The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-07
TUESDAY EVENING StpTtMBfR7. 1893
yANDERSON'S yO'il.
:. Boys Experience as a Country
Politician.

II had been hot political campaign.
All over the state brass bands were
playing. cannon we're firing, illumina-
tions were glaring and four hundred
and twenty seven stump speakers were
delivering every night four hundred
aud twenty seven addresses The har-
angues were at once ringing, electro
flying masterpieces Of cloquencc, ito
quote the reporters who agreed with
their sentiment-and Tissues 81 driy-
cling mendacity,. z to quote the re-
porters who did not agree The four
hundred and twenty seven mass meet
ings were each "a grand ontpouring Of
an aroused people" or "a small spir-
itless gathering 81 disheartened dcina-
gogdcs" quoting as before.
in almost every town rival compa-
MES Of Jones Guards Smith Ram
gers and "1homrson Contincntals, z
arraged is uniforms that did not fit,
and carrying torches that dripped with
oil, scufilcd through dust, splashed
through 1nud, and bcsFattered them
selves with kerosene.
They raised flags. sercnaded candi-
dates and escorted all sorts Of distin-
guishcd statesmen ffom nowhere, in
particular to everywhere in general,
and back again
Then the newspapers! How they
mailed lies. exposed conspiracies, !"
tore OFF masks an hold up 10 pub.
lie execration." proving ''irrcfutably"
that their own side had aud would
have, ali the virtue and victory, and
. the other all the vice aud v.tnqnisb-
menti
Our village ~ New Nicopolis had
every requisite for n lively canvass
two halls, two newspapers, two bands
and Two aspirants for every Office.
Moreover the town was SO evenly di-
yider politically that no candidate
could reasonably expect 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
standstill No one thought or dreamed
OF anything but politics. The men
spent more time ut the tayerns than
in their shops, and hammered harder
on grocery counters than they did on
their anvils The women we're divided
iuto two classes-those who qnarreled
every time they met and those who
wouldn't speak to each 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 ~ our
own in our patriotic ardor. We EN-
gagged in ceaseless discussions which
were none the less hot and intoleraut,
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-
tion 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 a crow
eagle for the winners, crow for t he
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 polls 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 eobbler, whom | had
dragged out of his stall at seven
o'clock in the morning, that he might
do his whole duty as a free American
and to keep Fred Crandall from get
ting at him first. Fred was active for
the hostile camp, and if his slow pae ed
family horse could not make as many
trips as my Knox three-y ear-old, vet he
brought three times as much freight
when he did come, being provided with
a two-seated beach wagon, while nv
buggy had room for but one passenger.
Fred 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
Tor information where to 60 or whom
TO bring while 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 Aicopolis WHO had not voted, but
as ballots became fewer the anxiety inv
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, Charleyp' exclaimed he.
Drive out on the north road as fast as
Fou can 20, and bring ii yanderson-
a the red house next beyond the
bridge 8
whirled my horse around without
waiting for more. The rest Of what
ever the politician had to saytwas lost
IN the rafting Of the wheels as dashed
down the road at twelve miles au hour;
but the colt had gone too far and too
fast that day to keep up such gait,
and ! soon reluctantly allowed him to
take an easy jog trot.
Fred Crandall suddenly dashed Nv
with fresh steed which recognized
asADr. Parker's new roadster. Things
must be AT a desperate pass indeed IL