The Newtown bee., 1897-11-19

selves after while. Tuesday is ironing
day. Do you see that pile of clothes?
Not step will I go toward your polling
place until all those clothes are ironed."
about II o'clock, then, you'll be
ready?" he inquired, tentatively.
"My conscience, no! IL O'Clock!
What are you thinking of? If went
away from here at II o'clock, when would
you get your dinner?"
"We might have cold lunch to-day"
he suggested.
"There's nothing in the house for a
cold lunch Aud I'd like for you to tell
me, Samuel, what earthly difference it
will make whether we vote early or late.
Do votes have value according to the time
of day they're cast?''
"Of course" be grumbled, "a vote is
vote and counts the same no matter
what time of day it's cast. But there
are al ways some people who care nothing
about principles. They vote for which
ever ticket seems likely to win. So, you
see, we can help our side by voting
early"
"They won't get any of that kind of
help from me-" she replied, with empha-
sis. THERE'S another thing want to
ask you, how is any one going to know
which way we vote? Don't we have a
secret ballot?'
''They don't know for sure" Samuel
replied, show each one votes; but they
generally know beforehand how most of
the voters stand, and on election day each
party has men at the different precincts
to check off the names as they vote. In
this way they can tell pretty near how
! things are going" He did not think it
necessary to add that he had caused the
names of Janet Armitage and Sarah M.
Burns to be entered on the canvasser's
book as adherents of his own party.
He voted early himself, then came
home and wandered about the house as
his wife said, ''like a lost spirit"
"Do sit down and keep still, Sammy :;
you make me nervous" she exclaimed.
He dutifully sat down. To keep still
was impossible. He twirled his thumbs,
tilted his chair "a practice positively
prohibited by his wife), shuffied his
feet, and hummed snatches of Saliva
tion Army songs, which he enjoyed i'm
mensely and which Janet abhorred.
The good woman at last declared, with
much warmth: samuel Armitage, if
you don't clear out of this and stay away
until dinner-time, won't vote at all. So
there now!'
Compelled to choose between such al
ternatives the old man unhesitatingly
elected to go. He made tour of as many
polling places as were within walking
distance. He met the chairman of his
party's campaign committee, who slap
ped him on the back and said: every
thing is coming our way"
Under ordinary circumstances Mr. Ar
mitage objected to being slapped on the
back. It is form of salutation not much
in favor among very slim men with rheu-
matte tendencies. To-day he did not feel
disposed to display resentment toward
the bearer of such agreeable information.
The good news made him feel quite hi
larious, and SO reckless that when he
stopped at the grocery-sSore and found
the minister there he offered to bet with
him on the result of the election. mo,
Mr. Armitage," said the minister, sit
won't do for me to bet.with you. I'll tell
you what we will do, though. If Scott
isn't elected mayor, you shall send a
sack of potatoes in my name to the Peo-
Piles Mission
They shook hands on this, and Samuel
went on his way feeling more exuberant
than before until it occurred to him that
his wife might hear of this one-sided bet,
and then-Janet disapproved of betting.
He could not eat his dinner, and was
in fever of impotence until the ladies
were ready TO 20. Arrived at the polling