THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF MR* & MRS. FRANK M. BEARING I '" , A SUBTLE ADVERSARY A TALE OF CALLITSO COUNTY BY CHARLES J. SCOKIELD One of the Circuit Judges of Illinois It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. ( Rom. xiv. 21.) Wherefore, if meat [wine] make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh [drink no wine] while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. ( I. Cor. viii. 13.) FIRST THOUSAND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR J891 Copyrighted, 1891, by CHARLES J. SCOFIELD. POINTED AND BOUND BY SHB STANDARD F?;JBMGHI:JG CINCINNATI, OHIO. TO THE FAITHFUL WIFE, WHO HAS SHARED MY LABORS, AND LIGHTENED MY BURDENS, AND WALKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH ME TOWARD THE LIGHT, FOR MANY YEARS, THIS VOLUME IS LOVINGLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. PS CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. THE ANDERSON FAMILY 9-22 CHAPTER II. THE MAINE PROHIBITIONIST 23-38 CHAPTER III. UNDER ARREST 39~54 CHAPTER IV. A STRANGE INTRODUCTION 55~ 66 CHAPTER V. CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE 67-87 CHAPTER VI. CONTRASTS IN ELECTIONEERING 88-108 CHAPTER VII. AT MOSSY BANK 109-130 CHAPTER VIII. SQUIRE INGLESIDE MILITANT 131-141 CHAPTER IX. A LIBATION TO BACCHUS , 142-148 s 754911 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. EAVESDROPPING, AND SOME OF ITS FRUIT 149-170 CHAPTER XI. LOVE'S THORNY PATHWAY 171-181 CHAPTER XII. THE FIRST MISUNDERSTANDING 182-194 CHAPTER XIII. HOLYTERROR i 195-214 CHAPTER XIV. THE PICNIC AT BARKER'S GROVE 215-236 CHAPTER XV. ELIZABETH AS MEDIATOR 237-245 CHAPTER XVI. NEARING THE SHADOW 246-256 CHAPTER XVII. DISAPPOINTMENT 257-280 CHAPTER XVIII. CRUEL BLOWS 281-292 CHAPTER XIX. AT THE GATES OF DEATH 293-301 CHAPTER XX. BUT NOT BEYOND 302-310 CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER XXI. THE DEVIL CAST OUT . 311-322 CHAPTER XXII. A PRIMARY CONVENTION 323-334 CHAPTER XXIII. A VICTORY FOR THE SALOON POWER 335-346 CHAPTER XXIV. THE STORY OF A BROKEN BOTTLE 347-366 CHAPTER XXV. JUSTICE TRIUMPHANT ~ 367-383 CHAPTER XXVI. DELIBERATION 384-395 CHAPTER XXVII. THE CROWNING CONSPIRACY 396-414 CHAPTER XXVIII. KATIE'S GREAT SACRIFICE 415-432 CHAPTER XXIX. A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE 433-443 CHAPTER XXX. THE TRAGEDY AT THE SWAMP 444-460 CHAPTER XXXI. THE FIRST GRAVE 461-468 8 CONTENT^. CHAPTER XXXII. LIMPING JUSTICE . 469-487 CHAPTER XXXIII. THE FIRST WEDDING 488-504 CHAPTER XXXIV. KATIE AT CHAUTAUQUA 505-522 CHAPTER XXXV. AT MOSSY BANK AGAIN 5 2 3~537 CHAPTER XXXVI. CONQUERING A MOB 538-554 CHAPTER XXXVII. ONE SIDE OF THE CASE 555-586 CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CASE 587-615 CHAPTER XXXIX. A DYING SINNER'S SERMON _. 616-623 CHAPTER XL. ASSORTED ACCORDING TO AFFINITY 624-640 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. CHAPTER I. THE ANDERSON FAMILY. About ten miles southwest of Wellington, in the fertile County of Callitso, in the prosperous State of Illinois, lived Henry Anderson and his wife Mary, with their children James and Katie, aged respectively nine teen and sixteen, in this blooming springtime of the year of grace, 1875. Mr. Anderson was a wealthy farmer, an influential and intelligent man, and a highly respected and law-abiding citizen. He was one of the directors of school-district No. 3 ; and so, when Mr. Brayton, the teacher, was forced to resign by the mutinous conduct of some of the overgrown pupils, Mr. Anderson was made agent extraordinary to go to Wellington and employ a teacher to take the place of the vanquished Brayton. Accordingly, he repaired to the city, and consulted Colonel Mansfield, for whose judgment, generally speaking, he had the highest regard. Had it not been at the Colonel's advice that he had bought prairie land when he had moved to Callitso County? And had not time borne ample testimony to the correctness of the Colonel's judgment? Had not the Colonel prophe sied, after Fort Sumter had been fired upon, that there would be war? And had not war followed, that the Colonel's prophecy might be fulfilled ? If he had IO ' A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. shown such remarkable judgment in business and mili tary matters, might he not prove infallible in educa tional affairs ? "I believe I would try a woman this time. " sug gested the Colonel. "A woman!" exclaimed Henry Anderson in amazement, letting his lower jaw fall, and staring at his friend. He then gasped, and exclaimed again : " A woman !" " Why certainly, " said the Colonel, "I mean just what I say try a woman. Muscle seems to have proved a failure in your school a miserable failure. And what more can be expected ? This world is no longer ruled by brute force, and schools can no longer be governed successfully in that way. Try refinement and tact for once. Women have more of either of these qualities than men. Most of our teachers in Wellington are women, and they are successful. Therefore I say again, try a woman." But Mr. Anderson said : "No woman can manage our school, Colonel. The day of miracles is past. We must have a brave and experienced man, say forty or fifty years of age. We want a man who can inspire terror in the hearts of the disobedient from