sunshine sketches of a little town-第31部分

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and　looked　round。　Not　a　man　knew　it。

〃I　don't　recall；〃　he　said；　〃exactly　the　precise　amount　myself；not
at　this　moment；but　it　must　be　simply　tremendous。　Or　take　the
question　of　population；〃　Mullins　went　on；　warming　up　again　as　a　born
statistician　always　does　at　the　proximity　of　figures；　〃how　many　of
you　know；　how　many　of　you　can　state；　what　has　been　the　decennial
percentage　increase　in　our　leading　cities？〃

There　he　paused；　and　would　you　believe　it；　not　a　man　could　state　it。

〃I　don't　recall　the　exact　figures；〃　said　Mullins；　〃but　I　have　them　at
home　and　they　are　positively　colossal。〃

But　just　in　one　phase　of　the　public　speaking；　the　candidacy　of　Mr。
Smith　received　a　serious　set…back。

It　had　been　arranged　that　Mr。　Smith　should　run　on　a　platform　of
total　prohibition。　But　they　soon　found　that　it　was　a　mistake。　They
had　imported　a　special　speaker　from　the　city；　a　grave　man　with　a
white　tie；　who　put　his　whole　heart　into　the　work　and　would　take
nothing　for　it　except　his　expenses　and　a　sum　of　money　for　each
speech。　But　beyond　the　money；　I　say；　he　would　take　nothing。

He　spoke　one　night　at　the　Tecumseh　Corners　social　hall　at　the　same
time　when　the　Liberal　meeting　was　going　on　at　the　Tecumseh　Corners
school　house。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　as　he　paused　half　way　in　his　speech；〃while
we　are　gathered　here　in　earnest　discussion；　do　you　know　what　is
happening　over　at　the　meeting　place　of　our　opponents？　Do　you　know
that　seventeen　bottles　of　rye　whiskey　were　sent　out　from　the　town
this　afternoon　to　that　innocent　and　unsuspecting　school　house？
Seventeen　bottles　of　whiskey　hidden　in　between　the　blackboard　and　the
wall；　and　every　single　man　that　attends　that　meeting；mark　my
words；　every　single　man；will　drink　his　fill　of　the　abominable　stuff
at　the　expense　of　the　Liberal　candidate！〃

Just　as　soon　as　the　speaker　said　this；　you　could　see　the　Smith　men　at
the　meeting　look　at　one　another　in　injured　surprise；　and　before　the
speech　was　half　over　the　hall　was　practically　emptied。

After　that　the　total　prohibition　plank　was　changed　and　the　committee
substituted　a　declaration　in　favour　of　such　a　form　of　restrictive
license　as　should　promote　temperance　while　encouraging　the
manufacture　of　spirituous　liquors；　and　by　a　severe　regulation　of　the
liquor　traffic　should　place　intoxicants　only　in　the　hands　of　those
fitted　to　use　them。

Finally　there　came　the　great　day　itself；　the　Election　Day　that
brought；　as　everybody　knows；　the　crowning　triumph　of　Mr。　Smith's
career。　There　is　no　need　to　speak　of　it　at　any　length；　because　it　has
become　a　matter　of　history。

In　any　case；　everybody　who　has　ever　seen　Mariposa　knows　just　what
election　day　is　like。　The　shops；　of　course；

are；　as　a　matter　of　custom；　all　closed；　and　the　bar　rooms　are　all
closed　by　law　so　that　you　have　to　go　in　by　the　back　way。　All　the
people　are　in　their　best　clothes　and　at　first　they　walk　up　and　down
the　street　in　a　solemn　way　just　as　they　do　on　the　twelfth　of　July　and
on　St。　Patrick's　Day；　before　the　fun　begins。　Everybody　keeps　looking
in　at　the　different　polling　places　to　see　if　anybody　else　has　voted
yet；　because；　of　course；　nobody　cares　to　vote　first　for　fear　of　being
fooled　after　all　and　voting　on　the　wrong　side。

Most　of　all　did　the　supporters　of　Mr。　Smith；　acting　under　his
instructions；　hang　back　from　the　poll　in　the　early　hours。　To　Mr。
Smith's　mind；　voting　was　to　be　conducted　on　the　same　plan　as
bear…shooting。

