREWORD "Chimerical!" the average man will exclaim when he reads the title of this book. "But why not?" his wife will answer. "Worth trying," the reformers and philanthropists will add.