the very start. And such a teacher we must have, or the school must be closed." "But I insist that you want a woman," said the Colonel, smoothing and folding his daily. "And for tunately for you, the right woman is in Wellington, waiting for a school. She is a new-comer, and has never taught in this vicinity. But she is a highly accomplished Eastern lady, about thirty years of age, and of that temper, if I am not sadly mistaken, to suit your present emergencies, and bring order out of chaos in your school." But Henry Anderson was not to be convinced by a few words. Women might do well enough in towns or for infants, but not for young men in a country school. He declined at first to see or talk with the young THE ANDERSON FAMILY. I I woman on the subject. But after much solicitation he yielded reluctantly, and accompanied by the Colonel, went to see her. He looked aghast when he beheld a woman of medium size, with delicate features, and a bearing of the highest culture and refinement. And this was Elizabeth Oakford. If she had stood six feet without shoes, and had weighed one hundred and ninety pounds But the first words she uttered, in her s*bft, positive, magnetic tones, interrupted and silenced all such re flections. After ten minutes of conversation, Henry Anderson's prejudice began to give way. At the end of thirty minutes he capitulated, and employed her without qualification or reservation, and then, after he had gone away, stroked his beard, and wondered what had induced him to hire "that woman." Elizabeth came, and took charge of the school. She boarded at Mr. Anderson's, and was thus brought into close contact with the members of the family. If there was any trouble at the school-house during the remain der of the term, it was never reported to Mr. Ander son. There was no conflict, there was no organized disobedience, there was no application of the rod. It seemed to be taken for granted that Elizabeth must be obeyed, and no effort at insubordination was made. The Andersons were not slow in learning that Eliz abeth was a Maine prohibitionist of the most pro nounced and radical type. In her childhood she had been taught to look upon the traffic in intoxicating drinks as one of the greatest curses of the century. Her knowledge of the world, and of the effects of the rum-traffic upon the individual and the state, acquired since she had grown to womanhood, had served to intensify her abhorrence of the business, and to make her intolerant when this subject was under considera tion. But with Henry Anderson it was otherwise. While he had been a sober, steady, industrious man, a useful and prominent man in his community, he had 12 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. taken but little interest in the agitation of the temper ance question. He had never been known to be intox icated, and thought that any man could resist the fascinations of the cup if he would, and had no sym pathy for the character generally denominated the "poor, helpless drunkard." His family firmly believed that he never touched the intoxicating cup. And yet it was a fact well known in Wellington that he had been in the *habit, for years, of taking an occasional drink with a friend, and it was even rumored that for the last year or two his visits to Wellington, and consequently his visits to his favorite drug-store, had gradually become more frequent. Yes, it was whis pered in certain quarters that the habit was growing upon him ; and that if his propensities in this direction were not speedily checked he, with his ardent temper ament, was in danger of becoming a victim to this terrible appetite. But no hint of these facts and rumors had reached the ears of his wife, son or daughter. It was indeed remarked by them that he seemed to favor the licensing of saloons, but this, they supposed, was not because he was addicted to the use of liquor himself, but rath- ' er, as he himself said, because he believed that the evil could not be suppressed, and that therefore the best thing to be done was to control it by law, and at the same time thereby raise a revenue for the munici pal government. He readily conceded, in every argu ment, that liquor had proved a great curse, that it had slain its thousands, and that its evil effects should be counteracted in some manner. But he maintained that this, could not be*done by the attempted suppression of the business, but rather by its regulation under judi cious laws. Entertaining these views, it was natural enough for him to have an occasional altercation with Elizabeth Oakford on this question, in which he opposed her tenets as unreasonable and impracticable. " I have lived in Kentucky," he said on one occa- THE ANDERSON FAMILY. 