〃Hold　back　your　votes；　boys；〃　he　said；　〃and　don't　be　too　eager。　Wait
till　she　begins　to　warm　up　and　then　let　'em　have　it　good　and　hard。〃

In　each　of　the　polling　places　in　Mariposa　there　is　a　returning
officer　and　with　him　are　two　scrutineers；　and　the　electors；　I　say；
peep　in　and　out　like　mice　looking　into　a　trap。　But　if　once　the
scrutineers　get　a　man　well　into　the　polling　booth；　they　push　him　in
behind　a　little　curtain　and　make　him　vote。　The　voting；　of　course；　is
by　secret　ballot；　so　that　no　one　except　the　scrutineers　and　the
returning　officer　and　the　two　or　three　people　who　may　be　round　the
poll　can　possibly　tell　how　a　man　has　voted。

That's　how　it　comes　about　that　the　first　results　are　often　so
contradictory　and　conflicting。　Sometimes　the　poll　is　badly　arranged
and　the　scrutineers　are　unable　to　see　properly　just　how　the　ballots
are　being　marked　and　they　count　up　the　Liberals　and　Conservatives　in
different　ways。　Often；　too；　a　voter　makes　his　mark　so　hurriedly　and
carelessly　that　they　have　to　pick　it　out　of　the　ballot　box　and　look
at　it　to　see　what　it　is。

I　suppose　that　may　have　been　why　it　was　that　in　Mariposa　the　results
came　out　at　first　in　such　a　conflicting　way。　Perhaps　that　was　how　it
was　that　the　first　reports　showed　that　Edward　Drone　the　Independent
candidate　was　certain　to　win。　You　should　have　seen　how　the　excitement
grew　upon

the　streets　when　the　news　was　circulated。　In　the　big　rallies　and
meetings　of　the　Liberals　and　Conservatives；　everybody　had　pretty　well
forgotten　all　about　Drone；　and　when　the　news　got　round　at　about　four
o'clock　that　the　Drone　vote　was　carrying　the　poll；　the　people　were
simply　astounded。　Not　that　they　were　not　pleased。　On　the　contrary。
They　were　delighted。　Everybody　came　up　to　Drone　and　shook　hands　and
congratulated　him　and　told　him　that　they　had　known　all　along　that
what　the　country　wanted　was　a　straight；　honest；　non…partisan
representation。　The　Conservatives　said　openly　that　they　were　sick　of
party；　utterly　done　with　it；　and　the　Liberals　said　that　they　hated
it。　Already　three　or　four　of　them　had　taken　Drone　aside　and　explained
that　what　was　needed　in　the　town　was　a　straight；　clean；　nonpartisan
post…office；　built　on　a　piece　of　ground　of　a　strictly　non…partisan
character；　and　constructed　under　contracts　that　were　not　tainted　and
smirched　with　party　affiliation。　Two　or　three　men　were　willing　to
show　to　Drone　just　where　a　piece　of　ground　of　this　character　could　be
bought。　They　told　him　too　that　in　the　matter　of　the　postmastership
itself　they　had　nothing　against　Trelawney；　the　present　postmaster；　in
any　personal　sense；　and　would　say　nothing　against　him　except　merely
that　he　was　utterly　and　hopelessly　unfit　for　his　job　and　that　if
Drone　believed；　as　he　had　said　he　did；　in　a　purified　civil　service；
he　ought　to　begin　by　purifying　Trelawney。

Already　Edward　Drone　was　beginning　to　feel　something　of　what　it　meant
to　hold　office　and　there　was　creeping　into　his　manner　the　quiet
self…importance　which　is　the　first　sign　of　conscious　power。

