CHAPTER IX.
THE CAUCUS.
For three weeks after the death of little Willie, Belle could not bearto leave the mother and the little brother who remained.
She even suspended her work among the needy, and many inmates ofcharitable institutions missed delicacies she had been accustomed todistribute among them. Society in the village became dull and stupid byher withdrawal from its circles. During this time, however, George Aldenfrequently called, and the tenderness and affection of each heart forthe other was plainly manifested. Mr. Hamblin in no manner interferedwith his daughter and her lover, yet he chafed, fretted, and hoped thatsomething would occur to break the spell.
Shortly after her return home, Belle received a letter from Mannis, fullof sympathy, yet every line breathing sentiments that distressed her,for unlike most young ladies she felt hurt when demands were made uponher to which she could not respond. Admiring many qualities possessedby the handsome Assemblyman, she had no warmer feelings than friendshipfor any other man than George Alden. The latter was her ideal of truemanliness, the former only evoked admiration for his intellectualqualifications and social gifts. Gladly would she have met Mannis onterms of common friendship, but his letter revealed that he expectedmore, for he announced a determination to lay siege to her heart.
Her father often spoke of his friend, even hinting that he would beproud of a son-in-law so gifted and successful. She had hoped thatWillie's sudden death had changed her father's heart, but now sherealized that the temptations and ambitions of public life once morebound him in their chains.
A lively canvass was now waging, and the inevitable discussions,criminations, and recriminations grew more and more exciting. On the eveof the caucuses the war of the factions waxed hot. Leaders and bulliesof both sides were on the alert, and Paddy Sullivan held matinees andevening gatherings at "The Shades," lager beer and poor whiskey flowingas free as water, and the "b'ys" kept full at the expense of one or theother candidate.
"Arrah! b'ys, whoop 'er in!" Paddy would exclaim as he tapped a freshkeg of lager.
The night before the caucus of the Senator's party Paddy Sullivan wasin his glory. The leading spirit among the class frequenting his ginpalace, his word he declared to be "lar." While the bar was flanked bya row of men, Miller entered accompanied by Editor Rawlings, the latterovercome 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'ysis all sound fer our frind the Sinitor. The ould man will win as aisyas sippin' beer. I'll bet tin dollars wid any mon in the crowd thatDaley won't git quarther of the votes to-morrow avenin'. He was jushtin here wid his party, and the b'ys took in his beer, and when the doorclosed 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 aspilt 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 forsupport. "I'm solid for Sen'ter 'Amblin. Whoop 'er in, boys. I'm athoroughbred 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 theneighborhood. Rawlings continued:
"Gen'lemen--'ere's hopin' that to-morrer evenin' the old man'll scoopin 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 theback door of the bar-room, responding:
"Faith, the iditor is as livel-headed as that darlin' ould mon, myPaddy."
After ordering cigars for the party, Miller prepared to leave theplace; pausing at the door and striking an attitude, he said: "Boys,I hope you will all attend the caucus to-morrow evening, using yourprerogatives as free citizens to help sustain an honest man--thepeople's candidate--against the monopolies that are trying to overthrowthe individual rights of every man here." Then taking the red fist ofPaddy, he whispered: "Well done, old friend; you are a power, and theSenator knows it, and won't forget it either."
Seizing the staggering editor by the arm, Miller left the saloon. Thiswas the last visit the pair made that night, every drinking-place intown having been previously visited, and all hands treated to whiskeyand cigars, Miller privately slipping a ten or twenty dollar bill intoeach proprietor's hand.
Leaving "The Shades," Rawlings was assisted home by lesser politicallights, Miller going directly to Senator Hamblin's residence, whereseveral persons were in consultation, concluding arrangements for themorrow's caucus.
The day opened lively, Miller and aids being on duty bright and early,while Daley and his friends, greatly discouraged, were neverthelessdetermined not to give up the fight. Their cause was almost hopeless,for on entering the canvass they expected to overthrow Senator Hamblinby the support of the moral portion of the public. Daley, possessing nomore virtue than his opponent, had mounted the reform hobby to ride intopower, but he found that a majority of voters could not be won to hisside. 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 withpreventing Senator Hamblin's re-election. Copies of Sargent's statementhad been prepared for circulation in every town, but, receiving noexplanation of Miller's sudden appearance during the interview atSargent's, Daley thought something had been done to counteract itseffects, and as Sargent had mysteriously disappeared, his anxietyincreased.
Cleverdale had seldom before been so excited. Politicians walked thestreets, 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 hisfriends on the issue that he was a badly used man, and prepared aprogramme for a grand "bolt" at every caucus in the county where Hamblindelegates might be chosen.
Bolting is the salve to heal wounds caused by disappointed hopes ofpoliticians. It is a prerogative that such men avail themselves of; yetbeing a "double-ender," the end placed against the shoulder often doesthe most damage.
Bitterness between opposite parties is nothing compared to the badblood that exists between factions of the same party. It is a bad timefor men to know the misdeeds of each other, for secrets are used afterbeing enlarged and exaggerated to powerful dimensions. Such occasionsfurnish capital to the opposite party, and many campaigns are carried onby simply using against candidates ammunition that members of their ownparty have manufactured.