13 sion, "and I have seen some of the best men in the world take their daily dram, without any harm. And I am sure that there was less drunkenness there than there is here. Wellington has been without license for four years, and I have seen more drunken men there during that time than I saw in Kentucky during the whole of my boyhood." "I do not deny," said Elizabeth, "that some of the best men in the world take their daily dram, both here and in Kentucky. But I challenge you to prove that they do so without harm. And if you answer that you mean without apparent harm, I ask you to tell me how many men you have known in Kentucky and Wellington who have taken their daily dram with apparent harm. The traffic is not condemned because it may have done a great many no apparent harm, but because to many it has done grievous, manifest and irreparable harm. Nor am I prepared to accept the statement that you have seen more drunken men in Wellington during the last four years than you saw in Kentucky during your boyhood. I admit you think so. But you forget what you saw in your youth. I un derstand your argument to involve the absurd conclu sion that by increasing the saloons drunkenness will be decreased." "Not exactly," was the answer. "But what I mean is that men will have their drinks any way ; and if difficulties are thrown in the way, they will be stimulated to extra efforts to procure what they want, and thus really drink more without saloons than with them." "If that is true, Mr. Anderson, will you tell me why the wholesale liquor dealers are in favor of saloons? If more liquor is sold and consumed without than with saloons, the wholesale dealer would surely make more in the former case than in the latter. Yet they are to a man opposed to all prohibitory legisla tion. How do you explain this strange contradiction ? Are the wholesale dealers working against their own interests ? Or, are they fools ? 14 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. Mr. Anderson made no reply to these questions, but vigorously rocked to and fro in his chair. "The fact is," continued Elizabeth, "that you are mistaken. There is not more liquor used in anti-license towns than in license towns. The proposition is ab surd upon its face. Many a man who would frequent saloons, and spend his time there, is generally sober and industrious if there are no open saloons. He may send away for a jug of whisky or a keg of beer occa sionally, but this is infinitely better for himself and family than to have him ' lounging ' about a saloon every day. And, by the way, Mr. Anderson, tell me one man in Wellington who has been drunk oftener per year during the last four years, under the anti- license regime, than he was during those years when there were saloons in the city." Mr. Anderson said that, having been in Wellington only occasionally, he was not able to speak author itatively on the subject, but that he had heard Joe Jim- son say the cases of drunkenness were more numerous now than formerly. "And who is Joe Jimson?" asked Elizabeth, flush ing. "Is he not a drunken sot ? What kind of authority is he to be quoted on this question ? I will offset his statement with what I heard Colonel Mansfield say the other day. He said the records of the courts did not show one-third as many prosecutions for drunk enness during the last four years as during the preced ing four years. What do you think of that ? " " I think that, if the Colonel is right, there has been a lax enforcement of the ordinances during the last four years." "Not so, if the Colonel is to be believed," she answered. " He said the ordinances had been more vigorously enforced than ever before." "There, father," said Katie, who had been stand ing behind his chair during the conversation, "I think Miss Oakford has the better of the argument. At least she has converted me now, if never before, THE ANDERSON FAMILY. 15 and I have made up my mind to join the temperance workers, and work with her, as the preacher says, henceforth and evermore." Mr. Anderson could not readily brook direct and positive antagonism to his views, and it was certain that Elizabeth had combated them in positive and un equivocal terms. But he was too much of a gentle man to be guilty of offensive speech to a woman ; and for fear that he might be led to speak with temper, and perhaps be utterly routed in the controversy, he dropped the conversation and went into the kitchen, where his wife was engaged in preparing the evening meal. As for Elizabeth, she had always been in the habit of speak ing plainly and emphatically on this question. She in tended this conversation to be but the introduction to a whole volume with which Henry Anderson was to be entertained from time to time. She had heard the rumors concerning his growing fondness for the cup, and she had at once assumed the unpleasant duty of remonstrating with him, and by every means in her power warning him against the danger of his course. And this was no pleasant task not even for Eliza beth. Her gentle disposition shrank from conflict with her friends. Only an exalted sense of duty could sus tain her in her efforts to reach and save a man so self- willed and independent in spirit as was Henry Anderson. She thought he would rebel against her advice, and re gard her as an intermeddler with affairs that did not concern her. But she was prepared to bear all this, and more, if she might be able, with the Divine help, to arrest this man in his downward course, and bring him out of danger into safety. Standing in the way of the future happiness of this family, Elizabeth saw, or fancied she saw, a danger of which they were utterly unconscious. For a few years Mr. Anderson had been an occasional drinker, and Elizabeth considered that fact, of itself, occasion for alarm. So sensitive had she become to the dangers and