West-Jersey pioneer., 1865-05-20

and fifty dollars on the spot; ana Deiore
night he borrowed fifty more, which made
UP the two hundred. 1t came hard, but
there was no help for it. He did not dare
to tell his wife that he had thus appro-
priated the money which he had laid by
for the purpose Of paying off the last mort
gage of his farm.
One evening, while he was eating sup
per, a paper was thrown into Dldymus>
kitchen, and when he picked it up ne
found it to be copy Of the " Spangto1on
Post-ho,a," hebdomadal published by
the opposition.
Heavan and Garth p he calculated,
as he glanced over an article on the edl-
torial page. "By the eternal Moses! ! I'll
prosecute the villains if I live" h
What is itY' asked Betsy Ellen.
"Just read MatW said Didymus, hand
ing her the paper.
Mrs. Bilkins read as directed; and
she did not wonder that her husband had
been moved Such sentences as the fol
lowing made even her own blood boil for
the time: r1
"And who is it that comes up to do
battle with the valiant Podd? Who but
an ignorant clodhopper-a clown, who
knows no more of legislative proceedings
than jackass knows of theology Will
the intelligent people Of Spangtown cast
their vote for such man? Let us sooner
sell our birthright as American citizens
for miserable mass Of potage !"
And little further on Mrs. Bilkins
found the following choice bit:
" Already have the traitorous opposl-
tion shown their wickedness. They have
paid out their money freely, and they
have circulated their foul lies And for
what have they paid their money? And
for what has Donkey Bslhias expended
hundreds of dollars !? People of Spang-
town, we will tell you. He thinks to buy
you-aye, to BUY you! He thinks to
| lead YOU to the moral shambles Of his de.
testable party, even as the butcher leads
the doomed OK But it will not do.-
! The DONKEY cannot come in. Citizens,
arouse yourselves. If you would behold
your town honored in the person OF her
| Representative, then send the gentleman
the scholar-the patriot--and the states
man, Phlander Podd, Esq, to represent
you. Dut, on the other hand if you wish
that your town should be spit upon and
laughed at, you have only to throw away
| vuur ,..o., ,,no, Tho ;--bSo1uo, sa-:-L head
ed, falsifying, and tricky Donkey BIZ
kiaas :"
nThat is rather hard, Didymus," said
Betsy Ellen, after she had read the article.
"Hard p echoed Bilkins, with flushed
brow and clenched fist. "By the great
Jupiter, it's outrageous it's libelloas
it's wicked !"
aStill," ventured the wife, after she
had had little time for thought, I" I've
heard you say things full as bad about
Philander Podd."
"But didn't print EN-"
"You spoke them in public, though,
Didymus; and have no doubt that MIR.
Podd and his friends have been thorough
ly informed thereof"
| That same evening, towards nine
o'clock, Seth Whittle called, and wished
to speak with Didymus privately .
"Mr. Bilkins, there are six votes In
the upper part Of the town which we can
secure for ten dollars apiece. We must
have them"
nBy glory p exclaimed Didymus, who
was now fairly aroused, "we'll do anything
to defeat that miserable, contemplate,
dirty, rascally, lying, sneaking villain Of a
Philander Podd I'll give you sixty dol
lars before tomorrow noon.'
That night Didymus Bilkins slept but
very little. The thoughts of that article
in the "Spangtowm Post-horm" kept his
| blood at fever heat, and revenge, deep
and dire, was the creature of his study
On the following morning, with sore
heart and an aching head, he went out
and borrowed sixty dollars, which he gave
to his friend Whittle; in return for which
he received the assurance that his election
was certain.
i The coming election was not alone fol
the choice of representatives. A COVER
nor was to be elected, and also one mem
Der of Congress. This involved the ne.
cessity of thoroughly canvassing and
stumping the State. Speakers from
abroad were engaged, and Of course some
| body had to pay the bills. And who
should pay them? Didymus Bilkins
learned ere long, upon whom the obliga
, tion rested. He was becoming enlight
ened in the school of politics. His eyes
were being opened-and opened very
widely, too. Those men who were t.
have the Offices were to pay the bills
Plain and simple as was the proposition
and SO logical, also, Didymus Bilkins hat
never thought of it before his nomination
The chairman of the county committe'
called upon him, assessed him to the tun'
Of forty dollars. 1t came hard but the tru
patriot could not back out.
The day Of election arrived, and Didy
: mus Bilkins was elected to represent tn
, town in the State Legislature. In tn
evening his friends came in large mum
bers to congratulate him; and OF cours
he had to invite them in to entertain
them: and this entertainment, upon care
, full computation, cost him twenty dollars
In due time Didymus took his seat a
the State capital, where. for a season, h
felt that the honor and dignity Of the po
sition were sufficient return for all tina
he had endured and suffered. There wa
a slight fall in the mercury Of his pride
|, however, when he discovered that SOM
yery ordinary specimens Of humanity has
f been elevated to the same dignity witt
himself; and, after candid and careful
, investigation, he came to the sage con
! clusion that man might elevate an office
6 but be doubted if any kind Of puoll
r Office could really elevate the man. !,