Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-20

restitution. was fool 10 Parsley. Would /
come and look at Parsley, and judge for my
selfs
Certainly.
whereupon Mr.. Gubbins led the way to
| the parlor, threw open the d9or, and pointed
TO q little old man sitting smiling in an imoe-
Gle manner, in an arm-chsir three sizes too
large for him.
for bald -headed, bandy-legged, broken-down
old 'uns"
And Mr.. Gubbins went up and patted old
Parsley on the head, and turned him about to
show his points, as if he had been superan-
nuated horse.
was bound to admit that Parsley seemed
old enough at any rate, and that his physical
dilapidation was all that could reasonably be
desired in such case. =,
A burst of cheering outside announced the
arrival of Barrowfeld and was invited to
90 and take look at the opposition. Over
powered by his exertions in walking from ms
committee-room at the Plough (exactly OPP
posite), Barrowfeld was sitting down to rest
on the horseback, surrounded by his partl-
sans His gray hairs, his feebleness, and his
gasus for breath seemed to be regarded as
an expression of his claims to the suffrage OF
the electors; for the more Barrowheld tried
| to get his breath and couldn't, the louder MS
partisans cheered; as much as to say,
"There's infrmity for you; match that II
you canl"
Mr.. hobbs, the butcher, appeared to be
Barrowfield's principal supporter. Finding
that the boys were getting too much to the
front, as they always do on occasions OF pop
ular excitement, Mr. hobbs rushed in among
them, and whisked them away like flies from
sugar-cask; the sugar-cask on this occasion
being Barrowfield After walking round
Barrowfield and surveying him at all points,
Mr.. hobbs seemed to be satisfied that his can
didate was fully up to the mark. Suddenly,
however, he perceived that the candidate
held something grasped tightly in his right
hand.
In the hearing of Mrs Donovan, from the
coal and potatoe depot, Mr.. Nobbs wondered
what Burrowfield had got there.
"Oh, nothin' at all" said that lady; "only
a penny gave the poor old soul, in case he
shouldn't get the Annuity"
Mr. Nobbs was furious. He turned fierce
ly upon Mrs. Donovan, and demanded to know
| if she wished to ruin the old man; and then
rushing up TO Barrowfeld, whispered in his
| ear:
Hide it put it away; if they see you
with so much money about you, they'll go
and vote for Parsley" Barrowfeld not be-
| ing able to find his pocket, Mr.. hobbs took
possession of his penny and hid it for him.
/ Mr. Gubbins came up to announce that the
hour appointed for the election was approach
| ing: Mr. hobbs had better bring his candi-
/ date in doors.
This was easier said than done; for Bar
rowfield, when he sat down on the horse
| block, had, as regards his personal proper
ties and effects, Including his two walking
sticks, his had, his pocket-handkerchief and
his spectacles.) fallen to pieces like ruin.
Mr.. hobbs proceeded, on architectural prin-
ciples, to reconstruct him. He put a stick
into each hand, placed his spectacles on his
nose, subsequently to wiping that organ with
the Observation-Disclosures and finally rooted
him In with his hat The completion of the
edifce was hailed with loud applause, which
however proved to be premature for at that
moment Barrowfield suddenly missing his
penny, made spasmodic effort to search for
it in his waistcoat pocket, and Immediately
fell to pieces again.
The hopeless tone in which Mr.. hobbs
said, "there nOwp clearly indicated that he
was coming round to the conviction that it
was high time Barrowfield were condemned
and disposed of in lots. Mr.. hobbs, howev-
er, though butcher, was also philosopher !;
and, consoling himself with the reflection
that Rome was not built in day, he pro-
ceeueO 10 reconstruct DdFTONHciu Ou
proved plan. This time his efforts were
crowned with complete success; and, by a
careful system of combined traction and pro-
pulsion, aided by the judcious application of
lateral supports, Barrowfield was transferred
70 the bar of the Swan, and was with difficult
ty propped up in corner of the jug and bot
tie department.
Mr.. hobbs demanded pot of porter, with
an air of fatigue which might have been tax
en- to represent the exhaustion consequent
upon discovering the source of the Nile.
Z" Well, here's luck, old boy, and wish
you may get it." This was Mr.. Nobbs's adj
dress TO Barrowfeld previous to drinking.
After parenthesis of occupation with the
pewter, he continued with an appeal to the
electors: " 0ughtn't he, now?"
Although pledged to Parsley-which, I'M
der sense of Barrowfeld's superior qualif-
cations, was beginning to regret-I ventur-
ed to say that Barrowfield seemed a worthy
object.
"A worthy objectr said Mr.. Nobbs; al
should just think he was a object. Look at
him He's as old as Methusela, as poor as
job, and as weak as-as--" failing another
scriptural illustration, Mr.. hobbs fell back
upon-"a rat"
As if to bear out Mr.. Nobbss words, blue
bottle, which had been buzzing about for
some time, settled upon Barrowfeld's nose,
causing him to let go his hold upon his right
hand walking-stick the immediate result of
which was, that the edifce which had been
so carefully erected assumed the attitude of
the tower of Pisa. Barrowfeld would as
suredly have become total ruin had not Mr..
NObbs promptly rushed to the rescue and
shored him up.
Mr. Gubbins, who had hitherto been occu-
pied in serving his customers, here protested
against the attempts of Mr.. hobbs to infiu-
ence the electors in an unfair manner in ia
vor of his own man.
What did Mr.. Gubbins mean by an unfair
manner, Mr.. Nobbs would like to know. Mr..
hobbs meant to say that such language was
not parliamentary.
Parliamentary be blowed Mr.. Cubbins
meant to say that it was only fair that the
electors should see both candidates before
they pledged themselves. Hold alterena party
was Mr.. GubbiEs' motto.
''Very well, them" said Mr.. Nobbs; "trot
out your GlteTeza party"
After some high words it was agreed that
BarrOwfield should be set down in the chair
in the parlor beside Parsley; and that the
electors should go in and judge for them.
selves. Mr.. hobbs accordingly removed Mr.
Barrowfeld to the parlor, and placing him in
a chair opposite Parsley, furnished him with
a glass of gin-and- water to keep his spirits
up. Mr.. Gubbins, not to be outdone in that
respect, Immediately provided Mr.. Parsley
with glass of hot rum, which was liquor
cut above gin at any rate. The two objects
were now left alone together and on nation