The Landloper: The Romance of a Man on FootDay, Holman
General
The Landloper: The Romance of a Man on Foot
Day, Holman
Political corruption -- Fiction; Water-supply -- Fiction
Those whom he passed on his way out made no attempt to stop him, did not
urge him to remain. That convention seemed to be doing very well without
calling upon Colonel Symonds Dodd for help or suggestions.
XXX
A GIRL'S IMPULSE
Herald unofficial, _avant courier_, Mr. Daniel Breed squeezed himself
through the pack of people while they were still cheering the name of
the Honorable Archer Converse.
“Giving candy to youngsters and good news to grown folks never
made anybody specially unpopular,” Mr. Breed assured himself with
politician's sagacity.
Therefore, he jog-trotted down to the Converse law-offices and shot
himself into the presence of the estimable gentleman who had remained
aloof from the distracting business of a convention.
“He's done it,” proclaimed Mr. Breed, making his sentences short and his
message to the point because he was out of breath.
“Who has done what?” demanded Mr. Converse, with equal crispness.
“Farr. You're nominated for governor. Acclamation! He's a wiz with his
tongue.” Mr. Breed pursed his little mouth and “sipped” with gusto.
“Some talker! Don't ever tell me that good talk doesn't win when the
right man makes it at the right time.”
Mr. Converse rose and stood--a rigid statue of consternation and
protest. “Do you mean to come in here and tell me that I have been
nominated by that state convention? Without my sanction? Without my
consent?”
“Sure thing! Easy work! Played all the tricks. Made believe he was
green. Poked rights and lefts to Harwood's jaw. Had himself paged as
a murderer--at least, I reckon it was his own get-up. It cinched the
thing, anyway. He understands human nature.”
But Mr. Converse did not in the least understand this talk. “Look here,
Breed, you haven't gone crazy yourself, along with the rest, have you?”
“Nobody's crazy. People have simply woke up.”
“I'll be eternally condemned if I--”
“That's right! You will be if you don't button up your coat and go over
to the hall along with that notification committee that's probably on
the way, give the folks your best bow, and say you'll take the job.
We're some little team when we get started.”
“You're an infernal steer team, and you have dragged me into a mess of
trouble,” declared Mr. Converse, with venom.
“Glad you're in,” retorted the imperturbable Breed. “A man needs more or
less trouble so as to round himself out; I've been having some troubles
of my own. Whatever job you give me after you're elected, don't put me
back with them stuffed animals. Harwood made his mistake right there!”
“It has begun already, has it?” asked Converse, indignantly.
“Office-seekers at it?”
“Sure thing!” responded Mr. Breed, amiably. “When you cool down you'll
remember that I got to you first with the good news.”
Five minutes later the Honorable Archer Converse, muttering, but more
calm, was marching toward the convention hall in the company of a proud
committee of notification.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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