West-Jersey pioneer., 1865-05-20
|BILKINS In OFFICE,
NOT A POLITICAL sKETCE.

BY syLvANus COBB, JR.
DIDYMUs BILKINs came home joyous
and elate.
"Betsy Ellen" he said, addressing his
wife, . I've carried the day. That mis-
cradle, contemplate, bargaining, back
biting Doggins didn't have show"
What dye mean, Didymus ?" asked
Betsy Ellen, who had just been spreading
the cloth for tea. e Have you been elect
ed to the Legislature
"Not yet, my love; but it's just the
same. I've been nominated at our eau
Gus, and our party is sure to win; so.
don't you see, nomination by that party
amounts to an election. You needn't have
any fears. I'm sure to so to the State
capital this Winter"
Didymus rubbed his hands, and his
wife looked into her oven to see how the
biscuit were progressing. By and by she
ventured the remark:
"Don't you think, Didy., that you
would make more to stay at home I"
"To do what ?" demanded Didymus
Bilkins, elevating his brow with astonish-
ment. " Stay athonee? Mercy on me !!
what can you be thinking of?'
81 was thinking Of your barn, and cows,
and sheep, and Of your wood-pile, and
your timber lot.
Bah you almost disgust me, Betsy
Ellen. Do you suppose that any selfish
consideration could lead me to disregard
this unanimous call of my fellow citizens?"
"Was it unanimous, Didy. 2"
Yes,-ah-that is--they made it
unanimous. At the first ballot that
sneakipg, tricking Doggins did get some
votes; /; but they did him no good. Ha,
ha. hal shall lead 'em all. People
shall be made to understand that some
things can be done as well as others
Now tell me, truly, Betsy Ellen, aint you
glad Pm going to have this honor ?''
"Didymus, | cannot say that am"
"And why not, prayw
" Because it will completely unsettle
and upset your winters work. You know
what you had planned i: to get out wood
and timber enough to pay the last debt
you owe on your farm
80, pshaw What are you talking
about? Dye s'pose I'm going to the
Legislature for nothing? My pay will
be two dollars day. Can I earn that at
home? Bless my soul! YOU Z, Cont know
At this moment the water in the tea
kettle began to boil, and while Mrs. Blk
ms went to make her tea, Mr.. Bilkins
went out to speak with one of his friends
who happened just then to be passing.
Didymus Bilkins was an honest indus
trious, steady man with intellect enough
to manage his farm, and do the ordinary
business required of one in his sphere
He had reached the middle age, being
something over forty and during all the
days of his life he had never held public
! Office And yet no man had been more
faithful to his political party than he had
been; and no man had worked harder,
in his humble way, for the success of
e our glorious principles" 1t was natu-
raj that Didymus should expect some re-
ward for his services; not that he had
worked to that sole end but then he
saw others mount into lucrative office who
had not worked one half so hard as he
had, and he fancied that he ought not to
be 6 left out in the cold'' forever. He
plucked up courage to speak with few
of his most intimate friends; and they
set the ball in motion, the result Of which
was that Didymus Bilkins received the
nomination Of his party as candidate for
the State Legislature. Job Doggins was
run in the caucus against him, but very
simple expedient served to defeat said
Doggins.
aEifty dollars will do it, had been
the remark of one of Didymus' supporters.
ssGiye me fifty dollars, and I'll buy votes
enough in the caucus to send Job Dog
gins home with flea in his ear"
Didymus had paid the fifty dollars, and
the result, as we have seen, was as his
friend had promised.
A few days after the nomination OF
our friend Didymus the opposing party
held their caucus, and nominated for the
same office the young village lawyer
Philander Podd; after which the canvass
began in earnest.
| One bright morning Didymus was wait
ed upon by one of the fuglemen of his
party named Seth Whittle.
"We shall have hard pull of it, =
said Whittle, after the usual amount O.
side talk had been disposed of. Phi
lander Podd is the strongest man our en-
emies could have put up: but if we ar'
energetic, we shall win the day. In short
Bilkins, you must not be beaten"
"Of course I mustn't" returned Didy
mus. "That would be defeat Of th'
party, you know"
"Exactly," responded the fugIeman
I" and such defeat must never be per
mitted. Every man must work, and w
must have every voter out on election day
The committee have been looking owe
the voting list, and they find that twelv
of the voters of our party are at work ou
of town. They must be got home; AM
as most of them are poor we must pay thei
expenses. Philander Podd has alread
given two hundred dollars towards gettin
home the voters of his party, and it vii
cost us full as much as it did them"
"Two hundred dollars !" echoed Didy
mus, with an audible groan.
"Why-that is not much, said Whit
tie Remember, Bilkins the interest
the reputation, and the honor of cur part
in this town are now all centered in YOU
Your defeat would involve the defeat Q
our party and the subversion Of our glori
GUS principles. Yours is high positio
: and YOU must not be hurled down there
from by the miserable tricksters of tn
opposition. If you would secure you