In　fact；　in　that　brief　half…hour　of　office；　Drone　had　a　chance　to　see
something　of　what　it　meant。　Henry　McGinnis　came　to　him　and　asked
straight　out　for　a　job　as　federal　census…taker　on　the　ground　that　he
was　hard　up　and　had　been　crippled　with　rheumatism　all　winter。　Nelson
Williamson　asked　for　the　post　of　wharf　master　on　the　plea　that　he　had
been　laid　up　with　sciatica　all　winter　and　was　absolutely　fit　for
nothing。　Erasmus　Archer　asked　him　if　he　could　get　his　boy　Pete　into
one　of　the　departments　at　Ottawa；　and　made　a　strong　case　of　it　by
explaining　that　he　had　tried　his　cussedest　to　get　Pete　a　job　anywhere
else　and　it　was　simply　impossible。　Not　that　Pete　wasn't　a　willing
boy；　but　he　was　slow；even　his　father　admitted　it；slow　as　the
devil；　blast　him；　and　with　no　head　for　figures　and　unfortunately　he'd
never　had　the　schooling　to　bring　him　on。　But　if　Drone　could　get　him
in　at　Ottawa；　his　father　truly　believed　it　would　be　the　very　place
for　him。　Surely　in　the　Indian　Department　or　in　the　Astronomical
Branch　or　in　the　New　Canadian　Navy　there　must　be　any　amount　of
opening　for　a　boy　like　this？　And　to　all　of　these　requests　Drone　found
himself　explaining　that　he　would　take　the　matter　under　his　very
earnest　consideration　and　that　they　must　remember　that　he　had　to
consult　his　colleagues　and　not　merely　follow　the　dictates　of　his　own
wishes。　In　fact；　if　he　had　ever　in　his　life　had　any　envy　of　Cabinet
Ministers；　he　lost　it　in　this　hour。

But　Drone's　hour　was　short。　Even　before　the　poll　had　closed　in
Mariposa；　the　news　came　sweeping　in；　true　or　false；　that　Bagshaw　was
carrying　the　county。　The　second　concession　had　gone　for　Bagshaw　in　a
regular　landslide；　six　votes　to　only　two　for　Smith；and　all　down　the
township　line　road　（where　the　hay　farms　are）　Bagshaw　was　said　to　be
carrying　all　before　him。

Just　as　soon　as　that　news　went　round　the　town；　they　launched　the
Mariposa　band　of　the　Knights　of　Pythias　（every　man　in　it　is　a
Liberal）　down　the　Main　Street　with　big　red　banners　in　front　of　it
with　the　motto　BAGSHAW　FOREVER　in　letters　a　foot　high。　Such　rejoicing
and　enthusiasm　began　to　set　in　as　you　never　saw。　Everybody　crowded
round　Bagshaw　on　the　steps　of　the　Mariposa　House　and　shook　his　hand
and　said　they　were　proud　to　see　the　day　and　that　the　Liberal　party
was　the　glory　of　the　Dominion　and　that　as　for　this　idea　of
non…partisan　politics　the　very　thought　of　it　made　them　sick。　Right
away　in　the　committee　rooms　they　began　to　organize　the　demonstration
for　the　evening　with　lantern　slides　and　speeches　and　they　arranged
for　a　huge　bouquet　to　be　presented　to　Bagshaw　on　the　platform　by　four
little　girls　（all　Liberals）　all　dressed　in　white。

And　it　was　just　at　this　juncture；　with　one　hour　of　voting　left；　that
Mr。　Smith　emerged　from　his　committee　rooms　and　turned　his　voters　on
the　town；　much　as　the　Duke　of　Wellington　sent　the　whole　line　to　the
charge　at　Waterloo。　From　every　committee　room　and　sub…committee　room
they　poured　out　in　flocks　with　blue　badges　fluttering　on　their　coats。

〃Get　at　it；　boys；〃　said　Mr。　Smith；　〃vote　and　keep　on　voting　till　they
make　you　quit。〃

Then　he　turned　to　his　campaign　assistant。　〃Billy；〃　he　said；　〃wire
down　to　the　city　that　I'm　elected　by　an　overwhelming　majority　and
tell　them　to　wire　it　right　back。　Send　word　by　telephone　to　all　the
polling　places　in　the　county　that　the　hull　town　has　gone　solid
Conservative　and　tell　them　to　send　the　same　news　back　here。　Get
carpenters　and　tell　them　to　run　up　a　platform　in　front　of　the　hotel；
tell　them　to　take　the　bar　door　clean　off　its　hinges　and　be　all　ready
the　minute　the　poll　quits。〃

It　was　that　last　hour　that　did　it。　Just　as　soon　as　the　big　posters
went　up　in　the　windows　of　the　Mariposa　Newspacket　with　the
telegraphic　despatch　that