allurements of the cup, that she trembled for the future 1 6 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. of the man who had the hardihood to drink even a single glass. But there was another fact in Henry Anderson's case which Elizabeth considered still more significant of danger. Rumor said that the habit of occasional drinking had been growing, and that Henry Anderson now seldom drove to Wellington without patronizing the drug-store. A -conversation which occurred a few days after wards served still further to alarm Elizabeth. Mr. Anderson announced that he was getting to that period of life when rest was demanded, and that he had been thinking seriously about moving to Wellington, and selling or renting the farm, as might appear to be most to his advantage. He alleged that while one object would be to afford himself and wife an opportunity to rest from the labors and responsibilities of the farm, the principal object was to give his children an oppor tunity to attend college, and thoroughly equip them selves for life. And true it is that, at their age, and with their advancement, better schools than the country afforded were required to carry on their education. It was also true that there was a good Western college at Wellington, where James and Katie could have every advantage in the way of learning which could be rea sonably desired. Should Mr. Anderson move to the city, there would not be any separation of the members of his household. His children could be at home, and under his immediate supervision, and at the same time attend the Wellington College. There was little to be said against the proposal, and much to be said in its favor. And because this was true, and because Eliza beth was interested in the family's welfare, her heart grew heavy indeed when she heard Mr. Anderson say he had been thinking of moving to Wellington. How was it any of her business whether he lived on the farm or in the city ? Would it not be deemed impertinence on her part to interfere, or to make any suggestions, concerning the proposed change ? Especially was this the case when her opinion was not sought for. THE ANDERSON FAMILY. I/ During this conversation, Mrs. Anderson had not, thus far, uttered a word, but there was no evidence of rejoicing in her face, but sadness rather, as if she thought it doubtful whether such a radical change would contribute to the happiness of the family. " We have been very happy here," she said at last. ' ' I fear to break the charm of happiness which seems to have hung about us on the farm. Much as I would dislike to be separated from the children, I believe I would rather stay here and send them away to school than to leave the farm in order to be with them. We will have to give them up soon any way. They will probably marry, and have homes of their own, and leave us alone as we were at the beginning. And you know, Henry, during our first year in Illinois, there were but two of us, and we were very happy." The conversation flagged in interest after awhile, and James and Katie left the room. Then Elizabeth broke the silence : "Have you thought, Mr. Anderson, of the tempta tions of city life to James ? There may be saloons in Wellington next year, and even if there should not be, you yourself have said that liquors are very easily ob tained even without saloons. These and many 'other temptations might beset him. Is it not safer to keep him on the farm for a few years yet? " Now Elizabeth's present solicitude was for Henry Anderson, not for James. But she did not say so, for many reasons. Mrs. Anderson did not know that her husband was becoming a steady drinker ; and it did not seem proper to communicate to her that intelligence now. To do so at this time would be a positive affront to Mr. Anderson. So intent was she upon finding some support for her advice that she failed to notice the inconsistencies of her speech till Mr. Ander son suggested that he could not see how James would be in more danger in Wellington, if living with his parents while attending college, than if boarding in the city with strangers during the school year. 1 8 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. Elizabeth reddened perceptibly. She said no more on the subject ; but she instantly formed a firm reso lution. She would ask leave of absence from her school next Tuesday, and spend that day at Welling ton. The request was made, and the desired leave ob tained, and to James was confided the pleasant duty of taking her to Wellington on Monday evening, and going after her on Wednesday morning. The object of her visit to the city was not stated, and no inquiry on the subject was made. On Tuesday the election of mayor and aldermen would be held at Wellington, and Elizabeth had de cided to be present and to use her influence against license. She saw plainly enough that Mr. Anderson would move to Wellington as he had proposed, and she knew his danger would be less without than with sa loons. True, he could obtain liquors as he had done, through the various devices known to the initiated, but he would do so under difficulties if there were no sa loons. She determined, therefore, to throw herself, heart and soul, into the contest, which would certainly be a bitter one, and help to win the day for God