The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-05-23

@fe hfN IN efANH
No one must see that we were pinch.
ing-so ] must be tho most obviously
prosperous young lawyer In Pulaski.
What that struggle cost her I did not
then realize: no. could not realize I'M
I'll ! looked At her face for the last
time. looked and turned away and
thought on the meaning OF the lines
and the hollows over which Death
had spread his proclamation OF eter.
nal peace. have heard II said OF
those markings In human faces: How
ugly" But II seems 20 me that. to
any one with eyes and Imagination.
line and wrinkle and hollow always
have the somber grandeur OF tragedy.
! remember my mother when her face
was smooth and had the shallow
beauty that the shallow dote
on. But her face whereon was writ.
ten the story OF fearlcssness. sacri.
nee and iove-that 10 the face beautI.
fui OF my mother for me.
In the midst Of those times OF trial.
when she had ceased to smile-for
she had none OF that hypocritical
cheerfuiness which deprcsses and 10
a mere vanity TO make silly onlookers
cry -Bravei" whom there n no true
bravery-just when We were a, our
lowest ebb. came an offer from Bin
nominiof 10 pot me into politics.
! had been interested IN politics
ever since vas seven years old.
recall distinctly the beginning:
On q November aftsrnoon-it must
have been November. though 70
member that Il was summerwarm.
with all the windows open and many
men In the streets ia shlrtslceyes-
At any rate. was on my way homo
from school. A I nearcd the court
house I saw a crowd In the yard. and
was reminded that Il was election
day. and that my father was running
Tor reelection 10 the state senate. 40.
bolted for his Law once In the sec.
ond story OF the Masonic temple.
across the street from the court
house.
He was at the window and was
looking al the polling place 20 intent.
ly that he took no notice Of me a. I
stood beside him. know now why he
was absorbed and why his face was
stern and sad. ! shut my eyes and
sec that court house yard. the long
linz OF men going 70 vote. single Ole.
each man calling out his name a. be
handed In his ballot. and Tow Weed
shot an Escaping prisoner
when he was deputy shenn-rcpsas
ing the name In . loud voice Each
onoomins vossr In that euriousiy reg.
ular and compact nle vas holding out
his right arm stiff % that the hand
vas about . foot clear OF the thigh; /
and In every one OF those thus con.
spieaous hands was . conspicuous BIT
q white paper-a ballot As each
man rsached the polling window and |
rave his name. he swung that hand
round With q stin AIMED. circular mo-
tion that kept Il clear OF the body |
and In full view until the BIT OF pa
per disappeared In the slit In the bal
lot boz.
I wished TO ask my father what this
strange spectacle meant: but. as
glanced up Al him 10 begin my ques-
ion. know ! must not. for I felt
hat ! was seeing something which
shocked him 20 profoundly that he
would take mo away n I reminded
him OF my presenoe. I know now
hat ! was witnessing tho crude be-
finninEs Of the money.machine IN pol.
ucs-ths beginnings OF the downfall
n partiss--the beginnings OF tho over.
throw OF the people a. the political
lower Those stiffarmed men were
he floating voters" Of that ward OF
Pulaski. They had been bought up
~ a rich candidate OF the opposi.
ion party. which was less scrupuious
han our party. then in the flush OF
loyotion 70 principles" and led BY
uch old-fashioned men a. my father
With old'fashioned notions Of honor