Litchfield enquirer., 1872-12-12

! overheard his little grain of conscience, hessaid, ssSnacks"
 4sAil right, p grinned Pullwool, his teeth gleaning alarmingly. 'sWord of gens l tleman he added, extending his pulpy hand, loaded with ostentatious rings, and grasping Dicker's recoiling fingers. s.Har- ness mp your little bill as quick as you can fad drive 1t like Jehu. Fastburg to be the only capital Siowburg no claims at all, historical, geographical, or econo- i mic. The old arrangement a humbug j; ! as inconyenient as fifth wheel of a coach; l costs the State thousands of greenbacks every year. Figure it all up satisfactorily and dab it over with your shiniest rhetor- ic and made big thing of it every way. That's what you've got to do that's your little biz. I'll tend to the rest
 'I don't quite see where the money Is ] to come from" observed MT. Dicker. Leave that to me, said the veteran 1 of the Hobbies; ''my name is Pullwool and l know how to pull the wool over mems 1 eyes, and then know how to get at their breaches pockets. You bring in your bill and make your speech. Will you do 1t ?" | ssYes, answered Dicker,s bolting all scruples in another half-tumbler of bran dy.
 He kept his word. As promptly as par liamentary forms and mysteries would a1- low; there was bill under the astonished noses of honorable lawgivers, removing | the seat of legislation from Slowburg and centering it in Fasthrg. This bill MT. Thomas Dicker supported with that flu | ency and fiery enthusiasm of oratory which had for time enable him to show as the foremost man of his State. Great was the excitement, great the rejoicing and anger The press of Fastburg sent forth shrieks of exultation, and the press of Slowburg responded with growlings of disgust. Two capitals and the two geographical sec- tions which they represented were ready to fire Parrot guns at each other, without regard to life and property in the adjoin- ing regions of the earth. If there was a citizen of the little Commonwealth who did not hear of this bill and did not talk of 1t, It was because that citizen was as deaf as post and as dumb as an oyster. Ordina- ry political distinctions were forgotten, and the old party-whips could not manage their very wheel-horses, who went snort and kicking over the traces in all direc- tions. In short both in the legislature and out of it, nothing was thought Of but the question of the removal of the capi- tai.
 Among the loudest of the agitators was Mir. Pullwool; not that he cared one straw whether the capital went to Fastburg, or to Slowhurg, or to Dallyhaak but for the money which he thought he saw in the agitation he did care nightly, and to get that money he labored with a zeal which was not of this world alone. At the table of his hotel and in the Hobbies of the legislative hall and in editorial sanctums and barbers' shops and all other hooks of gossip, he trumpeted the claims of Fastburg as if that little city were the New Jerusalem and deserved to be the metropolis of the sidereal universe. All sorts of triokeries, too he sent spu- rious telegrams and got fictitious items into the newspapers he lied through eve- " medium known to the highest civiliza- tlon. Great surely was his success, for the row which he raised was tremendous. But row alone was not enough it was the mere breeze upon the surface of the waters the treasure ship below was still to be drawn up and gutted.
 s'It will cost money" he whispered con- hdentially to capitalists and land-owners "We must have the sinews of war, or we can't carry it on. There's your city lots goin' to dauhle in value, if'this bill goes through. What per cent will you pay on the advance? That's the question. Put your hands in yoar pockets and pull 'em out full, and put back ten times as much. It's Q sure investment warranted to yield a hundred per cent the safest and big gest thing agoing."
 Capitalists and landowners and mer- chants hearkensd and believed and sub- l0I Tbon n1x -2J1 Eo. .1 burg put faltering forefnger into his long pocket-book, touched a greenback which had been laid away these as neatly for the use of MT. Pullwool. By tens, by dollars of the ambitious citizens of the little metropolis were charmed into the porte-monnaie of this rattlesnake of 8 lobbyist.
 "I never saw greener set" chuckled Pullwool 'eBy iiminy, believe they'd shell out for bill to make their town 8 seaport, if it was hundred miles from a drop of water''
 But he was not content with individual subscriptions, and conscientiously scorned himself until he had got at the city treas ury.
 ''The corporation must pony up," he insisted, with the mayor, '.This bill is just shaking in the wind for lack of money. Fastbufg must come down with the dust. You ought see to it. What are you chief magistrate for Aint it to tend to the well fare of the city? Look here, now; you call the common council together; secret session, you understand. You call 'em together and let me talk to 'em. I want to make the looms comprehend that it's their duty to vote something handsome for this measure"
 The mayor hummed and hawed one way, and then he hawed and hummed the other way, and the result was that he granted the request. There was a secret session in the council-room, with honor at the top of the long, green table, with 8 row of more or less respectable function aries on either side of it, and with MT. Pullwool and the Devil at the bottom Of course, it is not to be supposed that this last-named parsonage was visible to the others, or that they had more than a vague suspicion of his presence. Had he fully revealed himself, had he plainly ex- hibited his horns and hoofs, or even so muck as uncorked his perfume-bottle of birthstone, 1t is more than probable that the city authorities would have been ex- ceedingly scandalized, and they might have adjourned the session. As it was, seeing nothing more disagreeable than the obese form of the lobbyist, they listened calmly while he unfolded his project. MT. Pullwool spoke at length, and to Fastburg ears elequently. Fastbarg must be the sole capital; it had every claim, historical, geographical, and commercial, to that distinction; it ought, could, would and should be the sole capital; that was about the substance of his exordium.
 But, gentlemen, 1t will cost" he went on. 'srhere IS an interruptions and furi- ous opposition to the measure. The oth- l CT side-those fellows from Slowburg and | vicinity-are putting their hands into their breeches-pockets. You must put your hands into yours The thing will be worth millions to Fastburg. But it will cost l thousands. Are you ready to fork over ? Are you ready ?"
 .'What's the figure ?" asked one of the couneilmen. s'What do you estimate ?''
 Gentlemen, shall astonish some of