and home and native land. She knew the contest would be close because the license ticket had been defeated by only a small majority the year before, and the license advocates had been making great preparations lor the coming election, and confidently expected to carry the day. Her influence might be worth some thing ; and whether her act should be considered womanly or unwomanly, her heart was in the work, and her conscience urged her on, and she was ready to sac rifice herself to her earnest conviction of duty. Long after Elizabeth and Katie and James had re tired for sleep to their respective rooms, the husband and wife sat on the porch in front of the house, silently meditating upon what had been said. " Henry, I can not make up my mind to leave our home," said Mrs. Anderson, timidly, as she moved her THE ANDERSON FAMILY. IQ chair nearer to her husband and took his hand in hers. "We have lived here now for twenty years, and we are too far along in life to set out to make for ourselves another home. Why, every tree is dear to us, and every nook and corner of the farm has its own precious bit of history, which none but you and I could write, and the thought of leaving these objects we have loved and cared for seems unendurable. Let us stay here. We can spire the children long enough for them to get their education." "But, Mary," said. Mr. Anderson, "we need rest, and as long as we stay here we will continue to work. So I think the best thing we can do is to take our leave of the farm, and go to the city with our children. They can go to school then, and we can be at hand to watch them and shield them from harm. We have been happy here, but we can be just as happy in the city, and enjoy many advantages there which can not be had here." "Of course, Henry, "said Mrs. Anderson with a sigh, "you must decide what to do, and I must yield to your judgment. But my voice and vote, as far as they have weight, are against the change. I have some indefinable prescience of evil there is a load over my heart from which I can not free myself. You know I am not superstitious, and yet something seems to tell me that this move will be the beginning of trouble." They sat for a long time in silence. At length they were startled by a loud peal of thunder, and then noticed, for the first time, that the sky was overcast with clouds. Suddenly there came a gust of wind, and the trees were shaken violently. Then there followed an ominous calm ; but only for one brief minute. The wind began again, and increased steadily in violence, announcing, with dreadful and mournful sounds, the approach of a violent storm. Mary Anderson drew still closer to her husband, and, in a faltering voice, said : 2O A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. "O Henry! I had such a terrible dream last night, a dream I thought I would never tell you. But now I feel impelled to speak. I thought I saw a com pany of soldiers marching along a street in some strange city. They were in single file, and each had a gun on his right shoulder. They marched along very solemnly as if they had been detailed to do some terrible deed, and not a word was spoken by any one not even a word of command. They entered a large house near by through one door and then came out at another door, and drew up in a line in front of the house, and presented their guns and took aim as if they were going to fire." Here a sudden clap of thunder, louder than any that had been heard before, interrupted the recital, and Mrs. Anderson, who was not at all nervous or excit able under ordinary circumstances, trembled violently and clung to her husband's hand. By the glare of the lightning Mr. Anderson had seen his wife's white, agonized face, and now he put his arm around her and drew her closer to his side, and bade her not to be alarmed, for he would ever love her and protect her from all harm. But it was not the lightning's flash or the thunder's roll which had blanched her cheek it was the terrible dream she was trying to relate, and for the relation of which nature was now furnishing so dreadful an accompaniment. After a few moments of silence she recovered her self-possession sufficiently to go on. "And then, O Henry! just as they were ready to fire I saw, for the first time, a man in front of them sitting on a coffin. Such agony as convulsed his face I never saw before. His hands were clasped together with the rigidity of death, and he swayed to and fro in his dreadful despair. Then there came smoke and a crash, and he fell over dead. And then I awoke. O my husband!" she exclaimed, trembling more violently than ever, " that man \va.syou!" As she ceased speak ing she buried her face in her husband's lap. THE ANDERSON FAMILY. 