Really, that fence must of hurt the Wisners as bad as it done anybody
else. Us having plenty of ground, our house wasn't built so close to the
line as theirs was. The fence must of cut off more light for them than
it did for us. Besides, when you looked at it from the street, unless
you lived around there and knowed about it, you'd of thought it was us
built that fence to spite them and not them to spite us.
Old Man Wright was running on what they called the Independent ticket
that fall; there was three parties and the town was all tore up. Of
course everybody knows there oughtn't to be but just two
parties--Republicans and Democrats. Me being from Texas, original, I
don't see why anybody should be anything but a Democrat; but Old Man
Wright he had a way of picking out things.
Well, they held the election along in November. I might of knowed how it
would come out. They ain't done counting all the Wright votes yet over
in that ward of ours. At about half past six they'd had time enough to
count all the sufferedges that Old Man Wisner taken down in the
silk-stocking part of that ward.
At about half past three in the afternoon the papers come out with
bulletins and says the ward was "conceded to Wright." I should say it
was conceded! I conceded it, anyways, as soon as I knowed he wanted to
run.
Well, sir, it was more like old times then than we'd seen since we moved
in there--like the times when we was sher'f in the Yellow Bull country.
The old man he come in a-laughing along about suppertime and under his
own steam, and says he:
"Bonnie Bell, your pa is going to be high in the nation's councils right
soon, because he is going to be alderman in one of the most important
wards in this here town. I may be mayor some day; and when you're mayor
you're due to chirk up and think of being president--if you are a
humorist. Also, your pa is hungry. Please get Curly and me all the ham
shanks and greens they is in the house.
"And, besides," says he when Bonnie Bell was going out, "pull the front
door wide open tonight. Take the lock out and hide William where they
can't any of my horny-handed friends find him. They'll be in here
tonight, a bunch of them, to sort of celebrate our glorious victory.
There may be several bands along in here--I hope and trust so. I
shorely am fond of music and I like bands. Whenever I get elected sher'f
or anything I want the band to play--all the bands they is."
Well, that was some night! I was glad for once we had come to Chicago,
for there is more bands in a town that size than there is in Cody.
Old Man Wright he was more natural than I'd ever saw him for a long
while. I don't know if it was quite fair the way he done, because it
ain't held Christian to set on a man when he's down. But what he done
was to get that Dutch band with five pieces that played in front of our
house every morning--they come in first. He stations them at the side of
the road right square in front of Old Man Wisner's house, and he tells
them to play everything they knew and then play it all over again, and
keep on playing. We was setting eating dinner, enjoying their music as
much as we could, when the leader of the band comes in; and says he:
"_Mein Herr, wir sind schon ausgeblasen._"
"Is that so?" says Old Man Wright. "Well, have a drink, and go out and
begin over again."
About now come the rest of the bands, six or eight or so, and back of
them was the merry villagers. They filled up the whole street in front
of our steps and in front of the Wisners, and up and down the row; and
some of 'em stepped on Bonnie Bell's new tulip beds in the yard south of
us.
"Unto them that hath is gave," says Old Man Wright, looking peaceful.
"Like enough, most all the bands in this part of town'll be here before
long. Pore old Dave Wisner, he don't seem to have no band; so I'll fix
him up--he don't seem cheerful, with his blinds down thataway. Round up
our bands, Curly," says he, "and line some of 'em up in front of his
house on the other side of the street. Get some of 'em and stand 'em up
on our side of his fence. Make a line of 'em back to the boathouse. Tell
'em to play--I ain't particular what they play. They don't even need to
play the same piece unless they want to; but keep 'em busy--play
everything they have and then repeat softly, and if they get tired feed
'em and give 'em something to drink. And tell Johnson, the precinct
captain, when he comes about eight o'clock, to come on in with his
friends, the whole gang--the door is open and there's no strings on it,
and no strings on the new alderman."
Old Man Wisner must have been enjoying his life that evening while we
was celebrating our being alderman. Bonnie Bell she didn't approve of
this none, but she knowed that when her pa was in one sort of mood she'd
better leave him alone and let him have his way--there wasn't no
stopping him.
After a while Johnson, the precinct captain that had had this election
in charge, he come in to have a talk with the new alderman, him and a
lot more. There was a good many Swedes up in his ward, and plenty of
these folks was blue-eyed and had yellow hair, and some of 'em had long
whiskers. On the whole they carried their liquor pretty well, and they
had plenty. Old Man Wright was in his shirt sleeves--rolled up so that
his freckles would show--and he had two or three cases of red liquor,
and not a cork in the room!
