Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-25
CHAPTER Y.

N1USSeG was IeSOI llllB " toli uPt iAiNNiSS''
but could not put their fingers on them
They were genuinely worried by the situa-
ton. The hall was deserted except by
them and they We're alone there when Bet
sey Bobbin entered through the rear door,
almost shyly, and beckoned to Selkirk.. The
two stood apart during a brief converse
ton and Bull watched them. Suddenly he
saw Selkirk slap his knee. evidently as a
sign of extreme satisfaction and shortly
afterward Betsey Bobbin left the hall.
BY that time the delegates were begin
ming to gather again for the afternoon ses-
sion. and the two men had but brief
time for consultation.
Il think we've got it," said Selkirk ''All
YOU will have to do will be to give me the
privilege of the floor for one who is not a
delegate
Bull agreed to it and took his place before
the chairmans desk with no further knoWi-
edge of the scheme than had been conveyed
u him in this unsatisfactory statement
Are we ready to take another ballot?'
he asked. after the expectant delegates had
settled down to quiet.
Musser rose impresstvely to his feet Sam
waited for him to speak.
can / say word or two, Mr.. Chalr-
man." he asked.
Bull was both too fair and too polite to
treat Musser with anything but courtesy
so he bowed lankily in his direction.
Course ye kim he said. Then he turned
to the other delegates in wandering
glance that swept the hall and commented.
That's the way to talk to the chairman
of this convention, your He turned again
To Musser. Course ye kin, Mr.. Musser,
he said again, and sat down.
Gentlemen" said Musser, slowly and i'm
pressively, as he rolled his fat eyes ABOUT
the hall.
There came voice:
"Three cheers for Jacob Musser.''
They were given with good force, and
Musser bowed again.
Thank you" he said Oily. 1hank you,
gentlemen"
And then he let his oratory loose. There
were many ''ums' and 'ahs In 1t, but IL
was not unskillful 1t held the usual ford
political rhetoric of the time. He even took
a fling at England which was cheered. He
dlated upon the privilege of addressing
such enlightened delegates, paid tribute
to the men who had made New Jersey
what she is. sir remarked on the dignity
of the office for which the man nominated
by that convention would have an oppor-
tunity to compete; and, generally, made
the eagle scream. Then he turned his at
tention to local issues and told how much
he would do to further the special interests
of Toms River if he were sent to Congress.
Finally he referred to the matter of the
railway. Its construction, he announced,
would bring money from New York and
Philadelphia into the pockets of the dee
strick'' Of deeStriCk, figuratively, might
be said to have sech things as pockets, and
to the community in many ways. He called
the attention of the delegates to the fact
that two sets of capitalists were competing
for the franchise at that very moment, and
that II behoOved the voters to have a rep
Iesentative in Washington who, when the
matter finally came up before Congress,
would be able to jedge and Underestimate
with keen intelligence between the merits
of the plans proposed. He expressed his
firm confidence in his own ability to thus
jedge and Underestimate; but limited, very
solemnly. at grave doubts of Cooper's ca
pacity along that line of thought. That
one road must be built soon possible
was his conviction he announced, but jest
which company was best he want noways
willin' to give Judgement on at present. In
summing up his oratorfcal flight he waxed
eloquent.
Toms River he said impressvey. has
two great interests. One is them there new
railroads. / have, in the interests of the
voters of this deestrick, already had consid-
cradle correspondence with the men who
are prOjeCtin' of EN-. Before / promise to
give my vote for any of EN-, ii shall be
agreed, and solemnly, that on this section
of their construction none but the men who
have voted for me and other local draught
animals shall be employed. / amt a-goln
to have no outside help imported If l can
help it. Toms River needs all the money
that will be spent herea bouts, and there
amt no reason why Toms River shouldn't
have it,"
There was little laugh at Mussers
classification of his henchmen with other
local draught animals but slips in English
were not considered to be too important by
the farmers and fishermen there assembled.
And said Musser, quite ignorant OF the
cause for the slight smoker which had gone
around, also, If l go to Congress l shali
see to il that the Toms River claims receive
attention and protection.
This was a burning subject, and there
was more applause: There We're pirates
from the Chesapeake who trespassed in
New Jersey waters, and this matter was
under the controller should have been-ol
the Congress at Washington. 1t was. at
the time a very live and real issue. More
than once such trespasshg had led TO
bloody battles between armed sloops, ana
the money loss of Jerseymen had been ire
mendous. , ,, nv,
tinued "even il I amt a digger in the slnds
for them. but choose the law instead, as
means to serve my fellow-citizens along
He looked around him at the listening dele
gates and repeated: -. .
I've been brought up amongst EN-!
And he sat down satisfied. While laughter
mingled with the loud applause
SI6,rIv and as if, like a spyglass, he was
coming forth Joint by joint. Cooper rose TO
answer, and was recognized by nod from
Chairman Bull. He made no enort 10 coih-
pete with Mussers elaborate dCuoh;
He talked sense. and he talked II IN
houelv fashion. 1t had its effect upon the
delegates and II actually surprised Jack
SeIkjrk and Coopers admirlng women
folks I'D in the gallery. None OF them had
ever heard him make a speech before Tor
the good reason that he had never MADE d
sreech before Mercy listened. with pride
and love for her big. homely. sensible and
rugged father showing in every line OF her
face Ress glanced about from time to Tune
with a smile of complete complacency. Ana
I}etscvl She leaned forward, fascinated,
drinking in each word that fell from Coop
er's lips as If it had expressed the regal
wisdom of a king, and with her eyes wan
dering between his face and the back heads
Of the delegates below, Oh, how she wished
that she might see their faces, while she
wondered where he got his eloquence ana
what they thought of 1t.
There was no doubt in the mind or the
more fortunately situated Selklrk as ne
watched the faces of these delegates that
the old man was mpressing them. HE could
see that from their intent expressions ana
Judge il from the sigh that most OF them
emitted when he paused. He saw, or be-
lievcd that he saw that Cooper had helped
himself by what he had said, but he also
saw or thought he saw. his own surprise at
the fact that the old man had not referred
in any way TO the little filings which Musser
had thrown out at him reflected in the faces
of the delegates. But Coopers pause had
not been, as he and almost every one in the
hall had thought, an immediate precursor of
an end OF talking. Instead OF sitting down
no stood there and looked from his lank