21 Mr. Anderson tried to laugh carelessly, but his laugh was forced and hollow. To be represented as the central character of such a tragedy was not calcu lated to make for the strongest of men a light heart on such a night as this. But he smoothed the hair back from his wife's temples, and said that he would be happy with her anywhere, and that none but superstitious old women believed in dreams. He affected indifference, and remarked that he was in no danger of being shot for desertion, not being a military man, and that crimi nals were executed in this country with a rope, and not with powder and lead. Mrs. Anderson was not superstitious. And yet and yet she knew she would feel better could she banish the recollection of that dream. This much she knew she and her husband had lived together in happiness for more than twenty years. Their thoughts had run in the same channel. Their lives had been as one life. They had known no sorrow. The shadow of the death-angel had not fallen on their threshold. But was not this of itself occasion for alarm ? To every man and woman a certain portion of sorrow is allotted in this life, and oftentimes the longer the allotment is deferred, the more fatally and surely does it come at last. Sometimes after years of sunshine the heavens darken never to brighten again. Thus, she thought, her freedom from sorrow during ail her wedded life, instead of being an omen of continued happiness, might be significant of the near approach of some dreadful evil. Still she did not believe in the super natural in dreams. She tried to calm her fears with the assurance that revelations of future good or ill were no longer made in that way. But now she kept asking herself, ' ' Would it not be better to remain at the old home? Was there not danger in breaking up the old life and making so radical a change? " But surely her husband would never be shot by soldiers, as she had dreamed he was. Might her dream mean some evil to James or to Katie ? 22 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. In less than an hour afterwards the storm had passed away, and the stars were looking solemnly at Henry Anderson's residence, where that gentleman and his children were sleeping in peace. But Mary Anderson's heart was heavy. She heard the clock strike twelve and one and two ; and then she also fell asleep, wondering with her last conscious thought what the coming years would bring forth. CHAPTER II. THE MAINE PROHIBITIONIST. On the following Tuesday Wellington was in a state of active fermentation. It was the occasion of the annual city election. On this day was to be decided the important question whether or not saloons should be opened in the city during the ensuing year. Meet ings had been held by both the anti-license and citizens' factions, and the subject had been thoroughly discussed from the platform and on the streets. It was manifest that the advocates of license were preparing for a des perate struggle, and would not scruple to use any plan or means which might promise to contribute, however slightly, to their success. The very name given to their movement was indicative of the plan of their campaign. They disclaimed the name license, and called their ticket the citizens' ticket. On what theory they could lay exclusive claim to the name citizen it is hard to imagine, for Colonel Mansfield, Jacob Haynes, and scores of others were undoubtedly citizens, though not adherents of the so-called citizens' movement. It may be fairly inferred, therefore, that the name of citi zen was adopted for the same reason that a certain long-eared animal is supposed to have donned a lion's skin on a certain occasion. Perhaps the use of the word citizen would induce some of the weak-kneed or feeble-minded to think that theirs was not, after all, a license ticket, but simply some sort of a philanthropic and public-spirited enterprise. Wearing such a cloak, it might be easier for the leaders to deceive some of the unwary. At any rate, certain high-minded gentlemen, who were really for license, but preferred to have it called by some other name, would not hesitate to support the side of their choice when labeled citizens' ticket, when they might 24 'A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. balk at the bold and unambiguous expression, license ticket. At the head of this ticket stood the name of Fritz Trinkenviellager, generally called Herr Trinkenviella- ger. His body was shaped like a keg, and his legs were short and thick. He had been nominated for mayor, not because he was especially skilled in parlia mentary law, or in the management of municipal affairs, but because there were many German voters in Welling ton, and their votes were wanted, and especially because he was strictly " orthodox " on the subject of " lipperty," deeming any attempt at making and keeping men sober as a tyrannical infringement upon their inalienable right to get drunk if they pleased. Associated with Herr Trinkenviellager on the citizens' ticket were certain other champions of the rights of man, among whom we may mention Timmy Decanter, Jeremiah Flask, Patrick O'Toole, and Jerry Tipler. It is unnecessary to state that each of these citizens was sound on the license question. The anti-license party nominated a ticket composed of fair-minded, upright men, who were radically op posed to saloons. At the head of this ticket appeared the name of Colonel Mansfield, a representative man of Wellington, well versed in parliamentary law, and thoroughly acquainted with municipal affairs, and against whom no word of reproach or evil could justly be spoken. He had served as alderman for a number of years, and was better qualified, all things considered, for the office of Mayor than any other man in the city. But the Colonel was inactive and inefficient as a political leader, as will presently appear. Before the hour for opening the polls had arrived, Herr Trinkenviellager and Timmy Decanter came upon the scene of action from opposite directions. "Goot mornings, frent Decanter," said Herr Trink enviellager. "The top uv the morning to yez, " said Timmy. Thereupon these two would-be dignitaries shook hands with great enthusiasm and cordiality. Suddenly THfi MAINE PROHIBITIONIST. 