The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-03-09

enemy of emotion!
For instance, one day madame said:
"Amedee, 1 have drawn up list of the
leading residents of each parish in the
constituency. We will call on the most
prominent; you will write to the 9TH
ers."
Seventeen hundred letters-I never
could"
You can easily hire secretaries. In
half an hour we will set off on this
indispensable journey"
For Is days the only man one seemed
to meet on the roads, the steamboats,,
the cars, was the unhappy Verdavin,
the candidate in spite of himself. In
the pelting rain, in the broiling sun,
everywhere went he. Every morning
his wife drew up the programme for his
days journey; every night he had to
bring home to her good and sufficient
evidence that he had been at each place
he claimed to have visited.
Grand outcome = the bronchitis.
three mild sunstrokes. an incurable
rheumatism, and a confirmed gastric
disease, contracted through drinking
prosperity to France with SAG electors
daily.
"Emmie," he at last gasped, like one
about to faint, 81 feel that my
strength"
Tomorrow" she said, relentlessly,
you will canvass the AZ parishes on
this list"
And on all sides nothing was heard
but EXPLANATIONS of What an ambi-
tions chap that Verdavin is! Who ever
saw anyone like him?"
"Amedee," she said, next day, "your
address has not been circulated widely
enough. 1 have had a hundred thou
sand extra copies struck off and dis
tributed."
''But, dear, printing comes ruinously
expensive. This morning only I have
paid one bin of sixteen thous-"
''You must also manage to have your
name mentioned in connection with
generous deeds. I have ordered six or
gans for as many churches in as many
close parishes"
six o:r-g-a-n-s!"
"Yes, and IL fire engines for villages
that are unprotected from the ravages
of the destroying element and where
there is large floating vote. Imagine
how gratified the poor people will be-
''But, Emmie, 1 cannot make ducks
and drakes-I mean church organs and
parish fire engines-of my fortune!"
Sand do you count it for nothing,
then, the glory of being a statesman?
Besides, once in politics, you are sure
of getting your money back an hun
dred-fold.''
''What fine fellow that Verdavin
isl" said the outside world in awe
struck amazement and admiration;
hell spend every franc he has before
he'll let himself be beaten!"
One pleasant morning-it was just
week before the election-madame
aroused at early dawn NJ. VerdaTin.
who was still sleeping soundly, not hav-
ing, indeed, returned from an exhaust
ing journey to the back districts until
two a. m.
'Amedee," she cried, "rouse yourself;
the honor of our name has been vilely
thrust under foot and trodden in the
dust, and you must avenge it." And
she handed the unhappy man a 4 ewspa-
per in which he read the following:
''It is about time to have done with the
braZen impudence of the char,atan who is
trapesing round our streets and high
ways. This Verdavin, fellow of the baser
sort, seeks-but seeks in vain-to conceal
his dema gogic instincts. He demands Lib
er,y. We all know what that word means
with him; behind 1t he prepares an am
buscade for property, the family. religion.
This Verdavin, dealer in notes and haunter
Of low taverns. is nothing more nor less
than scalawag who has not even the
courage of his incendiary opinions"
''But this is not ALL" said his wife,
and handed him another journal, in
which he read:
Let the mask be torn off! Our intelli-
gent voters will not let themselves be i'm
posed upon by a Tartuffe of the cutters
Verdavin, double-ender politician and
perfect nullity, pretends to array himself
on the side of the cause of order. 1t is
under such guise that the friends OF des-
potism usually do their hellish work This
ooious being, whom we will not further
po!lute our type by naming, has evidently
been hired to compHcate the situation by
his candidacy. Let the electors rise in
their might and sweep from the field this
Next morning Verdavin received
sword thrust in the left arm from the
legitimist editor, and the day after
ward one to match in the right arm
from the radical editor.
At last the day of the election ar
rived. Verdavin had conducted his can
vass with unsparing energy; his com
plicated disorders had given him a
corpse-like appearance; he had spent
three-quarters of his fortune; he car
ried both of his arms in sings.
But az night the project made the
official declarations:
"Elected-Verdavin 23,672 votes"
It was a week later when he entered
the chamber of deputies. His wife.
radiant and rejoicing, was il one of the
galleries. He had chosen a seat in the