Part 15 (1/2)

He said the dispute waxed furious; and he says to 'em,-

”Leave it to Samantha: she'll know all about it.”

And so it was agreed on that they'd leave it to me. And he drove the old mare home, almost beyond her strength, he wus so anxious to have it settled.

I wus jest makin' some cream biscuit for supper as he come in, and asked me about it; and a minute is a minute in makin' warm biscuit. You want to make 'em quick, and bake 'em quick. My mind wus fairly held onto that dough-and needed on it; but instinctively I told him he wus in the right ont. Liberty here in the United States wuz a man, and, in order to be consistent, ort to be depictered with whiskers and overcoat and a standin' collar.

”And spurs!” says Josiah.

”Wall,” I told him, ”I wouldn't be particular about the spurs.” I said, ”Instead of the spurs on his boots, he might be depictered as settin' his boot-heel onto the respectful pet.i.tion of fifty thousand wimmen, who had ventured to ask him for a little mite of what he wus s'posed to have quant.i.ties of-Freedom.

”Or,” says I, ”he might be depictered as settin' on a judgment-seat, and wavin' off into prison an intelligent Christian woman, who had spent her whole n.o.ble, useful life in studyin' the laws of our nation, for darin' to think she had as much right under our Const.i.tution, as a low, totally ignorant coot who would most likely think the franchise wus some sort of a meat-stew.”

Says I, ”That will give Liberty jest as imperious and showy a look as spurs would, and be fur more historick and symbolical.”

Wall, he said he would mention it to 'em; and says he, with a contented look,-

”I told uncle Nate I knew I wus right. I knew Liberty wus a man.”

Wall, I didn't say no more: and I got him as good a supper as the house afforded, and kep' still as death on politics; fur I could not help havin' some hopes that he might get sick of the idee of public life. And I kep' him down close all that evenin' to religion and the weather.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JONESVILLE COURTHOUSE.]

But, alas! my hopes wus doomed to fade away. And, as days pa.s.sed by, I see the thought of bein' a senator wus ever before him. The cares and burdens of political life seemed to be a loomin' up in front of him, and in a quiet way he seemed to be fittin' himself for the duties of his position.

He come in one day with Solomon Cypher'ses shovel, and I asked him ”what it wuz?”

And he said ”it wus the spoils of office.”

And I says, ”It is no such thing: it is Solomon Cypher'ses shovel.”

”Wall,” says he, ”I found it out by the fence. Solomon has gone over to the other party. I am a Democrat, and this is party spoils. I am goin' to keep this as one of the spoils of office.”

Says I firmly, ”You won't keep it!”

”Why,” says he, ”if I am goin' to enter political life, I must begin to practise sometime. I must begin to do as they all do. And it is a crackin' good shovel too,” says he pensively.

Says I, ”You are goin' to carry that shovel right straight home, Josiah Allen!”

And I made him.

The idee.

But I see in this and in many kindred things, that he wuz a dwellin' on this thought of political life-its honors and emollients. And often, and in dark hints, he would speak of his Plan. If every other means failed, if he couldn't spare the money to buy enough votes, how his plan wus goin' to be the makin' of him.

And I overheard him tellin' the babe once, as he wus rockin' her to sleep in the kitchen, ”how her grandpa had got up somethin' that no other babe's grandpa had ever thought of, and how she would probable see him in the White House ere long.”

I wus makin' nut-cakes in the b.u.t.tery; and I shuddered so at these words, that I got in most as much agin lemon as I wanted in 'em. I wus a droppin' it into a spoon, and it run over, I wus that shook at the thought of his plan.

I had known his plans in the past, and had hefted 'em. And I truly felt that his plans wus liable any time to be the death of him, and the ruination.