25 Timmy's eye contracted with a peculiarly knowing wink. He turned and walked to the coal-house near by, with his German friend following close upon his heels. They entered this building, and after a few min utes emerged therefrom, smacking their lips, and ex haling an "election day" perfume from their throats. It was evident that they were preparing themselves for a day of arduous labor. Presently, others joined them. By the time the polls were opened every candidate on the citizens' ticket was on the ground, equipped for an active cam paign ; every embryonic saloon-keeper was -there, and a great many of the red-nosed, red-eyed portion of the community were there likewise, all greatly interested in the business of the day. But Colonel Mansfield was not there. In fact, only one candidate on the anti-license ticket was present, and that lonesome individual was Jacob Haynes. Three or four other anti-license voters, not candidates, were standing about the hall of the court-house, looking frightened and discouraged. Some of the ministers of the Gospel, who preached against license on the pre ceding Sunday, were at the polls only long enough to vote. One of them was unwell, another thought it unbecoming in a minister to participate in worldly affairs, and another was busily engaged in preparing a sermon from the text, " I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work." Meanwhile the adherents of the citizens' movement marshaled their forces with great dispatch and order ; and in a short time every one of them was at work in his own peculiar way, seeking to promote the success of the cause he had espoused. Timmy Decanter and Jeremiah Flask made frequent excursions to the afore said coal-house, and each time were followed by one or more of their associates. The object of these repeated visits to the coal-house could hardly have been the in spection of coal. It was noticed that after each of 26 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. these mysterious trips one of the rear guards was es corted to the ballot-box and assisted in casting a ballot in the interest of the great cause of " lipperty. " In one instance, however, the voting was deferred for a few minutes. The delay was occasioned by the very singular behavior of Jocky Tremblelegs, a young man whose interior had evidently not become seasoned as yet. Contrary to the established precedents, he did not follow Timmy Decanter from the coal-house to the polls, but ran forth from the building, leaving Decanter to follow with becoming dignity, and hastened to the well at one side of the court-house yard, where he quaffed a large draught of that insipid liquid called water. O'Toole winked at Flask, and clapped his hand over the region of his stomach, while other red-nosed individuals, who had been initiated into the secret work of the coal-house, laughe d outright, greatly to the con fusion and discomfiture of young Tremblelegs. Some of the faithful now became apprehensive that this lat ter gentleman might escape. But their apprehensions were soon quieted, for he was duly lassoed, and led up to the ballot-box by his friend Decanter, there to exer cise the right of every free-born American to vote as he pleased. Now, Herr Trinkenviellager was a tobacconist. He had about thirty or forty men in his employ. He had striven to hire none but men of broad, liberal and en lightened views, who were strenuously opposed to any effort at the abridgment of mankind's inalienable rights. But in selecting thirty or forty employes, it was to be expected he would make a few mistakes. And so he had. Three of his employes were men of narrow, illiberal and contracted intellects. Herr Trinkenviellager had taken it for granted that all Ger mans were like himself, and had employed them. This was a mistake. It transpired that these three were not " frents mit lipperty." At the hour of ten o'clock on election day, Herr Trinkenviellager appeared in his factory, and announced THE MAINE PROHIBITIONIST. 2? to his employes that he expected them to go to the polls and vote the citizens' ticket. He said he would not keep men in his employ who were so illiberal as to vote against license, and if such were in his factory he wanted them to speak, and they would be discharged immediately. He would expect them to come to the polls by twos and threes, and get their tickets from him. One of the three men above mentioned left the place where he was working, and notified Trinkenviellager that he would leave the factory forever ; that he pro posed to be a man and vote as he pleased ; that he never had sold his liberty for a position, and he never would. Trinkenviellager swore in the most approved fashion at the perfidy of the man whom he had taken into his bosom and nursed there. But the man was firm, received the balance due him, and left the factory. The other two men, having families dependent