THE CAUCUS.
For three weeks after the death of little Willie, Belle could not bear
to leave the mother and the little brother who remained.
She even suspended her work among the needy, and many inmates of
charitable institutions missed delicacies she had been accustomed to
distribute among them. Society in the village became dull and stupid by
her withdrawal from its circles. During this time, however, George Alden
frequently called, and the tenderness and affection of each heart for
the other was plainly manifested. Mr. Hamblin in no manner interfered
with his daughter and her lover, yet he chafed, fretted, and hoped that
something would occur to break the spell.
Shortly after her return home, Belle received a letter from Mannis, full
of sympathy, yet every line breathing sentiments that distressed her,
for unlike most young ladies she felt hurt when demands were made upon
her to which she could not respond. Admiring many qualities possessed
by the handsome Assemblyman, she had no warmer feelings than friendship
for any other man than George Alden. The latter was her ideal of true
manliness, the former only evoked admiration for his intellectual
qualifications and social gifts. Gladly would she have met Mannis on
terms of common friendship, but his letter revealed that he expected
more, for he announced a determination to lay siege to her heart.
Her father often spoke of his friend, even hinting that he would be
proud of a son-in-law so gifted and successful. She had hoped that
Willie's sudden death had changed her father's heart, but now she
realized that the temptations and ambitions of public life once more
bound him in their chains.
A lively canvass was now waging, and the inevitable discussions,
criminations, and recriminations grew more and more exciting. On the eve
of the caucuses the war of the factions waxed hot. Leaders and bullies
of both sides were on the alert, and Paddy Sullivan held matinées and
evening gatherings at "The Shades," lager beer and poor whiskey flowing
as free as water, and the "b'ys" kept full at the expense of one or the
other candidate.
"Arrah! b'ys, whoop 'er in!" Paddy would exclaim as he tapped a fresh
keg of lager.
The night before the caucus of the Senator's party Paddy Sullivan was
in his glory. The leading spirit among the class frequenting his gin
palace, his word he declared to be "lar." While the bar was flanked by
a row of men, Miller entered accompanied by Editor Rawlings, the latter
overcome with liquor. After a general hand-shaking, Miller said:
"Come, boys, what'll it be?"
"Arrah, Mishter Miller!" said Paddy, "things is jist rid-hot; the b'ys
is all sound fer our frind the Sinitor. The ould man will win as aisy
as sippin' beer. I'll bet tin dollars wid any mon in the crowd that
Daley won't git quarther of the votes to-morrow avenin'. He was jusht
in here wid his party, and the b'ys took in his beer, and when the door
closed agin him they up and give three cheers for the Sinitor. Now thin,
gintlemen, here's a sintiment: When the caucus closes may Daley be a
spilt pig wid his nose out of j'int."
"Hip! hip! guzzle 'er down!" chorused the crowd.
"Them's the sentiments!" said Rawlings, who clung to the bar for
support. "I'm solid for Sen'ter 'Amblin. Whoop 'er in, boys. I'm a
thoroughbred every time! Come, Paddy, set 'em up again--what'll y' 'ave,
boys? This is a thoroughbred drink. 'Zactly so."
The party falling in line, their guns were soon loaded with ammunition,
warranted to kill at forty rods and indirectly damage everybody in the
neighborhood. Rawlings continued:
"Gen'lemen--'ere's hopin' that to-morrer evenin' the old man'll scoop
in all the (hic) votes and every son of a gun'll be a--a Millerite. Eh,
Miller! ole man, how's that fer a thurrerbred?"
The sentiment was applauded, even the fat wife of the proprietor, at the
back door of the bar-room, responding:
"Faith, the iditor is as livel-headed as that darlin' ould mon, my
Paddy."
After ordering cigars for the party, Miller prepared to leave the
place; pausing at the door and striking an attitude, he said: "Boys,
I hope you will all attend the caucus to-morrow evening, using your
prerogatives as free citizens to help sustain an honest man--the
people's candidate--against the monopolies that are trying to overthrow
the individual rights of every man here." Then taking the red fist of
Paddy, he whispered: "Well done, old friend; you are a power, and the
Senator knows it, and won't forget it either."
