The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-14
NIKE WAI.SII'S CANDIDATE.


was in the Assembly, says corrcspOn.
dent of tho Albany Journal: Once
When poor Nike cams to .i!c Assembly
to DO sworn in as Legislator, he was
met at the Delavan or II. the Mansion
House OF those days, by colored gen.
tlcman OF fine address, who requested
his influence in getting him appointed
third assistant doorlieeper. The Office
seeker was received with TINT uIbanity
with which Mike treated everybody, and
after he had exhibited sundry indorse-
meuts from several prominent citizens,
he produced, evidently rs his best car'i,
Il long and beautiful specimen Of chirog-
raphy, which he informed his listener
was his own letter addressed TO tile As
sembly in behalf OF his own nomination.
Mike took it, hastily read sentence or
two, and then, lighting fresh cigar, to
the delight Of the would.be doorkecper,
proceeded toread the whole OF it. When
lie got through lie was taken with n
hearty fit of laughter, and Oh coming
ont OF it, to the joyful astonishment OF
the other, he said "Mr. Bnuscl, leave
your canvass in my hands. I'll make it
Il personal matter" Mr.. Bensen wrnng
his benefnctor's hand and departed. lu
the evening at the caucus Mike present
cd no name for doorkeeper, or for first,
second, or third assistant doorkeeper.
Poor Bensen, who, from bis place in the
gentlemen's gallery in the Assembly
chamber, sawthc prize which lie coveted,
and the obtaining Of which for him Hon.
Mr.. Walsh, from New York, had PROM
ised to mako ga personal mat er, "
given to another was sorely angered and
grieved. Mike spied him, anil Just as
soon as the caucus was adjourned, but
before any of tho memters had dis.
persed, he asked for order, md ex-
claimed in loud voice "If Mr.. Ben
sen, who was candidate for third assis
tant doorkceper, is in tho building. he
is wanted at the clerks desk" The
caucus saw that something good was up,
and not n man moved from his place.
Presently the mystitcd Densen ap.
peared, and in response to Mikes re-
quest took his place ut the clerks dcsk.
Mike rose mud with great show OF sol.
emnity informed the caucus that he had
. personal explanation to make 10 them
and TO late candidate for the third as.
sistant doorkeepership. Then, tuning
to BenScn, he said something to this
effect: "Mr. Bensen, on the occasion
OF your coming to see Inc this morning
md asking my humble influence to sc.
cure you the position on which you had
focu ed, informed you that would
make your candidacy my personal mat
ter. Mr.. Bcnscu, / have done SO. Be.
licye me, sir, haven't met Democrat
since I parted with youbut have taken
him by the button hole und said, with
earnest voice and moist eye: "What.
ever you do tonight, don't vote for Ben
Fen for third assistant doorkeeper. To
ii man, Benseu, they said they would go
brck sn Bensen, and for the kindness
thus shown mo by my fellows am,
hopo, duly grateful. This is ono OF the
pr0udest moments OF my life, for l re.
alize rs never did before the sincerity
and warmth Of my political fIiends in
their relations to me.
By this time the defeated candidate,
tie pcrspintion running down bis face,
was 20 torn with his emotions that he
Didn't know whether he was afoot or
horseback. He probably realized only
this one thing clearly-thRt public life
had lost all its charm for him. The eau
cuts, too, was in state Of complete be-
wilderment. since nearly every man
composing it had, indeed, gone back on
Bensen ut tue earnest solicitation Of
Walsh, while Walsh now admitted that
he had promised to make Bcnsen's call
vasS his "pcrsonal matter" When Mike
had got to this point in his speech, h.
requested ono OF the boys on the tloorto
bring him glass OF water. When it
was brought he drank with great delib'
Grafton, wiped his month very slowly,
aud then, in the midst OF tile most in
teuSe silence, took from one Of his breast
pockets Bensen's letter md read il
aloud. He had q pleasing, sympathetic
voice, and the letter, good il itself, gain
ed immensely in Mikes rendering OF it.
When he had concluded lie suddenly
struck m attitude and vehemently cx-
claimed, with the letter held high in
mir: "I tell thee, BenSen, that when l
bud read that eloquent document three
or four tunes tho conviction with which
became possessed OH first reading it
deepcued and crystallizcd until it took
shape in the resolve TINT I would not i'll
suit such III accomplished scholar, such
an eloquent and polished writer, and
such an earnest and effective patriot by
rendering him the comparatively incon-
seduential recognition that attaches to
the Office of third assistant doorkeeper.
Ne, Bensen, could not do it, I-could
-not-do-it. Justice 10 thee rs pc
culiarly gifted individual md to the
policy Of the party whom wo both so
absorbingly love alike forbid it,"
The caucus Just howled, and even
Bensen himself joined in the bursts Of
laughter that set the pcndents Of the
big chandelier i;ngling. The next day
tho Senate proceeded to elect officers,
and Mike, when the Office Of third u.s.
sistant doorkeepcr was reached, amid ap'
plause which the speaker did not try to
check, moved to substitute for tho
Democratic caucus nomination "the
name of Mr.. Bensen." The caucus
nominee, by Mikes arrangement, was n
man Of straw, and his motion was car-
ried by acclnmOtion. The performance
was brought to fit termination by
Mikes rushing from his scat to the
lobby, and prOiusely AMI with the ut
most ostentutiOn copgratulating the re-
assured, tho proud, the happy Bensen.