"So far as Sunday closing is concerned," says he, "it ain't Sunday yet."
They taken something with the new alderman and hollered for a speech.
"Men," says he, "we licked 'em like I said we would--only more. I don't
ast any of you to show me how to make any more money, for I've got
enough. We made this fight on the Lake Electric Ordinance. The intention
of the other gang was to hold up all you people that has homes of your
own. Every one of you has to use electric light. It's only right you
ought to pay a fair price, but nothing more. Let me tell you that's all
you're going to pay. I've bought into that company, and me and my bank
crowd can run it. Let me tell you the prices will be right: don't you
worry about that none at all. For once you'll get a square deal here;
or if you don't, then elect some other man the next time."
"Hooray for our new alderman!" says Johnson, jumping up then.
They all jumps up too. They had their glasses in their hands--plenty of
men standing there in our ranch room, rather big men with yellow
whiskers, a good many.
About then Bonnie Bell she comes down the front stairs. She was all
dressed up in silk, in a low-necked dress and a good many jewels on. You
wouldn't hardly of thought it was her pa standing in his shirt sleeves
in the room.
"Gentlemen," says Old Man Wright, "this is my daughter."
What them men did was not to compare them two at all. They just stood in
line and every one of 'em raised his glass like she was a real queen;
and they give her three cheers. Bonnie Bell she drops them a curtsy.
You see, them folks saw that, while we had the price and had the class,
and could play some games, we was just folks. They felt all the time
that they was just folks too. When you can play that game square and on
the level, like Old Man Wright done, they can't beat you in politics.
Them people went away at last--even our little Dutch band, though they
give up hard. The Wisner house was dark, while ours was all lit
up--everything in it, including me, Curly. The papers said that the new
alderman kept open house until a late hour. There was some truth in
that--the door was open all night long.
At breakfast Old Man Wright was hungry, though he hadn't been to bed. He
set, with his hands in his pockets, and looked out at Wisner's brick
wall; and says he to me:
"This here is going to be a changed ward. I ain't in no man's vest
pocket. I ain't done yet. This is just the beginning. But where's the
kid, Curly?"
I went and found her. William was still hid somewhere--the night's
doings had grieved him plenty. She come in and set down by her pa.
"Well, sis," says he, "you see your dad is getting some of them Better
Things we come to Chicago after."
"Dad," says she, pushing back a little way from him and looking into his
face, "tell me something."
"What is it, Honey?"
"The truth now--the truth."
"Yes, Honey."
"Did you sell out the Circle Arrow and come to town on account of me?"
He didn't speak at first.
"Yes, I did, Honey," says he at last. "I said I'd tell you the truth.
That was why we sold the old ranch--so as you could come here. I wanted
you to go as high as any American woman could go. We educated you for
that--we brought you up for it, Curly and me."
"We didn't win, did we, dad?" says she, slow like. "How is it done,
dad?"
"Gawd knows," he says. "Tell me, sis, if we pulled out of here and went
to some other town, would you be better? How about Kansas City?"
"No," says she. "Our feet ain't headed that way. I won't quit, dad."
"You'll break your heart first, and your dad's?"
"Yes, if necessary."
"All to break into them sepulchers?"
"No," says she; "there's a lot of things worth while more than that.
These brick-and-stone houses are the trenches. They may be hard to take.
But back of them lies the country, and it's the country that's worth
while. You found it--over on the other side of the ward. For me--don't
mind if I haven't found it just yet."
"Ain't you happy, sis?" says he.
"No," says she, quiet like; "I'm not."
He pats her on the back.
"Get out of doors," says he. "Do something--work at something! Look
upwards and outside, and don't get to looking inwards," says he. "That
ain't the way. Think what's in the fields beyond."
"Life, dad," says she, slow; and it seemed to me like she was sad.
"Life!"
"Life?" says he. "Sis, what do you mean? Tell your old dad, can't you?"
She told him, then. She put her haid down on his neck.
"Oh," says she, "it's all right for you two--you've got something to
do--you can work and fight; but what can I do? What is there for me to
do in all the world? And you tried so hard to make me happy!"
"And you ain't happy?" says her pa.
"Dad!" says she. "Dad!" And she went on crying down his neck.
Ain't women hell? I went on away.