The Portland daily press., 1881-10-27
An Election Secret.
How Connecticut Was Feloniously Carried
For Garfield.
Hartford Courant.l

Hartford Courant
The following correspondence explains itself.
The FIRST letter is from a Hartford lady whose
little daughter was iLconsolable on election
night at discovering that all her interest in
General Garfield was unknown to the latter.
The pleasant replies, as shown by their dates,
were written when there were very few mo-
ments of spare time at Mentor Circumstances
have given them peculiar value:
TO MRS. GARFIELD.
HARTFORD, November, 3, 1880.
DEAR MADAM-A small politician of Hartford.
Kate - by NAME achieved her 7th birthday Nov
eber "a during the breathless suspense OF eiecslon
paign Garfield flag placed in the center OF her
birthday cake, surrounded by seven candies; and
procession headed by Miss Kate, with her flag,
cheering for Garfield. None will ever know how
largely the result in Connecticut is due to the intre
pid partiss nship of this young person. AL times
and all places were to her alike proper for political
discussion. Fluent speech was supplemented py
facile handiwork with crayon and pencil Well
known Democrats were presented with derisive por-
traits of Hancock, well calculated to make even the
most abandoned Democrats pause and reflect! Sns-
pected Democrats met upon the sidewalk
with the menancing question fare you for Han
COOKE? and it was brave spirit that did not quaii
under her begerent eye. On nef way 70 se1o o
tistic reflections upon Garfield perpetrated by her
misguided school fellows. The buldozing in onr
back yard was most fragrant. Two large boys, suff-
ering from inherent Democratic tendencies, were
mercilessiy elected from the premises. The two
servants Of the that vote were kept under rig
i'd surveillance. The colored man, Republican OF
the deepest dye watthed as closely ass although
with less severity than the stalwart white man. moth
ing was to be lost by confidencel The white
man openly Democrat at the commencement OF
the campaign became so detected under this rule OF
terrorism that upon election day he meekly drove
carriage all day for Republican voters, and did not
osf q vofa himselff With regret Ii must be con-
fessed that for moment, in the height of the
campaign, Kate wavered in her allegiance; having
mistaken two new paper cuts for pictures OF Car
field and Hancock, she fell into deep depression
" o. mama, did not know that Hancock was the
handsomest man." Assured OF her mistake, and
induced to compare portrait of General Garfield
with her latest representation Of General Han
ing the last anxious days of the compaign her fer
tile mind busted itself in deyising ways OF decline
ting the Democratic vote. Wholesale impris onment
struck her favorably, and it would have suited her
exactly to have been chief arresting officer Not
finding that plan actively adopted by her papa, she
privately consulted mama as to the possibility OF
finding some hind Of medicine that would make
sick enough to vote for Garfield" One shadow.
however clouds even the exultant Joy Of the Sd OF
November. She happened to ask: "Does Garfield
know I'm for him?'' and when her mama wss COM
PEELED to say 'sno she exclaimed. almost in tears,
'And has not he known all the time thought he
knew and was glad" 1t was not till mama pronis-
ed TO tell him mat she was comforted. viii you
eeLency that "Kate - is for Garfield . with the
cordial and heartfelt congratulations of rejoicing
family, Very truly yours
KATE'S MAMA.