The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-11-29
At first he met with fierce hostility.

but his handsome face, his air of man.
ly good nature, his natural eloquence
and splendid appearance of sincerity,
quickly began to tell; moreover, his
wit asserted itself successfully.
In order, so he said, to destroy sus-
picion, he made cruel fun of old Wind
son, as well as of Mr.. John Evans, and
a friend of his, slzillful caricaturist,
enabled him to flood the town with
comic pictures.
Nomination day brought terrific
surprise. Even before the eyes of the
crowd, Mr.. John Evans was arrested
in the High street. He had been SO
busy over his election that he had for
gotten to 'cook" the books of the
business, and two of the directors,
whose suspicious had been aroused,
discovered that he had committed
such serious frauds that they applied
for and obtained warrant instead of
summons. The radicals were dumb
founded; Mr.. Windsor was radiant
and poor Willie frightened. His
faithful agent found him almost in a
state of collapse.
otis a certainty" he said, almost
certainty! The radicals won't be
able to find anyone in the time but
William jenkins, and he's suspected
of leaning toward the church, and
has a weakness for cutting down
prices for labor. Moreover, he's a
bad speaker, and a precious mean
man."
"Then what on earth do you think
will happen?" said Willie.
81 think they'll nominate him, and
you'll get in"
"And Windson?"
"He's no chance anyhow"
Willie gasped and then roared with
laughter, so long and loud that Mr..
Davies Morgan became almost fright.
ened. A little while later, by the
aid of secret messenger, Willie sue
ceeded in getting into communication
with Nellie. What passed between
the lovers probably will never be
known except by them.
Old Mr.. Windsor promptly sent a
message to him, but the young man
took to his bed and got one of his
friends, brilliant M. D. without a
practice to certify that he was so
overcome by his labors as candidate
that he must be kept silent for a
day or two.
Willie lay snugly in bed-or rather,
on sofa-till the election day,
spending an agreeable time in read
ing lurid French novels and gossip
ing with Mr.. Davies Morgan and his
brilliant young staff of fellow-poli-
ticians, who worked immensely.
The reports that reached him were
vastly favorable. Some vivid carica-
lures of Mr.. Jenkins preaching thrift
to the workmen and diminishing their
wages at the same time, told terri
bly, against the radical; while merci-
less caricatures of Lord Lansdowne
and others connected with the war
office worked severely against old
verely as the poor gentleman's eff
forts at oratory and the nasty para
graphs in the papers as to his
finance.
Nevertheless, until the last, though
he kept out of the way Of old Wind
son for fear of being forced into a
false position, Willie regarded the
whole affair as a huge joke, and
failed to believe that he was likely
to be elected.
Just before the time when the an
nouncement of the result was expect
ed, Willie went to the principal hotel
of the place, where old Windsor was
staying.
"Uncle," said he, "the unexpected
trouble about the nominal ton forced
me to the conclusion that the only
sound course was to cease personally
from working and restrain, as far as
I could, the ardor of my friends. I
burst not have seen you or commune
cate with you, despite your efforts,
for I know we have been closely
watched, and that might have given
the show away"
The old gentleman did not receive
the explanation with enthusiasm, but
kept his temper very well, till sud-
denly came the astounding news that
Willie was head of the poll with 9O1
votes, old Windsor second with $50
and jenkins third with $50, for a
large mass of radicals had abstained
from voting because of the unpopu-
larity of Jenkins.
"You have played ruffianly
game" said Mrs. Windsor, "to me and
my husband! You have tricked and
duped and cheated us abominally.
Mr.. William Appleton, M. p, but you
will be a bachelor M. p without one
sixpence in your pocket to rub
against another. Perhaps thatln rub
the gilt off the gingerbread
''My dear aunt" he replied, "you
may try to rub the gilt off the gin
gerbread, but you can't rub the guilt
off the transaction. I should be no
worse off than before if threw up
my seat and told the whole truth
about the affair, in which event you
and uncle would become the laugh
ing-stock of England, and never be
able to show your faces again in pub
lie; and you know, auntie, dear, that
would be terrible loss to the public