sunshine sketches of a little town-第28部分

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Concession　school　house；　don't　know　what　politics　means。

So　you　may　imagine　the　excitement　in　Mariposa　when　it　became　known
that　King　George　had　dissolved　the　parliament　of　Canada　and　had　sent
out　a　writ　or　command　for　Missinaba　County　to　elect　for　him　some
other　person　than　John　Henry　Bagshaw　because　he　no　longer　had
confidence　in　him。

The　king；　of　course；　is　very　well　known；　very　favourably　known；　in
Mariposa。　Everybody　remembers　how　he　visited　the　town　on　his　great
tour　in　Canada；　and　stopped　off　at　the　Mariposa　station。　Although　he
was　only　a　prince　at　the　time；　there　was　quite　a　big　crowd　down　at
the　depot　and　everybody　felt　what　a　shame　it　was　that　the　prince　had
no　time　to　see　more　of　Mariposa；　because　he　would　get　such　a　false
idea　of　it；　seeing　only　the　station　and　the　lumber　yards。　Still；　they
all　came　to　the　station　and　all　the　Liberals　and　Conservatives　mixed
together　perfectly　freely　and　stood　side　by　side　without　any
distinction；　so　that　the　prince　should　not　observe　any　party
differences　among　them。　And　he　didn't；you　could　see　that　he　didn't。
They　read　him　an　address　all　about　the　tranquillity　and　loyalty　of
the　Empire；　and　they　purposely　left　out　any　reference　to　the　trouble
over　the　town　wharf　or　the　big　row　there　had　been　about　the　location
of　the　new　post…office。　There　was　a　general　decent　feeling　that　it
wouldn't　be　fair　to　disturb　the　prince　with　these　things：　later　on；
as　king；　he　would；　of　course；　have　to　know　all　about　them；　but
meanwhile　it　was　better　to　leave　him　with　the　idea　that　his　empire
was　tranquil。

So　they　deliberately　couched　the　address　in　terms　that　were　just　as
reassuring　as　possible　and　the　prince　was　simply　delighted　with　it。　I
am　certain　that　he　slept　pretty　soundly　after　hearing　that　address。
Why；　you　could　see　it　taking　effect　even　on　his　aides…de…camp　and　the
people　round　him；　so　imagine　how　the　prince　must　have　felt！

I　think　in　Mariposa　they　understand　kings　perfectly。　Every　time　that
a　king　or　a　prince　comes；　they　try　to　make　him　see　the　bright　side　of
everything　and　let　him　think　that　they're　all　united。　Judge
Pepperleigh　walked　up　and　down　arm　in　arm　with　Dr。　Gallagher；　the
worst　Grit　in　the　town；　just　to　make　the　prince　feel　fine。

So　when　they　got　the　news　that　the　king　had　lost　confidence　in　John
Henry　Bagshaw；　the　sitting　member；　they　never　questioned　it　a　bit。
Lost　confidence？　All　right；　they'd　elect　him　another　right　away。
They'd　elect　him　half　a　dozen　if　he　needed　them。　They　don't　mind；
they'd　elect　the　whole　town　man　after　man　rather　than　have　the　king
worried　about　it。

In　any　case；　all　the　Conservatives　had　been　wondering　for　years
how　the　king　and　the　governor…general　and　men　like　that　had　tolerated
such　a　man　as　Bagshaw　so　long。

Missinaba　County；　I　say；　is　a　regular　hive　of　politics；　and　not　the
miserable；　crooked；　money…ridden　politics　of　the　cities；　but　the
straight；　real　old…fashioned　thing　that　is　an　honour　to　the　country
side。　Any　man　who　would　offer　to　take　a　bribe　or　sell　his　convictions
for　money；　would　be　an　object　of　scorn。　I　don't　say　they　wouldn't
take　money；they　would；　of　course；　why　not？but　if　they　did　they
would　take　it　in　a　straight　fearless　way　and　say　nothing　about　it。
They　might；it's　only　human；accept　a　job　or　a　contract　from　the
government；　but　if　they　did；　rest　assured　it　would　be　in　a　broad
national　spirit　and　not　for　the　sake　of　the　work　itself。　No；　sir。
Not　for　a　minute。

