Evening journal., 1897-10-19
FRED BACH IN HIS LAIR.
Addicksites Have No Business
in Washington.
EX-uHAIRMAN HOLDS THE FORT

SHIP IN THE LOWER PART OF
THE COUNTY.
William B. Short, Esq, loves Cross
Roads, Sussex County
MY Dear Bill: Pursuant to your re-
quest, / went to Washington to see
what l could do towards furthering
your chances for the postmastership.
The trip down was pleasant, and l am
particularly well pleased with Wash
ington. l don't wonder that Mr.. Ad- |
dicks wants to live here at the public
expense. l almost feel like it myself. |
Shortly after / got here / made inquiry |
as to how to meet the postmaster-gen- !
eral. AS soon as | got my bearings | set
off, and in due course of time reached
the Post Office Department. There was
a brigadier-general or somebody at the
door. / said; 1 want to see the post
master-general. Which one? he
asked. 1 didn't know there was more
than one, said /. There didn't used
to be, he replied, but there are two
now. What are their names?' / asked.
One is Mr. Bach, and the other is Mr..
Gary he replied. i guess l want to see
Mr.. Gary ] said. He told me to wait
a minute until he could ask Mr.. Bach
whether Mr. Gary could have five min
utes off to chat with friend. told him
could get through in two minutes II il
was absolutely necessary. He said that
Mr.. Bach was rather strict with Mr..
Gary, and frequently docked him forl
lost time, and as Mr.. Gary had a large
family to support he had to make every
minute count on his income Finally
no aclrq rnn MI / from
him that | was from Delaware-fresh
from the rich alluvial soil OF old Sus-
sex. He asked me If l was a regular
Republican or an irregular Addicksite.
| told him | was one of the fellows who
backed the gas man. He gave sharp
whistle and thought he was calling
the dog; but it was only his way Of ex-
pressing doubt and surprise. Then he
asked me for my card. told him that
didn't have any He got blank one
and ] wrote my name on it. Then he
left me and went in the room. Fortu-
nately he left the door open. / heard
| him tell Mr.. Bach that there was man
outside who wanted to talk to Mr.. Gary
He wanted to know what he wanted to
L talk to him about The brigadier told
I him he didn't know. Mr. Bach said
that unless It was a matter of life or
4 death Mr.. Gary could not leave his
/ desk, as he was busy doing some pIi-
vate letter-writing for him. The briga-
4 dier came back and asked me whether
it was a matter Of life or death. Not
exactly / told him, but unless 1t was
attended to it might result in bad
sickness and a broken heart. He went
back to Mr. Bach and told him what
had said. Mr.. Bach told the brigadier
to tell me that If l wanted to see Mr..
Gary l would have to call on him after
office hours, as he made it point not
to have the affairs of his office inter
fered with by the injection of MT
Gary's private affairs. He said that he
I gave Mr.. Gary half an hour at noon sc
: that he could get a glass of milk and
piece Of pie around at the dairy luncn
and that l could wait at the lunch coun-
= ter for him, or sit on his front step un-
/, til he came home in the evening. See
= ing the card in the hands of tho briga'
der he took it and read the name. His
manner changed instantly. You know
that thin face OF his. Well, 1t gol
e thinner and thinner, and his mouth gol
broader and broader. Then he grinned
/ Show the slob I'M he said. | dom
} know what slob means, but it must b'
pretty nice, for the brigadier showed
} me in with a great deal of Difference
: And so you are DR.. Caleb Layton, o
GEORGETOWN he asked. Yes, sir l re
sponded. Did anybody send an emer
. gency call for your services? he IN
;, quired. No, sir l said. Then what II
[ the HI are you doing so far ava,
{ from home at this late hour OF IN
o day?' he asked in a menacing tone.
4. 20. sarsNr fnr
pointment of William b. Short, Esq, a
postmaster at loves Cross Roads,
y said Is that the same Bill Short VIII
Il was indicted for stealing chickens ant
got off on the strength of a packe
| iury?' l didn't answer, but sat ther
wondering how he came to know S
e much about you on such short notice
d And is this the same Bill Short VIII
l. sold his vote to Addicks for S25 and
l. pair OF boots?' l came to the conclusio
\ right away that some of our fellows ha
been giving away party secrets, but
Just told him that ii was $40 and nc
S25. and it was a pair of Congress gait
n ers instead of boots. What claim ha
J. he to the Officer he asked. He ba
a been lifelong Republican, ! reph-'
For how much?' he asked. 1t is Won
derful what fund Of leading and EN-
barassing questions that man has
his tongues end. i told him that yo
u had the endorsement of every represen
q tative man in Sussex county. He sal
u that there were only four names tha
o went with him in Sussex, and that the
p we're Charlie Richards, Bill Gum, Bo
Houston and John Cannon Shcrt. tol
him we never thought OF asking theI
to sign. He wanted TO know what wa
s, the use of expecting an honest admin
n istration to appoint man postmaste
on the strength OF the signatures OF IN
l. men who figured on the list OF pul
chasables made up by the Addics
managers. / asked him If there WASH
such a thing on earth as forgiving an
L forgetting. Not when an Addicksite
L concernedl' he said They are pa'
lsl forgiveness. They are eternally damned
to There is no more chance for them !
this world or the next than there is ff
Seth Low in New York. Blu snort
one of them, and he can't be postmai
ooI ter of loves Cross Roads. You ha
NJ better tell him to so back to sawir