Seizing the staggering editor by the arm, Miller left the saloon. This
was the last visit the pair made that night, every drinking-place in
town having been previously visited, and all hands treated to whiskey
and cigars, Miller privately slipping a ten or twenty dollar bill into
each proprietor's hand.
Leaving "The Shades," Rawlings was assisted home by lesser political
lights, Miller going directly to Senator Hamblin's residence, where
several persons were in consultation, concluding arrangements for the
morrow's caucus.
The day opened lively, Miller and aids being on duty bright and early,
while Daley and his friends, greatly discouraged, were nevertheless
determined not to give up the fight. Their cause was almost hopeless,
for on entering the canvass they expected to overthrow Senator Hamblin
by the support of the moral portion of the public. Daley, possessing no
more virtue than his opponent, had mounted the reform hobby to ride into
power, but he found that a majority of voters could not be won to his
side. The fight having become bitter--a sort of a "dog in the manger"
contest--Daley saw no way to win, so he determined to be satisfied with
preventing Senator Hamblin's re-election. Copies of Sargent's statement
had been prepared for circulation in every town, but, receiving no
explanation of Miller's sudden appearance during the interview at
Sargent's, Daley thought something had been done to counteract its
effects, and as Sargent had mysteriously disappeared, his anxiety
increased.
Cleverdale had seldom before been so excited. Politicians walked the
streets, men were button-holed in stairways, offices, or "sample-rooms,"
and importuned to vote for one or another of the delegates. Daley,
feeling the ground slip from under his feet, began working up his
friends on the issue that he was a badly used man, and prepared a
programme for a grand "bolt" at every caucus in the county where Hamblin
delegates might be chosen.
Bolting is the salve to heal wounds caused by disappointed hopes of
politicians. It is a prerogative that such men avail themselves of; yet
being a "double-ender," the end placed against the shoulder often does
the most damage.
Bitterness between opposite parties is nothing compared to the bad
blood that exists between factions of the same party. It is a bad time
for men to know the misdeeds of each other, for secrets are used after
being enlarged and exaggerated to powerful dimensions. Such occasions
furnish capital to the opposite party, and many campaigns are carried on
by simply using against candidates ammunition that members of their own
party have manufactured.
The Cleverdale drinking-saloons were in full blast, the bummers
revelling in what to them seemed paradise. Bad whiskey and ice-cool
lager were free to all, up to the hour the caucus was to be held.
Long before seven P.M. the town hall was filled with men. Air
impregnated with onions, garlic, old pipes, and poor whiskey, greeted
the olfactory organs of those entering the room. To this was added the
exudations from garments of factory hands and laborers, who had worked
hard during the excessively hot day and not availed themselves of such
cheap luxuries as soap and water. Miller, with aids and assistants well
organized for the forthcoming fray, was present, while Daley, flanked by
a coterie of followers, was active. Paddy Sullivan was on duty, moving
about among the men whom he controlled. Suddenly the chairman of the
Town Committee mounted the platform and pounded the table with his fist.
The buzzing profanity and coarse jokes of the multitude ceased at once.
Reader, take a careful look across the sea of upturned faces, for here
are the men who, choosing delegates, make the officers of the town,
the officers of the county, the officers of the State, yes, the chief
ruler of the nation. Sprinkled through the crowd are a few intellectual
countenances; but observe the majority--coarse, uncultured, ignorant
specimens of humanity--many faces stamped with the look of ruffian,
while the drunken gibberish of others disgusts one with the thought that
the elective franchise has been extended to all.
The chairman, again striking the table before him, said:
"Gentlemen! as chairman of the Town Committee I call this caucus to
order. The deliberations of this meeting cannot proceed until a chairman
has been chosen. Gentlemen, who will be your presiding officer?"
One of the Daley party quickly said:
"I move that Robert Furman be chairman of this caucus!"
"Misther Cheerman! I moves an amindmint that Iditor Rawlins bees the
gintleman to take the cheer," said Paddy Sullivan.
This was followed by shouts of "Furman!" on the Daley side, while the
Hamblin crowd were as loud in shouting, "Rawlings!"
