Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-11-30
Story of a Presidential
Campaign
Iorlglnal.l

even il made dead hero by my oppo
nent, for | have never passed through
so great agony of mind as when two
! men fought for me.
1t was the year General Harrison
was running for president, with John
Tyler for vice president well remen.
Der the songs of the campaign, espe.
| cially ''Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" We
OF the south took great interest in
the election. and all the young men
We're continually disputing. Two OF
| them. Roy Gilbert and Fitz Hugh
Parke. were on opposite sides politically
and on opposite sides with regard to
me, for both wanted me. Gilbert was
my favorite. though l was young and
giddy and much pleased with the at
| tentions of both. Parle was a very
| quiet. unassuming man with soft
| voice. while Gilbert was aggressive.
and, though n young man. ''stumped.' .
| as they called II and still call ii. | be-
| lieve. for Harrison. He was consider
| ed a good speaker in demagogue
way, while Parke, a Van Buren, man,
could not make speech to save his
| life. | was much pleased to have two
men at swords points for me and con-
tinually played the one off against the
other.
One evening while Gilbert was with
| me encouraged him to kiss me and
when he did so pretended to feel very
much insulted. had often heard the
words, Finland me. sir" in PLAYS and
novels and used them on this occasion.
1t happened that Parke came into the
room just in time to hear them and see
me looking at Gilbert Indignantly.
Turning to him, Parke said coldly:
'Mr. Gilbert. it is not necessary that
| should pose as the young lady's
champion. We are known to be enc
mics in politics. and | will insult you
politically. You can challenge me on
that ground"
Il have no occasion to challenge
you" said Gilbert, paling.
But l will give you OCCASION" re
piled Parke.
The next morning an article appeared
in a newspaper charging Gilbert with
some rascality while in an office he had
held. The information purported to
come from Parke. and Gilbert either
had to challenge him-for in those days
such a course was expected in the
south-or lose the social and political
position he occupied
| was delighted with the affair till it
came upon me suddenly that by a
childish freak had put in Jeopardy
two lives; one. that of Gilbert. being
necessary to my happiness. sent for
Parke and confessed that | had not
needed a defender. He was much dis
pleased with me, but said that II would
be impossible to stop the affair with
out bringing out the truth. which
would compromise me. / begged him
to take the alternative, but he insist
ed that even by compromising me it
would be impossible to prevent the
duel, for to do so he would have to re-
tract the charge he had made. which
he could not do, for it was true This
angered me and told him that IL that
was the ground on which they stood
hoped Mr.. Gilbert would vindicate his
honor. This was but momentary
| feeling with me, for / dreaded the
danger which had brought upon them
| both.
/ was kept in ignorance of when and
where the meeting was to take place.
| 1t was not so necessary to keep the
affair quiet then as now, for the au-
| thorities winked at duels, and 1t was
considered a part of the presidential
campaign. Those favoring Harrison
| ranged themselves on the side of Gil
bert. while the Van Buren, men favored
| Parke Harrison was the popular can
| didate, with his log cabin home and
| hard cider for his drink, while Van
| Buren,, who was called a heartless aris-
| tocrat with his silver table service and
| fine wines, was only liked by the up
| per classes. On this account the
wealthy planters mostly sympathized
with Parke, while everybody else SYM
| pathized with Gilbert
| One morning while l sat at breakfast
my brother came in and said that the
duel had come off at sunrise that day.
Parke was uninJured; Gilbert had fall
| en- but on being picked up unconscious
no wound could be discovered. The
surgeon said that he might have been
struck by the wind Of the bullet. but
Parke declared that he had purposely
fred wide of the mark. Gilbert came
to himself, looked about him in a, dazed
fashion, got up and walked OF the
| field.
| The impression gained ground that
he had tainted from cowardice. The
Harrison men mostly ridiculed such an
explanation, but their man gave color
to it by disappearing from the locality
| and was never seen by any one of us
l again
| I was very much chagrined by the
| outcome. I did not regret losing my
lover, for felt sure that he had dis
graced himself and now believed
| Parke's charges. / hoped Parke would
renew his suit, but he did not
| Harrison was triumphantly elected,
| aud IN, tIa fra,.oraI pa1o{of-.- 80 t4tr -,