The Portland daily press., 1901-02-26

Ito they look solemn and detected. In
private, however, they occasionally nudge
one another In the ribs and almost burst
with merriment over their solemn essays
on the danger of the Boston and Maine
railroad tearing mp tue Grand Trunk
tracks and diyerting all the steamships
TO Boston. When Alderman Drisooll
applied for admission 60 the club, the
committee appointed to Investigate him
found that he had voted to leass the
Marginal Way to the Boston and Maine
in psrpetuity and had rebuked the people
for forever opposing all the requests
that the corporations who will develop
Portland make OF ths city government,
and objected to him. 1t is understood
that MIR. Drisooll fetorted that neither
the Argus nor hlr. Merrill made any
more objection to the lease OF tie Margi-
nal Way than did he. 10 this they re-
piled that failure to object was due TO
faiiure 60 anticipate the nomination Of
Colonel Boothby for Mayor by the Re-
publioans. Had they understood that that
was to be the programme they said they
would have fought the lease tooth and nail.
MIR. Driseoll retortsd that this excuse was
just as applicable to him as TO them. He
expressed great oontrition for his vote
and his speech and promised IL admitted
he would prophecy as gloomily as
Cassandra for the rest of the campaign.
This overoame their scrupIes and MIR.
Driscoll was admitted.
A provisional programme has been
arranged subject to change rs the nee
essities Of the case may require-a sort
of division of labor. Mr.. Merrill con-
tributes the heavy arRuments, the Argus
supplies the tributes to Mr.. Merrill, on
account of the latter's modssty. ana Mr..
Drisooll contributes the dashes OF pathos
t. MAKE the performance appear suffi-
niently solemn. MIR. Fossett, oonstitut-
ing as he does one OF the great parties
OF the city, Is hereafter to be the audi
enoe on which the oonooctions OF the
three literateurs ara to be tried to gauge
their effect Two "pieoes" have already
bean prepared by tas trio. In them
MIR. Merrill Views with alarm Col.
Boothbys election, not ON his own ao-
count, of oourss. tor he Is just saorifio-
ing himself for the public good and
would really from the standpoint of his
own personal comfort rather be defeat ID
than elected but on account OF the danger
threatening the oitg from COL Bootnby's
malignant attitude toward it. The
Argus says Mr.. Merrill is about 50 years
ol1-forgetting to give his exact weight
has ssen extensive service in the city
government (been there q year. we be-
lieve), and isa sort Of Cinciunatus or
CorioIanus-or young Napoleon or
administration. We have failed to find
ia either of these pieces ANY trace OF
sir. Drisooll's genius, perhaps, because
he had not bsoonIe sufficiently
solemnizsd to produos pathos. Tne
third "piece," which is understood was
prepared yesterday, will, 1t is understood,
far surpass any Of the previous efforts
of the triumvirats. 1t is said that Col
Boothby Will be represented as actually
in the act OF tearing up the Grand
Trunk tracks and sinking several steam
ships, while Mr.. Merrill TN yachting
ooEtumel, Will he pictured with drawn
outlass, commanding the Colonel to
desist. This "pisce'' has been read TO
MIR. Fossett and he pronounces it
"screAmeE, something that viii rouse
the city from one end tp the other.
Maybe the effect OF this win be SO over
powering that the IVORY Club" will
not have to construct any more scare
crows.