The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-16
vANDERS0N'S VOTE.
,. Boys Experience rs Country
Politician.

/ playing, cannon were firing, itlunsna.
,tious were glaring and fourysinndred
and twenty-seven stump spcalycrs were
delivering every night four hundred
and twentv-seven addresses The har-
angncs wore at once ringing. elcctri-
! flying masterpieces ~ eloqncncc, Is
quote the reporters who agreed with
their sentiment and 'rissnes % driv.
cling mandacity, ITO quote tho re-
porters who did not agree The four
hundred and twenty-scven mass meet
ings were each "a grand dutpouring Of
an aroused people or "a small, spir-
itlcss gathering Of diahcartenea detna-
! Eogues' quoting as before.
In almost every town rival compa-
mics Of Jones Guards. I Smith RAN
| gers" and "fhompson CoutincntAls, =
| arrayed ia uniforms that did not az,
and carrying torches that lripped with
oil, scutiled through, dust, splaShcd
through mud, and despatched them.
selves with kerosene
They raised flags, scrcnaded candi.
dates and escorted all sorts of distin.
| gmished statesmen from nowhere In
particular to everywhere in general,
| and back again
Then the newspapers How they
mailed lies. Exposed conspiracies, =
tore of masks arid held up 10 pub
lie cxeeraiion. proving .'irrcfutabiy''
that their own side had, aud would
have, all the virtue aud victory, aud
the other all the vice and yanquish
menA
Our village OF New NieopolIs had
every requisite Cor Il lively canvass
two halls. two newspapers, two bands
and two nspirnnts for every office.
Moreover the town was ~ evenly d.,
yidef politically that no candidate
could reasonably expect majority II
more than three or four votes
As hegstfRrgle drew near is end,
men became So excited and enthusias
| tie that business was almost 1T
standstlll. M one Thought OF dreamed
Of anything but politics. The men
\ spent more time al the taycrns than
in their shops, and hammered harder
on grocery counters than they did on
| their anvils. The women were divided
iato two classes those who qparreled
every time they met, and those who
y
CT course we boys initiated our cid
crs We attended every meeting,
marched in every procession, and got
up meetings and professions Of our
own In our patriotic arttor. We en-
gagged Ia ccaseless discussions which
were none the less hot and intolerant,
because, rs a general thing, neither 81
the dispntants had the slightest idea II
what he was talking about
Going out on tho streets alone was
like taking a little promenade on
Ilounslow Heath IN the old days Of
lhighwaymen; and on the evenings of
opposition mass meetings my return
from the post Office wns often Ia inita-
ton 81 the British retreat from Con.
cord
Now election day was here. We were
assured that victory was ia the air.
and about to perch upon our banner.
| Victory seemed to be regarded as d
bird 81 some kind, but whether Il
would turn out I'M eagle or crow
eagle for the winners, crow for the
losers -no one could tell.
II my participation4in the campaign
had hitherto been merely sympathetic,
was happy in knowing that youth,
like old age. had on this day It's honor
and its toll Though could not vote
myself, ! could bring indifferent or dis
abled citizens 70 the polls withmy own
pct colt and buggy.
The first ballot put into the box at
Town Hall was thrown by old Jenny
Grant, the lame cobbler. whom I had
dragged ont Of his stall ut seven
o'clock in the morning, that he might
do his whole duty as free American
and to keep Fred Grandall from get
ting at him first Fred wns active for
the hostile camp, and II his slow.pace
Family horse could not make as many
trips as my Knox three-year-old, yet he
brought three times MS much freight
when he did come, being provided with
a two-seated beach wagon, while my
buggy had room for but one passenger.
Fred WINS boy Of the most irritat-
Ing andacity and enterprise, and he
possessed, moreover, the advantage Of
knowing nearly every voter BY sight and
each mans political opinions BY heart
Consequently he lost no time in asking
for information where to 20 or whom
10 bring, while I'required great deal
OF direction and advice
All day long the contest went on.
until, late in the afternoon, there was
scarcely man In the whole town Of
New Eicopolis who had not voted; but
as ballots became fewer the anxiety in
creased. for the check books showed
almost an equality between the parties
Even my father began TO grow
nervous, and the politicians rushed
about like lunntics. One Of them sud-
denly ran up TO me
"lere, charleyr' exclaimed he.
"Drive out On the north road as fast as
you can so, and bring il vandcrson
at the red house next beyond the
bridge"
| whirled my horse around without
waiting for more The rest of what
ever the politician had 70 say was lost
IN the rattling Of the wheels as | dashed
down the road ut twelve miles an hour;
but the colt had gone too far and too
fast that day to keep UP such 4 gait.
and soon reluctantly allowed him 70
take an easy jog trot.
Fred Crandall suddenly dashed by
with fresh steed, which / recognized
as DR.. Parker's new roadster. Things
must be at desperate pass indeed II
the doctor was willing to commit his
hest horse 70 such hard-driving Iehu
rs Fred
Frctting was Of no use. though, and
! watched him disappear over the next