Any　man　who　wants　to　get　the　votes　of　the　Missinaba　farmers　and　the
Mariposa　business　men　has　got　to　persuade　them　that　he's　the　right
man。　If　he　can　do　that；if　he　can　persuade　any　one　of　them　that　he
is　the　right　man　and　that　all　the　rest　know　it；　then　they'll　vote　for
him。

The　division；　I　repeat；　between　the　Liberals　and　the　Conservatives；
is　intense。　Yet　you　might　live　for　a　long　while　in　the　town；　between
elections；　and　never　know　it。　It　is　only　when　you　get　to　understand
the　people　that　you　begin　to　see　that　there　is　a　cross　division
running　through　them　that　nothing　can　ever　remove。　You　gradually
become　aware　of　fine　subtle　distinctions　that　miss　your　observation
at　first。　Outwardly；　they　are　all　friendly　enough。　For　instance；　Joe
Milligan　the　dentist　is　a　Conservative；　and　has　been　for　six　years；
and　yet　he　shares　the　same　boat…house　with　young　Dr。　Gallagher；　who
is　a　Liberal；　and　they　even　bought　a　motor　boat　between　them。　Pete
Glover　and　Alf　McNichol　were　in　partnership　in　the　hardware　and　paint
store；　though　they　belonged　on　different　sides。

But　just　as　soon　as　elections　drew　near；　the　differences　in　politics
became　perfectly　apparent。　Liberals　and　Conservatives　drew　away　from
one　another。　Joe　Milligan　used　the　motor　boat　one　Saturday　and　Dr。
Gallagher　the　next；　and

Pete　Glover　sold　hardware　on　one　side　of　the　store　and　Alf　McNichol
sold　paint　on　the　other。　You　soon　realized　too　that　one　of　the
newspapers　was　Conservative　and　the　other　was　Liberal；　and　that　there
was　a　Liberal　drug　store　and　a　Conservative　drug　store；　and　so　on。
Similarly　round　election　time；　the　Mariposa　House　was　the　Liberal
Hotel；　and　the　Continental　Conservative；　though　Mr。　Smith's　place；
where　they　always　put　on　a　couple　of　extra　bar　tenders；　was　what　you
might　call　Independent…Liberal…Conservative；　with　a　dash　of
Imperialism　thrown　in。　Mr。　Gingham；　the　undertaker；　was；　as　a　natural
effect　of　his　calling；　an　advanced　Liberal；　but　at　election　time　he
always　engaged　a　special　assistant　for　embalming　Conservative
customers。

So　now；　I　think；　you　understand　something　of　the　general　political
surroundings　of　the　great　election　in　Missinaba　County。

John　Henry　Bagshaw　was　the　sitting　member；　the　Liberal　member；　for
Missinaba　County。

The　Liberals　called　him　the　old　war　horse；　and　the　old　battle…axe；
and　the　old　charger　and　the　old　champion　and　all　sorts　of　things　of
that　kind。　The　Conservatives　called　him　the　old　jackass　and　the　old
army　mule　and　the　old　booze　fighter　and　the　old　grafter　and　the　old
scoundrel。

John　Henry　Bagshaw　was；　I　suppose；　one　of　the　greatest　political
forces　in　the　world。　He　had　flowing　white　hair　crowned　with　a　fedora
hat；　and　a　smooth　statesmanlike　face　which　it　cost　the　country
twenty…five　cents　a　day　to　shave。

Altogether　the　Dominion　of　Canada　had　spent　over　two　thousand　dollars
in　shaving　that　face　during　the　twenty　years　that　Bagshaw　had
represented　Missinaba　County。　But　the　result　had　been　well　worth　it。

Bagshaw　wore　a　long　political　overcoat　that　it　cost　the　country
twenty　cents　a　day　to　brush；　and　boots　that　cost　the　Dominion　fifteen
cents　every　morning　to　shine。

