The National tribune., 1900-10-04

or three times, looking very grave and
very sly. 1T Is proper-perfectly proper,
and Mr.. d. nodded again.
Bowling to Harry, she took the musk,
scented envelope, broke the seal and read
the missive.
When shall 1 call for the answer?'
Harry asked.
AT sunset. Don't ring the front door
bell, but come to the garden; l will met
you there"
There was so much mystery about the
transaction that Harry was almost on the
eve of regarding it as doubtful when Mr..
Datchcry, nodding, said:
1t is all proper, sir; perfectly properr'
and Harry was hurriedly dismissed. Next
he called at the home of Mr.. Paul Liv-
inEston, ignorant of the fact, as was Burr
that the Lvingstons had already decided
not to support Burr. His heart beat wild
ly as he rang the bell. 4 colored ser
want opened the door.
Can L see Mr.. Livingston?' he asked.
Step in de pahloh, san, and | will
see" When the parlor was reached the
| negro halted at the door and asked:
What name, sahf'
TEL him Harry Granger, with q mes
sage from Col. Burr"
Yes, sahi' and with an obseauious
bow the negro disappeared and moment
idttt Cdue Ddch, SdylnS.
Walk up"'
Harry, with vague idea that to walk
up meant to follow the negro, accompanied
him to an apartment where the great man
sat behind table groaning under its
weight of papers and musty records
Good morning, sir" said the awful
voice, and Livingston seemed to scowl at
him through his glasses"
Good morning, sir" said Harry. 81
hive some p1parc that 7 yuc told ,,;,,,,
you in person." He handed the great
man the papers and stood hoping that he
would be asked to sit. Livingston broke
the seal and hastily glanced over the con-
tents. The letters were in cypher, a pre-
caution nearly always taken by Aaron
Burr.
Mr.. Livingston slowly perused them,
muttering an occasional 'umph, umph"
as some new intelligence dawned on his
mind. AT last he threw them on tile
table, saying:
There is no answer to these"
Il will give him your exact words, sir"
muttered Harry, turning sadly away.
DO, if you please! Good morning.
He had hoped to stay longer, but, after
all, he was only servant of Il man whose
honor he might doubt. Harry left the
house without even seeing Maude, and
was an hour later on his way to Cooper
town, the home of Judge Peck
Judge Peck, although a clear-headed,
sensible man, was an uneducatcd emigrant
from Connecticut. His appearance was
diminutive, and almost disgusting In re-
ligion he was fanatical, but in his political
views he was sincere, persevering and
bold; and, though meek and humble in
his personal demeanor, he was by no
means destitute of personal ambition. He
was an Itlncrant surveyor of the County
of Otsego, then new and uncultivated
part of the State. He would survey
mans farm in the daytime, exhort and
pray in his family at night, and talk pol
itics between times. Perhaps on Sun
day, or some evening in the week, he
would preach q sermon at the school
house.
Aaron Burr was shrewd enough to see
the value such man would be to pol
itician, and by flattering him just a little
he early won him to Republican princi-
pies and to himself. Political parties
were just forming at this time, and
changes were more common then than
now. One scarce knew what some mems
politics would be on the morrow. Many
Of the principles which make up great
parties were in q state of evolution, and
the issues were not fully formed for years
after.
Harry never knew the extent of good
to the cause of Aaron Burr his journey
did. He found the country stirred as it |
had never been stirred before nor since.
In those days free-holders only voted, but |
this did not prevent those not being free
holders expressing their opinions of Burr. |
Harry heard him called a libertine, {. van
ial, Catalina, conspiratOr, and at |
times he almost feared that some of those |
charges were true.
The contest for Governor was animated |
and acrimonious. Jefferson gave the |
weight of his Administration against the |
Little Band as Cheetham called Burr |
and his friends. The Livingston family, |
despite his plan to win them back, left |
Burr entirely. Mr.. Paul Livingston at |
the very time of Harry's visit was sup
porting the Clintonian candidate.
Mr.. James Chcetham, the editor of the |
american Citi1cn, not content with what |
his paper could effect, on the second day |
If the election printed a handbill violently |
the purity of Burr's private |
wrote to his daughter, Mrs. Theodosia |
Alston, in his usual arrogant style:
'They are busy here about an election |
between Morgan Lewis and \. Burr, the |
former supported by the Livingstons and |
and the latter per Sc. | would |
send you some new and amusing libels |
against the Vice-President, but as you did |
cot send the speech''-and the remainder
If the letter refers to a private matter.
The election lasted three days, during |
which every eXertion was made by the
opposing forces, and when the votes We're
Col. Burr was beaten by an over
majority of 1000. The tide
which had borne him on so long and so
had turned at last.
CTo be continued)