Milford chronicle., 1885-04-10

party to which my father belongs; but,
oh, I do hope he will be beaten
Several weeks before the election ex-
Controller Scott, who had been so occu-
pied as to rarely eat at home, was din
ing at home with his daughter.
$50 YOU and Arbuthnot cannot make
it up any moreP"
As he spoke he looked over the top OF
a newspaper, which was well known as
an organ Of the popular party.
ST am not a friend to the opposition, "
she said, proudly.
Mr.. Scott laughed.
"What a girl you are, Sylvia. You're
an out-and-out partisan. But you need
not have been so hard on young Arbuth-
not. He's a nice young fellow-too nice
to run as a candidate Of such a party as
the opposition but, bless YOU, he has
not the ghost of show. We're going
to sweep the polls this time. "
Then, you feel sure Of your election,
papa p
i'Fd bet my last dollar on it. But I'd
rather the papers would do the square
thing. This attack on Arbuthnots rec
ord in the Custom-House is downright
mean"
"You are to speak in Dillingham;
square tonight, aren't you?" Sylvia
said, changing the subject deity.
"Thomas is going to drive me there.
"You must not think of such thing"
ooh, yes. will go in the barOuche,
and 1 won't even stick my head out
once. Now, papa, don't bother I;
Cousin Fred is going with me, and
you know l never heard you make a
stump speech" -.
Sylvia had her way about this. At
the hour appointed for the mass-meet-
ing. she was driven to the grand stand.
BiIlingham square was packed with
people. By the light of the blazing
torches. carried by the clubs who had
TUNED out, Sylvia saw such a scene as
she had never witnessed before. Her
carriage could not get very near the
platform, and, as the wind was blowing
the wrong way, Mr.. ScOtt's speech was
all lost to her.
"I can't hear a woT1, Fred" she
said, turning to her cousin.
Across sea of upturned faces,
showing y graduation of virtue and
intelliG-uve, marking every station IN
life. touching every phase OF depravity,
Sylvia saw her father haranguing the
populace with all the earnestness Of eD-
thusiasm.
ooh, I wish could hear what he
says," she cried, leaning forward. But
her cousin drew her back.
"You mustn't show your face, Sylvia,
he said, emphaticallv ''rhere is per,
feet meEsvusv--ld Won o,,r;y'"semenI ~omised
that you wouldpGSH lo6d -yas~ g. tie
''But can't hear" she re, '~ted, in
vexation. "I might as well g. me.
''I think it would be a great dea
better" said her cousin. "But yoU
can't drive through a "Tnwd like thii
without killing some one; so there's
nothing to do but wait till it breaks up.
"If I only had some chocolates. Don't
be disagreeable, Fred. Won't you rur
over to Marron's, and get me box z
Fred hesitated.
0I won't stir, and it won't take tel
minutes. You're a man, and you car
get through the crowd very easily. Do
there's a dear good boy"
Fred got out, and did as she bade him
Sylvia sat in the carriage, looking curl
onsly at the surging crowd. The horses
SHE'D a little at some passing torches
and Sylvia leaned forward thOughtlessly,
so that the light fell full upon her beau
tiful face, with its misty glory Of yellow
hair.
The crowd saw her.
"Whew! amt she q stunner?" crleC
some coarse fellow, with leer in hi
/ eve. and in a moment several ugly face
we're peering in the carriage door, max
/ ing vulgar comments and shouting ther
approval.
: With a low, frightened cry, Sylvii
shrank back in the carriage.
"I say, beauty, gimme kiss, won
You p cried low fellow, with his name
on the door and his foot on the step.
"This is Mr.. Scotts carriage + sh
cried, frantically. "Help help r
A strong hand came to her deliver
ance. The ruffian was dragged ava.
by the collar; there was fierce scuth
= outside the carriage, and, covering Il
, one corner, Sylvia heard the cry O
"Police Then there was a roaring
in her ears, and she came very nea
fainting. Suddenly some one touches
her, and said, in low, tender tones;
"Slyvia, are you safe ?"
e "Webster p she sObbed. "Oh, than
. Godi Take me home-take me home
t He had gathered her in his arms, an
she was too much frightened to resist.
"Drive on" he cried to the coachmaI
But this was impossible now, for th
way was fairly blocked.
$ In the crowd a fight was in progress
for the roWdies who had accosted Sylvl
: resented the interference Of some on
who had come to her rescue, and pa
q saqe-at-arms followed. Two fellows
. particular closed in a scuffie, and, b.
: fore the police arrived, they had draw
weapons.
The sharp report of a pistol was hear
+ unexpectedly. But, in the surge OF
: scufie. the course of the ball wi
e changed completely. Flying wide
its intended victim, it sped over tn
heads of the crowd and struck Sylvia
t father. who was still speaking. He fe
n forward, blood gushing from the wour
in his side. ,,
y "BLr. Scott is assassinated, was u
le orv thar echoed through the street
IN Sylvia heard it, and sank lliSensl..lle I'M
ot Webster's arms.
II That was an awful night. Fred, q
layed in a seufae with thief who tried
e, pick his pocket, came home, wild Wi
anxiety, having failed on his return
find either Sylvia or the carriage. M
IL Scott was in a dangerous condition, b
w not dead. 1t was a singular sight,
le the weeks that followed, to see the o
position candidate spending all his L
sure time at the bedside of his antag
OF MIST
n "YouU beat me now, Arbuthnot
" Mr.. Scott said, with the resignation
extreme weakness. "Ten days befo
I'D election make or mar a candidate, and
u haven't the ghost of a show, lying he
e. like helpless baby"
81 don't feel so sure, sir," said we
e. ster, quietly. "You were very popul