But　it　was　money　well　spent。

Bagshaw　of　Mariposa　was　one　of　the　most　representative　men　of　the
age；　and　it's　no　wonder　that　he　had　been

returned　for　the　county　for　five　elections　running；　leaving　the
Conservatives　nowhere。　Just　think　how　representative　he　was。　He　owned
two　hundred　acres　out　on　the　Third　Concession　and　kept　two　men
working　on　it　all　the　time　to　prove　that　he　was　a　practical　farmer。
They　sent　in　fat　hogs　to　the　Missinaba　County　Agricultural　Exposition
and　the　World's　Fair　every　autumn；　and　Bagshaw　himself　stood　beside
the　pig　pens　with　the　judges；　and　wore　a　pair　of　corduroy　breeches
and　chewed　a　straw　all　afternoon。　After　that　if　any　farmer　thought
that　he　was　not　properly　represented　in　Parliament；　it　showed　that　he
was　an　ass。

Bagshaw　owned　a　half　share　in　the　harness　business　and　a　quarter
share　in　the　tannery　and　that　made　him　a　business　man。　He　paid　for　a
pew　in　the　Presbyterian　Church　and　that　represented　religion　in
Parliament。　He　attended　college　for　two　sessions　thirty　years　ago；
and　that　represented　education　and　kept　him　abreast　with　modern
science；　if　not　ahead　of　it。　He　kept　a　little　account　in　one　bank　and
a　big　account　in　the　other；　so　that　he　was　a　rich　man　or　a　poor　man
at　the　same　time。

Add　to　that　that　John　Henry　Bagshaw　was　perhaps　the　finest　orator　in
Mariposa。　That；　of　course；　is　saying　a　great　deal。　There　are　speakers
there；　lots　of　them　that　can　talk　two　or　three　hours　at　a　stretch；
but　the　old　war　horse　could　beat　them　all。　They　say　that　when　John
Henry　Bagshaw　got　well　started；　say　after　a　couple　of　hours　of　talk；
he　could　speak　as　Pericles　or　Demosthenes　or　Cicero　never　could　have
spoken。

You　could　tell　Bagshaw　a　hundred　yards　off　as　a　member　of　the　House
of　Commons。　He　wore　a　pepper…and…salt　suit　to　show　that　he　came　from
a　rural　constituency；　and　he　wore　a　broad　gold　watch…chain　with
dangling　seals　to　show　that　he　also　represents　a　town。　You　could　see
from　his　quiet　low　collar　and　white　tie　that　his　electorate　were　a
Godfearing；　religious　people；　while　the　horseshoe　pin　that　he　wore
showed　that　his　electorate　were　not　without　sporting　instincts　and
knew　a　horse　from　a　jackass。

Most　of　the　time；　John　Henry　Bagshaw　had　to　be　at　Ottawa　（though　he
preferred　the　quiet　of　his　farm　and　always　left　it；　as　he　said；　with
a　sigh）。　If　he　was　not　in　Ottawa；　he　was　in　Washington；　and　of　course
at　any　time　they　might　need　him　in　London；　so　that　it　was　no　wonder
that　he　could　only　be　in　Mariposa　about　two　months　of　the　year。

That　is　why　everybody　knew；　when　Bagshaw　got　off　the　afternoon　train
one　day　early　in　the　spring；　that　there　must　be　something　very
important　coming　and　that　the　rumours　about　a　new　election　must　be
perfectly　true。

Everything　that　he　did　showed　this。　He　gave　the　baggage　man
twenty…five　cents　to　take　the　check　off　his　trunk；　the　'bus　driver
fifty　cents　to　drive　him　up　to　the　Main　Street；　and　he　went　into
Callahan's　tobacco　store　and　bought　two　ten…cent　cigars　and　took　them
across　the　street　and　gave　them　to　Mallory　Tompkins　of　the
Times…Herald　as　a　present　from　the　Prime　Minister。

All　that　afternoon；　Bagshaw　went　up　and　down　the　Main　Street　of
Mariposa；　and　you　could　see；　if　you　knew　the　signs　of　it；　that　there
was　politics　in　the　air。　He　bought　nails　and　putty　and　glass　in　the
hardware　store；　and　harness　in　the　harness　shop；　and　drugs　in　the
drug　store　and　toys　in　the　toy　shop；　and　all　the　things　like　that
that　are　needed　for　a　big　campaign。

Then　when　he　had　done　all　this　he　went　over　with　McGinnis　the　Liberal
organizer　and　Mallory　Tompkins；　the　Times…Herald　man；　and