The Cleverdale drinking-saloons were in full blast, the bummersrevelling in what to them seemed paradise. Bad whiskey and ice-coollager 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. Airimpregnated with onions, garlic, old pipes, and poor whiskey, greetedthe olfactory organs of those entering the room. To this was added theexudations from garments of factory hands and laborers, who had workedhard during the excessively hot day and not availed themselves of suchcheap luxuries as soap and water. Miller, with aids and assistants wellorganized for the forthcoming fray, was present, while Daley, flanked bya coterie of followers, was active. Paddy Sullivan was on duty, movingabout among the men whom he controlled. Suddenly the chairman of theTown 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 hereare the men who, choosing delegates, make the officers of the town,the officers of the county, the officers of the State, yes, the chiefruler of the nation. Sprinkled through the crowd are a few intellectualcountenances; but observe the majority--coarse, uncultured, ignorantspecimens of humanity--many faces stamped with the look of ruffian,while the drunken gibberish of others disgusts one with the thought thatthe 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 toorder. The deliberations of this meeting cannot proceed until a chairmanhas 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 thegintleman to take the cheer," said Paddy Sullivan.
This was followed by shouts of "Furman!" on the Daley side, while theHamblin crowd were as loud in shouting, "Rawlings!"
For a few seconds there was a perfect pandemonium. The noise wasdeafening. The chairman of the Town Committee, pounding vigorously onthe table, finally succeeded in quieting the enthusiasm of the factions.He then said:
"Gentlemen! I cannot put the motion unless there is order. The motionnow is on the amendment. All who favor Editor Rawlings as chairman ofthis 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 wildshouts from each faction. For fully a minute the noise continued, thedesk resounding with blows from the chairman's fist. Men jumped uponchairs and benches, while the platform was crowded with leaders ofboth factions. But the temporary chairman knew his business. When theexcitement subsided he said:
"Being unable to decide the vote, you will now prepare to divide thehouse. All who favor the amendment will go to the left side of thehall. All opposed will take the right side--and I appoint Cyrus HartMiller and Harvey Barnes tellers to count the vote."
The excitement was renewed with greater fury than before, the Daley menshouting:
"Give us a teller!" "Both tellers are Hamblin men!" "We protest aginit!" "Shame on ye to bar us out!"
After the house was divided the tellers finished the count, announcingthe amendment carried by a large majority. The decision exasperating thevanquished party, threats were made against the chairman of the TownCommittee, while the victors were wild with enthusiasm. Paddy Sullivan,hardly able to contain himself, his red face glistened like a coal offire, 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 thecaucus for the honor done him, asked whom they desired for secretary.The Daley crowd claimed the right to fill the place, but a vote ontwo candidates resulted in a victory for the "machine," the Senator'sfaction.
The chair asked the further pleasure of the caucus, when a young lawyernamed Hardy arose to address the meeting. He spoke of the unhappyfaction fight; he was for harmony, but thought the machine entirelyresponsible for the existing state of affairs. Censuring SenatorHamblin, he eulogized Daley, whom he believed actuated by the highestand most honorable motives in seeking the nomination, and he warnedthe "machine" men of the dangers besetting them trying to force a badnomination. He then moved that the caucus proceed to ballot for adelegate to the senatorial convention to be held at Cleverdale, one weekfrom that day.
An amendment making Cyrus Hart Miller the delegate from Cleverdale,provoked another spasm of excitement, shouts of "Ballot" being heardfrom the Daley side, while cries of "Question" came with equal forcefrom the Hamblin party.
Although scarcely any one had large interests at stake, the audienceseemed crazed with rage; opposing leaders were like wild beasts; oaths,threats, and invectives of all kinds were heard; the noise filling thehall was like the roar of infuriated animals, and in some parts of theroom blows were exchanged; only by the greatest effort did the policeprevent a general fight. The chairman, on finally being able to putthe motion, heard many voices vote "Aye!" and the opposition loudlycrying "No!" but he declared that Cyrus Hart Miller seemed elected thetown delegate. Groans and hisses greeted the announcement. Amid theexcitement Daley mounted the platform, and said:
"My friends will do me a favor by withdrawing from the hall. If wecannot receive fair treatment here we can at least hold an honest caucusin another place. Follow me!"
Jumping to the floor, he was followed by a mad crowd. As they withdrewfrom the hall, groans, hisses, cat-calls, and all sorts of wordyinvectives were hurled at them. Cyrus Hart Miller was then unanimouslychosen delegate, and a series of resolutions was passed, instructingthe delegate to vote for the Hon. Darius Hamblin. Then the caucusadjourned. As the bolting caucus also elected a delegate, Cleverdale wasto be represented by both factions.
Senator Hamblin won a victory in the county, securing ten of the fifteentowns, although bolting delegates had also been chosen. Several bottlesof wine were drank that evening by the men assembling in the privateoffice of the Boss, but the latter was not happy, for, having stirred upa bitter faction fight, he trembled for the consequences.
The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life Page 11