sunshine sketches of a little town-第29部分

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organizer　and　Mallory　Tompkins；　the　Times…Herald　man；　and　Gingham
（the　great　Independent…Liberal　undertaker）　to　the　back　parlour　in　the
Mariposa　House。

You　could　tell　from　the　way　John　Henry　Bagshaw　closed　the　door　before
he　sat　down　that　he　was　in　a　pretty　serious　frame　of　mind。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃the　election　is　a　certainty。　We're　going　to
have　a　big　fight　on　our　hands　and　we've　got　to　get　ready　for　it。〃

〃Is　it　going　to　be　on　the　tariff？〃　asked　Tompkins。　〃Yes；　gentlemen；
I'm　afraid　it　is。　The　whole　thing　is　going　to　turn　on　the　tariff
question。　I　wish　it　were　otherwise。　I　think　it　madness；　but　they're
bent　on　it；　and　we　got　to　fight　it　on　that　line。　Why　they　can't　fight
it　merely　on　the　question　of　graft；〃　continued　the　old　war　horse；
rising　from　his　seat　and　walking　up　and　down；　〃Heaven　only　knows。　I
warned　them。　I　appealed　to　them。　I　said；　fight　the　thing　on　graft
and　we　can　win　easy。　Take　this　constituency；why　not　have　fought
the　thing　out　on　whether　I　spent　too　much　money　on　the　town　wharf　or
the　post…office？　What　better　issues　could　a　man　want？　Let　them　claim
that　I　am　crooked　and　let　me　claim　that　I'm　not。　Surely　that　was　good
enough　without　dragging　in　the　tariff。　But　now；　gentlemen；　tell　me
about　things　in　the　constituency。　Is　there　any　talk　yet　of　who　is　to
run？〃

Mallory　Tompkins　lighted　up　the　second　of　his　Prime　Minister's　cigars
and　then　answered　for　the　group：　〃Everybody　says　that　Edward　Drone
is　going　to　run。〃　〃Ah！〃　said　the　old　war　horse；　and　there　was　joy
upon　his　face；　〃is　he？　At　last！　That's　good；　that's　goodnow　what
platform　will　he　run　on？〃

〃Independent。〃　〃Excellent；〃　said　Mr。　Bagshaw。　〃Independent；　that's
fine。　On　a　programme　of　what？〃

〃Just　simple　honesty　and　public　morality。〃

〃Come　now；〃　said　the　member；　〃that's　splendid：　that　will　help
enormously。　Honesty　and　public　morality！　The　very　thing！　If　Drone
runs　and　makes　a　good　showing；　we　win　for　a　certainty。　Tompkins；　you
must　lose　no　time　over　this。　Can't　you　manage　to　get　some　articles　in
the　other　papers　hinting　that　at　the　last　election　we　bribed　all　the
voters　in　the　county；　and　that　we　gave　out　enough　contracts　to　simply
pervert　the　whole　constituency。　Imply　that　we　poured　the　public　money
into　this　county　in　bucketsful　and　that　we　are　bound　to　do　it　again。
Let　Drone　have　plenty　of　material　of　this　sort　and　he'll　draw　off
every　honest　unbiassed　vote　in　the　Conservative　party。

〃My　only　fear　is；〃　continued　the　old　war　horse；　losing　some　of　his
animation；　〃that　Drone　won't　run　after　all。　He's　said　it　so　often
before　and　never　has。　He　hasn't　got　the　money。　But　we　must　see　to
that。　Gingham；　you　know　his　brother　well；　you　must　work　it　so　that　we
pay　Drone's　deposit　and　his　campaign　expenses。　But　how　like　Drone　it
is　to　come　out　at　this　time！〃

It　was　indeed　very　like　Edward　Drone　to　attempt　so　misguided　a　thing
as　to　come　out　an　Independent　candidate　in　Missinaba　County　on　a
platform　of　public　honesty。　It　was　just　the　sort　of　thing　that　anyone
in　Mariposa　would　expect　from　him。

Edward　Drone　was　the　Rural　Dean's　younger　brother；young　Mr。　Drone；
they　used　to　call　him；　years　ago；　to　distinguish　him　from　the　rector。
He　was　a　somewhat　weaker　copy　of　his　elder　brother；　with　a　simple；
inefficient　face　and　kind　blue　eyes。　Edward　Drone　was；　and　always　had
been；　a　failure。　In　training　he　had　been；　once　upon　a　time；　an
engineer　and　built　dams　that　broke　and　bridges　that　fell　down　and
wharves　that　ftoated　away　in　the　spring　floods。　He　had　been　a
manufacturer　and　failed；　had　been　a　contractor　and　failed；　and　now
lived　a　meagre　life　as　a　sort　of　surveyor　or　land　expert　on　goodness
knows　what。

