Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21
CHAPTER I.

years toT the last TO Ihol4NiIS Va sA~
term. which had ended In the early summer,
the district had been without congress-
man, owing to the death of Judge Selkirk.
It's perennial representative. This had been
sudden and unexpected, and so accustomed
had the voters become to returning him
each term with a conventionally large ma
jority and without serious opposition that
the necessity for finding a man to take his
place had almost thrown the party leaders
into panic. This was intensified when Jacob
Musser announced that he would make an
effort to secure the nomination.
Musser was pompous, pussy little petit
logger who wore better clothes than any
other man in the district and who had be-
come prosperous through the sale of land
abutting On the river and the bay to a col
ony of semi-amphibious Portuguese immi-
grants rather than through his work IN
such petty law cases as Judge SeIklrk had
ever scorned to handle except when by tax
ing them he could protect the weak against
the strong.
Musser was not kindly man-his was
the only vicious dog in all Toms r1ver-but
there was q certain alert pretentiousnesS
about him locally defined as ''smartness,
which had made him popular among some
Of the younger and less thoughttul men
Impressed by his good clothes ana careful
English they seemed TO belleVe that ne
would shine in Congress as he did upon the
village streets, and moreover, that he would
furnish campaign that would stir the
sleepy countryside and provide amusement
of an exciting sort. To the conservative OF
the district however, his was not an agree
able name. No direct charge of dishonest
practices had ever been made against him,
but there had been many rumors of high
interest on loans to poor folk and or other
matters not quite creditable.
At first the conservative old farmers, ship
owners and boss oystermen who formed
the social and financial backbone of the
community merely grinned when the up
starts name was mentioned; later they
heard 1t with annoyed Intolerance, and,
finally, when one of their number was en-
terprising enough to make an investigation
and found that Musser had laid his cam
paign plans carefully and well, they raised
their heads and gazed at one another with
startled indignation in their now wide-open
eyes, Musser had introduced practical
politics" into Toms River, and had done 1t
boldly, taking care only to keep clear of
matters forbidden by the statutes. He had
acquired some promises of support IN the
town itself, under the very noses of the
eminent citizens who regarded him with
horror, and, in the remoter sections of the
district, where he had felt certain that the
unsuspecting party leaders would not
think to make early inquiries he had built
up a strength so surprising that it seemed
TO them incredible And, in the meantime,
they had not even settled on candidate
The men to whom the district really owed
the best that there was in 1t were APP
palled. The convention which they had
thought would be sure to name some repu-
table citizen, safe and sane" stood partly
pledged to name pettifogging blatherskite.
But, although they had been caught nap
ping. the members Of the opposition were
not without much energy when once
aroused. They met in solemn. secret con-
clave in the basement Of the Methodist
Church. Rev. Hamilton Frye Its pastor,
proposed the name of Caleb Cooper, who
was not present at the meeting.
-A,. ~A,-o tNyl-
turist, had for years been looked upon as
being, after Judge Selkirk, the districts
most important citizen in everything but
politics. His activity at times of congress
sional elections had been IN the past con-
fined strictly to going to the polls and
voting for his friend. He was in more than
one way influential, but so unobtrusive had
been his part In politics before this that few
had actually realized the hold ne had upon
the community and none had considered
him as an even possible office seeker.
The direct descendant of good men who
had helped to reclaim New Jersey from the
wilderness. he was the last male Of his line.
He was a man of knowledge. but little
learning; as direct in all his dealings with
liberal in his religious views to suit some;
rockribbed in his political convictions. and
strong advocate in general store discus
sions of America for the Americans; the
look favorably even upon a rich man If he
were but honest; widower for almost six
teen years, he was notably courteous to
women and a devoted lover of the little
folk His family consisted of two daugh-
tiers, Mercy and Elizabeth, the latter always
known as Bess. Also there should be in
ciuded In this list the name Of Betsey Bob
bin. although she now lived with the Coop
ers only when she was not too busy else
where at her trade of dressmaking
Coopers name was not received without
opposition by the conference at the church
He amt got no dignity" said Sam Bull.
thinking of Judge Selkirk's impressive
wide-skirted coat. choker stock and high
heeled boots.
Frye. the pastor of the church and the pre-
siding officer at this meeting he'd like
enough protect our interests at Washington
with his pants tucked in his boots"
Then Sam Bull rallied to defend his
friend, whose dignity he had just himself
impugned. He felt right to criticise Caleb
Cooper, but he did not propose to let
That's all right" said he, but he'd pro
tect 'em, no matter where his pants was
and If we wasn't in church, I'd say hed
do II sure as helli'
SO, an hour later. the mentors of Toms
Rivers political responsibility called, SOL
EMMY, on Cooper. The hour had been
partly spent in getting on black coats
Black coats were quite essential to all az
fairs requiring dignity, and Cooper (who
was In his shirt sleeves before his door
caught sight Of the procession as it neared
his gate.
fetcn my gun OUT, betSey, Qulck!' he
cried loudly to Miss Bobbin. Here comes
q flock o. crowsH
Send me to Congressr' he exclaimed
Why. I'd whistle and play tag whenever
teachers back was turnedr'
Strong argument was made. -
At last he said:
II dom care especially to 20 to Con-
sressi but II you've either got to take an
o!d half-wit like me or have a skin like
that Jake Musser nominated, I'll have to
grin an hear the pain. I s'posew
In the days that followed before tho
convention, Musser aroused Cooper's fight
ing blood-which was q mistaken thing foS
him to do. Musser insinuated In his tank
10 some that the old man was unprogres-
sive, and would, were he elected. fight
against the railroads-then an important
political issue in the section. He said to
others (who hurried with the news to Coop
err that Cooper wished to go to Congress
30 that he could use the power of his
position to force one OF the rival COM
panies to buy some OF his land at high fig
ures. That settled 1t. After this tale
puEzed In Cooper's ears, he fought tooth
and nall to beat the little lawyer
Thus the two richest men in the COM
munity were arrayed against each other
In the struggle for the nomination AS
Tor the candidate to be nominated by the
other party-that was thought to be an
unlmportant matter The opposition was