Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-12-02

saying yes or no. l don't know wha.
they call 1t. At any rate, that was
where they struck the first rock. A
woman back Of me objected. She want
ed the vote to be by ballot. That's
where you write a name-oh, you know
what It Is. do you? Well, first they said
they would elect a president, SO some
one got up and nominated Mrs. Van
Klubber, and 1t was seconded.
81 told you so,' said the woman back
Of me.
Someone else got up and nominated
that frimpy ,ars. Caucus and that was
seconded, too. In the meantime the
head women had been tearing paper
into slips. which they sent around
through the audience, with bits of pen
ellis, which you passed to your neigh
bor. was waiting for a pencil to get
to me, when l heard the woman back
Of me saying:
".How do you spell her name, any
wayT
~ don't know said the woman be-
side her.
Some one touched me on the shoul
der
How do you spell that Mrs. Vans
nameT the woman whispered.
"'Mrs. Vans? 1 said.
"'Yes.'
.Kl-e-v-v-e-r,' / whispered.
"'Oh, thought it was Klubber?
"'No, Klevver'
"Why, Katherine. how dared you?
81 dare do anything that becomes
Van, and 1 guess I've just as much
right to the name as she has! But wait
I heard a great whispering all along the
line behind me.
That isn't right! It's spelled
Kl-e-v.'
After a while someone came around
and collected the ballots and took them
up to the platform. l looked as innO-
cent as the babe they seemed to con-
slider me, but kept a sharp eye on Mrs.
Federated Jones and Mrs. Organized
Smith. They were the tellers. Oh, my
dear! If you could only have seen
themw and Mrs. Van Klevver threw
back her head and laughed. Mrs.
Smith picked up a slip and looked at il,
She puckered up ner forehead and
squinted a little closer. Then she un-
hooked her glasses and took another
look at 1t. Gradually a smile stole into
the corners Of her mouth and she passed
the slip over to Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones
took a long look at it through her spec
tacles and then they put their handker-
chiefs to their mouths and 1 could see
their shoulders shaking.
Never mindv l said to myself.
They'll find 1t larger Joke than they
think
And. oh, Nancy! they did. wish
could have taken a dozen or two pho
tographs of their faces as they counted
those ballots. 1t was funny at first.
Then 1t was queer. Then it was very
strange Then 1t was incredible. They
went over and over and over the thirty
nine slips Of paper, and then they whis-
pered together for a while. Finally,
Mrs. Smith went up to the chairman on
the platform and said something In her
ear.
what! said Mrs. Amalgamated
Brown right out loud, and she went
down to the table and took a look at the
ballots. Then she went over and whis-
pered to Mrs. Van Klubber, who was
sitting at a little distance trying to look
unconscious, and succeeding about as
we'll "a a man who knows that he will
be called on for the next 'extemporane-
GUS speech at banquet, and = afraid
he hasn't learned 1t thoroughly. It was
a very supplementary proceeding all
around, anyway. l read up about 1t
last night, and 1 think I could have
them all impeached II 1t were worth
while"
Really"
Nancy" in a warning tone from Mrs.
Van Klevver, you remember what l
said about adJeurning our friendship"
"I'n try, dear, but was SO interest
ed"
so was l. People began whispering
and wondering what was the matter.
The woman back of me snickered.
"'Tll bet that Mrs. Caucus is elect
ed she said. Well, 1 don't like her,
but wouldn't mind seeing the machine
defeated" e~s---
"The machineT" inquired Miss De
Korus.
Yes"
whats thatW
Why, that's-well, in this case 1t was
Mrs. Van. That'l do for the present.
haven't looked up its general applica-
ton yet. 1 know it was Mrs. Van be-
cause she really was beaten"
You don't say sou
Bravo, Nancy! You'll work UP to
Maud's eloquence before I'm through.
Yes, she was"
And that frumpy Mrs. Caucus elect
edT
why, no. Mrs Caucus wasn't really
In it. She had only Ave votes. But let
me tell you. After lot Of whispering
and excitement Mrs. Brown went back
to the chair and banged the table with
a little wooden hammer and asked the
meeting to come to order. There was
q dead silence.
1.-The tellers have counted The votes
and will announce the result said Mrs.
Brown in a sort Of stunned, bewildered
way. -,
Then Mrs. Smith got up.
1.-The result Of the vote for president
Is as follows (you know how she always
pipes up): Mrs. Van Klevver. 20 votes;
Mrs. Van Klubber, IA, and Mrs.. eau
Gus, s.
well. there was Q funny murmur
thre1xh tn rQsm and M -R1sMn hit