The Berkeleys and their neighborsSeawell, Molly Elliot
General
The Berkeleys and their neighbors
Seawell, Molly Elliot
Virginia -- Fiction
There is nothing that a mixed crowd of whites and blacks at the South
so much hates as a demagogue. Especially is this the case with the
“poor whites” and the negroes. It was from them that Pembroke knew he
must get the votes to elect. When he appeared on the hustings, he was
the same easy, gentlemanly fellow as in a drawing-room. He slapped no
man on the back, nor offered treats, nor was there any change in his
manner. He was naturally affable, and he made it his object to win
the good will of his hearers through their enlightenment, not their
prejudices. The Bob Henry episode did him immense service. A great
revolution had taken place in regard to Bob Henry. As, when he had
been poor and in prison and friendless and suspected, everybody had
been down on him, so now when he was free and cleared of suspicion,
and had been an object of public attention, he became something of a
hero. He worked like a beaver among his own people for “Marse French.”
At “night meetings” and such, he was powerful--and in the pulpits of
the colored people, the fiat went forth that it “warn’t wuff while fer
cullud folks to pay de capilation tax fer to git young Mr. Hibbs, who
warn’ no quality nohow” into Congress--for the redoubtable Hibbs was
Pembroke’s opponent. This too, had its favorable action on his canvass.
As for Petrarch, he claimed a direct commission from the Lord to send
“Marse French ter Congriss. De Lord, de Great Physicianer, done spoken
it ter me in de middle o’ de night like he did ter little Samson,
sayin’ ‘Petrarch whar is you?’ He say ‘What fur I gin you good thinkin’
facticals, ’cep’ fur ter do my will? An’ it ain’t Gord’s will dat no
red headed Hibbs be ’lected over ole Marse French Pembroke’s son, dat
allus treated me wid de greatest circumlocution.” Petrarch’s oratory
was not without its effect.
Pembroke’s natural gift of oratory had been revealed to him at the
time of Bob Henry’s acquittal. He cultivated it earnestly, avoiding
hyperbole and exaggeration. There is nothing a Virginian loves so well
as a good talker. Within ten days of the opening of the campaign,
Pembroke knew that he was going to win. Hibbs had a very bad war
record. Pembroke had a very good one. The canvass therefore to him, was
pleasant, exciting, and with but little risk.
But Olivia Berkeley’s place had not been usurped. He had not meant or
desired to fall in love. As he had said truly to Cave, there were other
things for him than marriage. But love had stolen a march upon him.
When he found it out, he accepted the result with great good humor--and
he had enough masculine self-love to have good hopes of winning her
until--until Madame Koller had put her oar in. But even then, his case
did not seem hopeless, after the first burst of rage and chagrin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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