In　his　political　ideas　Edward　Drone　was　and；　as　everybody　in　Mariposa
knew；　always　had　been　crazy。　He　used　to　come　up　to　the　autumn
exercises　at　the　high　school　and　make　speeches　about　the　ancient
Romans　and　Titus　Manlius　and　Quintus　Curtius　at　the　same　time　when
John　Henry　Bagshaw　used　to　make　a　speech　about　the　Maple　Leaf　and　ask
for　an　extra　half　holiday。　Drone　used　to　tell　the　boys　about　the
lessons　to　be　learned　from　the　lives　of　the　truly　great；　and　Bagshaw
used　to　talk　to　them　about　the　lessons　learned　from　the　lives　of　the
extremely　rich。　Drone　used　to　say　that　his　heart　filled　whenever　he
thought　of　the　splendid　patriotism　of　the　ancient　Romans；　and　Bagshaw
said　that　whenever　he　looked　out　over　this　wide　Dominion　his　heart
overflowed。

Even　the　youngest　boy　in　the　school　could　tell　that　Drone　was
foolish。　Not　even　the　school　teachers　would　have　voted　for　him。

〃What　about　the　Conservatives？〃　asked　Bagshaw　presently；　〃is　there
any　talk　yet　as　to　who　they'll　bring　out？〃　Gingham　and　Mallory
Tompkins　looked　at　one　another。　They　were　almost　afraid　to　speak。

〃Hadn't　you　heard？〃　said　Gingham；　〃they've　got　their　man　already。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Bagshaw　quickly。　〃They're　going　to　put　up　Josh
Smith。〃

〃Great　Heaven！〃　said　Bagshaw；　jumping　to　his　feet；　〃Smith！　the　hotel
keeper。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham；　〃that's　the　man。〃

Do　you　remember；　in　history；　how　Napoleon　turned　pale　when　he　heard
that　the　Duke　of　Wellington　was　to　lead　the　allies　in　Belgium？　Do　you
remember　how　when　Themistocles　heard　that　Aristogiton　was　to　lead　the
Spartans；　he　jumped　into　the　sea？　Possibly　you　don't；　but　it　may　help
you　to　form　some　idea　of　what　John　Henry　Bagshaw　felt　when　he　heard
that　the　Conservatives　had　selected　Josh　Smith；　proprietor　of　Smith's
Hotel。

You　remember　Smith。　You've　seen　him　there　on　the　steps　of　his
hotel；two　hundred　and　eighty　pounds　in　his　stockinged　feet。　You've
seen　him　selling　liquor　after　hours　through　sheer　public　spirit；　and
you　recall　how　he　saved　the　lives　of　hundreds　of　people　on　the　day
when　the　steamer　sank；　and　how　he　saved　the　town　from　being　destroyed
the　night　when　the　Church　of　England　Church　burnt　down。　You　know　that
hotel　of　his；　too；　half　way　down　the　street；　Smith's　Northern　Health
Resort；　though　already　they　were　beginning　to　call　it　Smith's　British
Arms。

So　you　can　imagine　that　Bagshaw　came　as　near　to　turning　pale　as　a　man
in　federal　politics　can。

〃I　never　knew　Smith　was　a　Conservative；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃he　always
subscribed　to　our　fund。〃

〃He　is　now；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham　ominously；　〃he　says　the　idea　of　this
reciprocity　business　cuts　him　to　the　heart。〃

〃The　infernal　liar！〃　said　Mr。　Bagshaw。

There　was　silence　for　a　few　moments。　Then　Bagshaw　spoke　again。

〃Will　Smith　have　anything　else　in　his　platform　besides　the　trade
question？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham　gloomily；　〃he　will。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Temperance　and　total　prohibition！〃

John　Henry　Bagshaw　sank　back　in　his　chair　as　if　struck　with　a　club。
There　let　me　leave　him　for　a　chapter。



ELEVEN　

The　Candidacy　of　Mr。　Smith

〃Boys；〃　said　Mr。　Smith　to　the　two　hostlers；　stepping　out　on　to　the
sidewalk　in　front　of　the　hotel；〃hoist　that　there　British　Jack　over
the　place　and　hoist　her　up　good。〃

