The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-03-21
Uerddvin' S CandiddCu
How the Representative of His
Wife Was Elected.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

| \. Wife Was Elected. \.
Should you ever happen to visit the
department of Trois-E toiles and men
tion the name of NJ. Verdavln 1t is safe
betting that your interloeutor, no mat
ter who he may be, will exclaim:
"Verdayinl Well, of all the nmbi-
tious. intriguing men l ever met Yer
DAWN was the worstp'
However, now that the vox populi
has pronounced upon my old friend,
permit me TO have the honor of intro
ducing to you the real Nerdavin, that
you may compare him with Verdavn
the legendary.
Born of honest but not poor parents,
Amedee-such was his name-had from
his childhood up one single to
live quietly and cozlly on the 10000
francs year beQueathed to him by
| his pa and ma. He had CHEEKY little
town residence, IA love of country
house. IN spring he made little Trip
to Paris; in summer he flshed; I'm au-
tumn he shot; In winter there was the
club Nothing could have been pleas
anter
Nevertheless Amedee perceived that
something still was lacking In his life.
He wanted some one to keep his nc-
counts and oversee his expenditures.
How was he TO get rid of this business
which threatened his idleness and pla-
cidity2 lie made up his mind to take
a wife.
She whom he had chosen was
| young girl of candid brow, but full of
resolution, fact which had guided
| Verdayin In his selection. lie had said
| TO himself. "She will have will enough
to SEQ after nil my business affairs,
and I shall be saved any trouble In
such matters"
Yon moon that shone above, round ms
the crown OF his hat, had not yet filed
her horn six times after their mar
riage when one fine morning my lady
summoned her husband, who FASTENED
to her apartments bearing in his hand
n package of hooks, TO which he was
attaching new lengths of line and gut.
What Is It. my darllngY'
"Amedee, be so good as to listen to
me. During the six months of our
married life have been studying your
character and scrutlnlzing your aptl
| tudes, Cor you know we'll TINT n mNn OF
| your age and position cannot rust In
inglorlous idlcncss."
"Why, bless me, Emmie, | thought
my time was sufficiently occupied For
instance Just at this very moment
was setting Off for the brook, where
expected to get you mess of fish for
dinner that
"Amedce, be serious, l beg Of you, II
you can. | have been canvassing the
whole subject thoroughly in my mind
and have found the one pursuit.
"But, my dear, when | say that
"fhat one pursuit In which nova
| days n man can rise TO power and hon.
or is politics"
Politics! Heaven be praised,
never have gone In for politics. and,
heaven helping me, madame, | never
WILL
"In three weeks there Will be an cleo
ton In this department. | wIll-tlat Is
to say, you wlll-come forward ms
candidate"
"But. dearest, you have not thought
Eyes, dear, l have thought 1t over in
Its every aspect. Indeed | have pre-
pared your address to the electors"
"The deuce you haycw
Don't swear, Amedee. Swearing Of
tends the scrupulous voters. Do you
think 1t is very agreeable for woman
to spend all her lifetime shut up In this
poky old hole, absolutely unknown
The provinces do not make reputa-
tlons, but they elect deputies What
would | not give to henr people say
as | passed: You see that pretty
little woman In brown She's the wife
OF our representative
"Emmie, you are only jestingn
This. then, Is the address you are
TO issue to the electors" and she read
~ follows:
"Felow Citizens At a time when the well be-
| ing-nsy the very existence demands the har-
monious union Of all patriotic men feel 1t my
duty to desire an opportunity Of combating on
the parliamentary field Of Laitle for the regenefas
| ton Of our beloved country. What desire what
| you must all desreis order In liberty. with lib
erty in order"
There were nearly three columns of
this.
The next morning there began for
the unhappy Verdavin n life the hor-
rors of which 1t would be difficult to
retrace. He, the friend OF rcposc, the
enemy OF emotion.
For instance, one day madame said:
"Amedee. have drawn up list of the
leading residents Of each parish In the
constituency. We VIII call on the most
prominent You Will write to the 9th
ers"
"Sevcntecn hundred letters! | never
could"
you can easily hire secretaries. In
half an hour we will set Off on this in
dlspensable journey"
For II days the only man one seemed
to meet on the roads, the steamboats,,
the cars, was the unhappy Verdayin,
the candidate In spite Of himself In
the pclting rain, In the broiling sun
everywhere went he. Every morning
his wife drew up the programme for
his days Journey; every night he had
"a bring home to her good and suiil-