For a few seconds there was a perfect pandemonium. The noise was
deafening. The chairman of the Town Committee, pounding vigorously on
the table, finally succeeded in quieting the enthusiasm of the factions.
He then said:
"Gentlemen! I cannot put the motion unless there is order. The motion
now is on the amendment. All who favor Editor Rawlings as chairman of
this caucus will manifest it by voting aye."
There was a tremendous shout from the Hamblin side of the house.
"All who are opposed will say No."
"No!" was given with equal force by the other side, followed by wild
shouts from each faction. For fully a minute the noise continued, the
desk resounding with blows from the chairman's fist. Men jumped upon
chairs and benches, while the platform was crowded with leaders of
both factions. But the temporary chairman knew his business. When the
excitement subsided he said:
"Being unable to decide the vote, you will now prepare to divide the
house. All who favor the amendment will go to the left side of the
hall. All opposed will take the right side--and I appoint Cyrus Hart
Miller and Harvey Barnes tellers to count the vote."
The excitement was renewed with greater fury than before, the Daley men
shouting:
"Give us a teller!" "Both tellers are Hamblin men!" "We protest agin
it!" "Shame on ye to bar us out!"
After the house was divided the tellers finished the count, announcing
the amendment carried by a large majority. The decision exasperating the
vanquished party, threats were made against the chairman of the Town
Committee, while the victors were wild with enthusiasm. Paddy Sullivan,
hardly able to contain himself, his red face glistened like a coal of
fire, while his carroty hair, stiff as bristles, stood erect.
"Hip! hip! hurray!" he cried, "bedad, the Sinitor has yees."
The newly-elected chairman mounting the platform, and thanking the
caucus for the honor done him, asked whom they desired for secretary.
The Daley crowd claimed the right to fill the place, but a vote on
two candidates resulted in a victory for the "machine," the Senator's
faction.
The chair asked the further pleasure of the caucus, when a young lawyer
named Hardy arose to address the meeting. He spoke of the unhappy
faction fight; he was for harmony, but thought the machine entirely
responsible for the existing state of affairs. Censuring Senator
Hamblin, he eulogized Daley, whom he believed actuated by the highest
and most honorable motives in seeking the nomination, and he warned
the "machine" men of the dangers besetting them trying to force a bad
nomination. He then moved that the caucus proceed to ballot for a
delegate to the senatorial convention to be held at Cleverdale, one week
from that day.
An amendment making Cyrus Hart Miller the delegate from Cleverdale,
provoked another spasm of excitement, shouts of "Ballot" being heard
from the Daley side, while cries of "Question" came with equal force
from the Hamblin party.
Although scarcely any one had large interests at stake, the audience
seemed crazed with rage; opposing leaders were like wild beasts; oaths,
threats, and invectives of all kinds were heard; the noise filling the
hall was like the roar of infuriated animals, and in some parts of the
room blows were exchanged; only by the greatest effort did the police
prevent a general fight. The chairman, on finally being able to put
the motion, heard many voices vote "Aye!" and the opposition loudly
crying "No!" but he declared that Cyrus Hart Miller seemed elected the
town delegate. Groans and hisses greeted the announcement. Amid the
excitement Daley mounted the platform, and said:
"My friends will do me a favor by withdrawing from the hall. If we
cannot receive fair treatment here we can at least hold an honest caucus
in another place. Follow me!"
Jumping to the floor, he was followed by a mad crowd. As they withdrew
from the hall, groans, hisses, cat-calls, and all sorts of wordy
invectives were hurled at them. Cyrus Hart Miller was then unanimously
chosen delegate, and a series of resolutions was passed, instructing
the delegate to vote for the Hon. Darius Hamblin. Then the caucus
adjourned. As the bolting caucus also elected a delegate, Cleverdale was
to be represented by both factions.
Senator Hamblin won a victory in the county, securing ten of the fifteen
towns, although bolting delegates had also been chosen. Several bottles
of wine were drank that evening by the men assembling in the private
office of the Boss, but the latter was not happy, for, having stirred up
a bitter faction fight, he trembled for the consequences.