Then　he　stood　and　watched　the　flag　fluttering　in　the　wind。　〃Billy；〃
he　said　to　the　desk　clerk；　〃get　a　couple　more　and　put　them　up　on　the
roof　of　the　caff　behind　the　hotel。　Wire　down　to　the　city　and　get　a
quotation　on　a　hundred　of　them。　Take　them　signs　'American　Drinks'　out
of　the　bar。　Put　up　noo　ones　with　'British　Beer　at　all　Hours'；　clear
out　the　rye　whiskey　and　order　in　Scotch　and　Irish；　and　then　go　up　to
the　printing　office　and　get　me　them　placards。〃

Then　another　thought　struck　Mr。　Smith。

〃Say；　Billy；〃　he　said；　〃wire　to　the　city　for　fifty　pictures　of　King
George。　Get　'em　good；　and　get　'em　coloured。　It　don't　matter　what　they
cost。〃

〃All　right；　sir；〃　said　Billy。

〃And　Billy；〃　called　Mr。　Smith；　as　still　another　thought　struck　him
（indeed；　the　moment　Mr。　Smith　went　into　politics　you　could　see　these
thoughts　strike　him　like　waves）；　〃get　fifty　pictures　of　his　father；
old　King　Albert。〃

〃All　right；　sir。〃

〃And　say；　I　tell　you；　while　you're　at　it；　get　some　of　the　old　queen；
Victorina；　if　you　can。　Get　'em　in　mourning；　with　a　harp　and　one　of
them　lions　and　a　three…pointed　prong。〃

It　was　on　the　morning　after　the　Conservative　Convention。　Josh　Smith
had　been　chosen　the　candidate。　And　now　the　whole　town　was　covered
with　flags　and　placards　and　there　were　bands　in　the　streets　every
evening；　and　noise　and　music　and　excitement　that　went　on　from　morning
till　night。

Election　times　are　exciting　enough　even　in　the　city。　But　there　the
excitement　dies　down　in　business　hours。　In　Mariposa　there　aren't　any
business　hours　and　the　excitement　goes　on　all　the　time。

Mr。　Smith　had　carried　the　Convention　before　him。　There　had　been　a
feeble　attempt　to　put　up　Nivens。　But　everybody　knew　that　he　was　a
lawyer　and　a　college　man　and　wouldn't　have　a　chance　by　a　man　with　a
broader　outlook　like　Josh　Smith。

So　the　result　was　that　Smith　was　the　candidate　and　there　were
placards　out　all　over　the　town　with　SMITH　AND　BRITISH　ALLEGIANCE　in
big　letters；　and　people　were　wearing　badges　with　Mr。　Smith's　face　on
one　side　and　King　George's　on　the　other；　and　the　fruit　store　next　to
the　hotel　had　been　cleaned　out　and　turned　into　committee　rooms　with　a
gang　of　workers　smoking　cigars　in　it　all　day　and　half　the　night。

There　were　other　placards；　too；　with　BAGSHAW　AND　LIBERTY；　BAGSHAW　AND
PROSPERITY；　VOTE　FOR　THE　OLD　MISSINABA　STANDARD　BEARER；　and　up　town
beside　the　Mariposa　House　there　were　the　Bagshaw　committee　rooms　with
a　huge　white　streamer　across　the　street；　and　with　a　gang　of　Bagshaw
workers　smoking　their　heads　off。

But　Mr。　Smith　had　an　estimate　made　which　showed　that　nearly　two
cigars　to　one　were　smoked　in　his　committee　rooms　as　compared　with　the
Liberals。　It　was　the　first　time　in　five　elections　that　the
Conservative　had　been　able　to　make　such　a　showing　as　that。

One　might　mention；　too；　that　there　were　Drone　placards　out；five　or
six　of　them；little　things　about　the　size　of　a　pocket　handkerchief；
with　a　statement　that　〃Mr。　Edward　Drone　solicits　the　votes　of　the
electors　of　Missinaba　County。〃　But　you　would　never　notice　them。　And
when　Drone　tried　to　put　up　a　streamer　across　the　Main　Street　with
DRONE　AND　HONESTY　the　wind　carried　it　away　into　the　lake。

The　fight　was　really　between　Smith　and　Bagshaw；　and　everybody　knew　it
from　the　start。

I　wish　that　I