on them for support, hesitated, and then concluded to vote as they were required to do lest they should lose their posi tions. It may be well to remark in this connection that several of the employes, who had been hired a few weeks before the election, in time for them to be qual ified to vote, and who thought they had secured per manent employment, were discharged a few days after the election. Among these were the two who had sup pressed their convictions for the sake of employment. It was soon ascertained by the managers of the citizens' movement that Johnny Dale, one of their supporters, was not in Wellington. A few days before, he had found employment temporarily at Holyterror, and would not be present at the election. Immediately a team and buggy were hired, and a courier was dispatched to bring this recreant gentleman back to the post of duty. The result was that before the polls were closed Johnny Dale arrived in Wellington, and cast his ballot for Trinkenviellager and the license aldermen. Herr Trinkenviellager and some others undertook to convince a capitalist that it was his duty, as a public benefactor, in the interests of business and for the 28 A SUBTLE ADVERSARY. diminution of taxes, to vote the citizens' ticket. And so this great-hearted man, moved by these appeals in behalf of the poor, sacrificed his own personal feelings and voted the citizens' ticket without a scratch, saying that the boys would get their little drinks any way, and it would be better to make the business contribute to the treasury of the municipality, and thus help to lighten the taxes of the poor. (Some malicious by stander here remarked that the poor had nothing to pay taxes on, whereupon the capitalist turned away with a sigh, while " ingratitude, more strong than trai tor's arms, quite vanquished him.") The activity and earnestness of Trinkenviellager and his friends were certainly commendable. They had espoused their cause, not with empty professions, but with all their heart, mind and strength. They had adopted condemnable, yes, criminal measures. From such instrumentalities the friends of temperance could not but abstain. But these might have learned valua ble lessons from their opponents in the line of earnest ness and determination in their \vork. In the meantime, where were the anti-saloon advo cates? A few of them spent the day at the polls, using their utmost endeavors to advance the interests of their cause. But during the forenoon only a few such were at work. Others came and voted, and then returned to their respective places of business. Some, when sent for, answered that they were busy, but would try to vote some time during the day. And so they did ; many of them during the last hour. But the temper ance cause lost the moral effect which a large vote early in the day, and the manifestation of a deep interest, would have afforded. There was Deacon Whinemuch, who was considered among the godly as being "mighty in prayer," who never failed at any possible opportunity to send up a "powerful petition" against the saloon, and who had really intended to be at the polls all day, and to use all his influence against the Titanic monster. But the THE MAINE PROHIBITIONIST. 2Q Deacon was forced by the exigencies of the season to plant potatoes all day. He found some consolation in the fact that his three sons were able to take his place at the polls, and render the valuable services he had been accustomed to render. Afterwards, some envious individual went so far as to say that he saw one of the Deacon's sons follow Tipler into the coal-house, and then come out and follow that candidate to the ballot- box. Another observed that he had heard rumors to the effect that the Deacon had aspirations for the office of coroner, and that it was his political ambition, in stead of potatoes, which had kept him at home on election day. And so it was that this devout and pious man, who had been forced to plant potatoes on election day, was unjustly maligned by his neighbors. Jonathan Sadderface, superintendent of one of the Sunday-schools, who professed to have lived an abso lutely pure and sinless life, bewailed the degeneracy of the times and refused to participate in Csesar's affairs. The polls were " theaters of corruption," he said ; they were sources of unavoidable contamination. Some of the candidates on the anti-license ticket did not belong to his church. He had but little choice between mem bers of other churches and men of the world ; and all men of the world were as bad as saloon-keepers. No body could be saved unless he happened to espy the little, contracted Sadderface door into the kingdom. So he remained at home, and passed the day in an at mosphere of holiness, save when he remembered Paul's injunction to Timothy, and retired to the cellar for his stomach's sake and his oft infirmities. Thus it came to pass that at ten o'clock in the fore noon of this beautiful day the citizens' ticket had re ceived twice as many votes as the anti-license ticket, and the outlook for the Colonel's election was exceed ingly gloomy. License men were jubilant. Their op ponents were discouraged, and now almost wholly dis organized. The sad intelligence of the probable triumph of the license ticket was carried to the basement of one 3