The Washington herald., 1907-02-24

f
Yet Harley knew that throughout the
United States the utmost activity pre-
vailed. To him the night was wonderful
in "a day of perfect peace nearly twenty
million votes had been cast, and the mOst
powerful ruler IN the world had beer
made by the free choice of the nation, jus
as four years or eight years hence an
other ruler would be made in his plac,
by the same free choice the old giving
way 10 the new. Now tonight they were
| trying to find out who this ruler was and
lao one yet could tell
But the tale would be told in a few
hours. Harley knew that over an area
Of 100000 square miles. as large as tbs
ancient civilized world. men were al
work counting. down to the last remote
mountain hamlet, ana putting the result
/ on the wires as they counted it. And
ninety million people waited, ready to
abide by the result. whether it was their
/ man or the other To him there was
/ something extraordinary in this organ
lied, this peaceful but tremendous activ-
! ity Tonight all the efforts OF the world
most energetic nation were bent upon a
single point. In each State the wires
talked from every town and village TO a
common center, and each State in turn
/ through its metropolis. talked TO the com
[ mon center OF them all, and the general
result Of all they said would be knowa
/ TO everybody before morning. 1t seemed
marvellous TO him. although he under
stood IL perfectly. that a few hours after
/ the boxes were opened the votes should
4 be counted and accredited 70 the proper
man.
He resumed his seat al table. although
! there was Yet but little for him TO write.
and listened 10 the dry, monOtonous voice
| of Dexter as he called the vote. The
results were still of a variable nature,
/ gains here and losses there. but on the
/ whole the losses were the larger, and the
atmosphere of the room grew more dis
couraging The great State of NeW York
upon which they had relied. was show
! ing every sign that it would not justify
! their faith The returns from the city al
/ New York from Buffalo. Rochester.
/ Syracuse. were all bad. and the most
! resolute hopes could not make them
otherwise.
/ LAS goes New York. so goes tho
! Union. whispered Hobart, quoting an
/ old provcrb.
Maybe that rule win be broken at
I last. replied Harley. hopefully
/ But even Sylvia looked gloomy. There
was one thought. as these returns came
/ in the minds Of them all. II was that
! the members OF the Philipsburg Commit
/ tee had made good their threat; their de-
/ lection had drawn from Grayson thou
l sands OF votes I'm a pivotal State and il
/ he had ever haG a chance of election this
/ took il from him. Yet no one uttered q
word Of reproach for Jimmy Grayson. al
/ though Harley knew that those who
called themselves practical politicians
were silently upbraiding him. lie feared
I that they might consider their early warn
/ ings justified, and he resented Il.
/ a discordaHt note, too. was sounded
/ by the South; Alabama, a State that they
/ considered sure. although by q small
majority. would go for the Other man. Il
I the returns continued OF the same tone.
/ The only ray Of light came from New
/ England. whence it had not been ex-
/ peCted. The large cities there were show
/ ing slight increases for Jimmy Grayson.
/ Who would have thought it," said
Mr.. Heathcote.
But it seemed too small 10 have any
effect, and they turned their minds to
other parts OF the country that seemed
I to be more promising ground. The voice
/ OF Mr. Dexter growing hoarse from in
ceSsant use and wholly without express
sion. read a bulletin from New York:
]
/ Of the Hon Mr. Goodnight. on upDer
Fifth avenue. and ne is speaking to them
\ from the steps. Says the election of their
man IS assured. Derides Mr.. Grayson:
says no man can betray predominant
/ interests and succeed. Crowd hooting
+ the name Of Grayson."
THE traitor exclaimed Hobart.
But Jimmy Grayson said nothing. Har-
J ley watched him closely. and he knew
now that the candidates expressionless
/ face WAS but a mask-it WAS only human
\ that he should feel deep emotion. Har-
/ ley saw his lips CULVER family now and
/ then, and once or twice his eyes flashed.
Down the street, in front of the trans
parency there was n tremendous noise.
the people had divided according to their
pFedIectlohs ana were singing rival cam
palgn songs. but there was no disorder
waters came IN bearing refreshments.
and during a lull in the bulletins tha1.
| ate ana drank Mrs Grayson also Joined
/ them for little while. She said nothing
about the news. and Harley inferred frnm
her silence on the point that she knew II
4 TO be discouTaging. But he saw her give
/ her husband glance of pride and devo-
/ ton that said as plain as print. Even if
/ you are beaten, you are the man who
should have been elected" She reportad
! that the younger of the children had
/ dropped Of 10 sleep. but the others were
( sull eager.
/ again. some men passing the house
raised a CRY in derisi0n of jimmy Grav-
son, and Mrs Grayson's face flushed
: The others did net know what Ia do
/ they could not go out and rebuke tho
/ deriders, as that would only make a had
matter worse. but the men soon passed
on. Mrs Grays0n stayed only y HttIo
while in the room, retiring on the plea
/ of domestic duties. Jimmy Grayson. too
went out to see his children. he said but
Harley thought that man and wife
wished to talk over me prosDect
/ The news. after the lull. began tn como
/ faster than ever. The West spoke at last
and its first words came through Denva,,
and Salt Lake. but its voice was nom
committaI. There was nothing in il r.
/ indicate how Colorado and Utah horn
doubtful States. would 60. But presently
when Mr. Dexter broke an envelope and
opened bulletin. he laughed.
BOYS. he said. here's faith for YOU.
the precinct or WateTville, in Wyoming
casts every one of her votes for GRAY
son" nag
They cheered- Certainly the people who
had heard Mr.. Grayson's decisive sneach
were loyal TO him, and they should have
honor despite their fewness But imme-
diately behind it came a bulletin that
gave them the heaviest blow thew had
yet received.
Complete returns from more than
three-fourths Of the precincts in fine
State, read Mr. Dexter. -" show beyond
doubt that New Jersey has gone at least
10000 against Grayson."
1 never did think much OF New Jersey.
anyhow said Hobart. sourly.
They laughed, but there was no mjrth
in the laugh Tears rose in Sylvia's eyes
Ten minutes later, Alabama had wheeled
into line with New Jersey-it was GER
tanly against Grayson-and the news