The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-02-02
VANDERSON'S VOTE.
a Boys Experience as a Country
Politician.


and twenty-seven stump speakers were
delivering every night four hundred
and twcnty-seven addresses. The har-
angues were at once ringing, electro
flying masterpieces of eloquence," to
quote the reporters who agreed with
their sentimcnt-and Tissues of driv-
cling mendacity, quote the re-
porters who did not agree. The four
hundred and twenty-seven mass meet
ings were each "a grand outpouring of
an aroused people" or "a small, spir-
itless gathering of disheartened dema-
gogues"-quoting as before.
In almost every town rival compa-
MES of Jones Guards" smith Ran
gers" and Thompson Continentals 3"
arrayed in uniforms that did not fit,
and carrying torches that dripped with
oil, scufficd through dust, splashed
through mud, and despatched them
selves with kerosene.
They raised flags, serenaded candi-
dates and escorted all sorts of distin-
guished statesmen from nowhere in
particular to everywhere in general,
and back ngain.
Then the newspapers How they
'nailed lies" Exposed conspiracies,"
'torc of masks" and "held up to pub
lie cxecration," proving "irrefutably"
that their own side had, and would
have, all the virtue and victory, and
the other all the vice and vanquish-
ment!
Our village OF New Nicopolis had
every requisite for lively canvass
two halls, two newspapers, two band
and two aspirants for every Office.
Moreover the town was so evenly di-
vided politically that no candidate
could reasonably expect a majority of
more than three or four votes.
AS the struggle drew near its end,
men became so excited and enthusiast
tic that business was almost at a
standstill No one thought or dreamed
of anything but politics. The men
spent more time at the taverns than
in their shops, and hammered harder
on grocery counters than they did on
their anvils. The women were divided
into two classes-those who quarreled
every time they met, and those who
wouldn't speak to eacn other at all.
OF course we boys initiated our eld-
ers. We attended every meeting,
marched in every procession, and got
up meetings and professions of our
own in our patriotic ardor We en-
gagged in ceaseless discussions which
were none the less hot and intolerant,
because, as general thing, neither of
the disputants had the slightest idea of
what he was talking about
Going out on the streets alone was
like taking a little promenade on
Hounslow Heath in the old days of
highwaymen; and on the evenings of
opposition mass meetings my return
from the post Office was often in imita-
ton of the British retreat from Con-
cord.
Now election day was here. We were
assured that victory was in the air,
and about to perch upon our banner.
Victory seemed to be regarded as a
bird of some kind, but whether it
would turn out an eagle or crow
eagle for the winners, crow for the
losers-no one could tell
II my participation in the campaign
had hitherto been merely sympathetic,
was happy in knowing that youth,
like old age, had on this day its honor
and its toll. Though could not vote
myself, could bring Indifferent or dis
abled citizens to the pc lis with my own
pet colt and buggy.
The first ballot put into the box at
Town Hall was thrown by old Jenny
Grant, the lame cobbler whom | had
dragged out OF his stall Mt seven
o'clock in the morning, that he might
do his whole duty as free American
and to keep Fred Crandall from get
ting at him first. Fred was active for
the hostile camp, and if his slow-paced
family horse could not make as many
trips as my Knox three-year-old,y yet he
brought three times as much freight
when he did come, being provided with
a two-seated beach wagon, while my
buggy had room for but one passenger.
Ere was a boy of the most irritat.
ing audacity 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 go or whom
10 bIluS' WHY IL iuiACO IL q iSde WA
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 Nicopolis who had not voted; bu,
as ballots became fewer the anxiety in
creased, for the check books showed
almost an equality between the part les
Even my father began to grow
nervous, and the politicians rushed
about like lunatics. One of them sud
denly ran up TO me.
Here, Charley exclaimed he,
"Drive out on the north road as fast as
you can go, and bring in Nanderson-
at the red house next beyond the
bridge"
/ whirled my horse around withou;
waiting for more. The rest of what.
ever the politician had to say was los,
in the rafting of the wheels as dashed
down the road at twelve miles an hour;
but the colt had gone too far and toe
fast that day to keep up such gait,
and soon reluctantly allowed him &c
take an easy jog trot.
Fred Crandall suddenly dashed by