1847.] Mcholas Bradford. 145 



" We are beginning to get ready for election in our part of the 

 town," said Mr. Roy, seating himself with great deliberation, 

 and with somewhat of dignity as he supposed. "We mean to 

 put it through right there. We feel as though we must have 

 more farmers in the legislature. These lawyers are a ruining the 

 country, and that is the whole of it," 



Mr. Bradford was not disposed to dispute so reasonable and 

 agreeable a proposition, and was quite thankful to be permitted 

 to hope that that was the whole of it. But he was mistaken. 

 The most important part of it was to come. Listen. 



" Mr. Bradford, I am in rather a strait just now for a couple of 

 bushels of corn. Mr. Wiles (the expected opposing candidate 

 for the legislature,) has corn to sell, but he is not the one for a 

 poor man to deal with, so I come to you as the poor man's friend. 

 I will certainly pay you before election, if I don't in a week or 

 two." 



" Well, I suppose you must have it," said the man of the peo- 

 ple. He rose and went to the corn house, and went through the 

 very unnecessary formality of measuring the grain. It was car- 

 ried away by the sovereign, and in due time consumed. Mr. 

 Bradford knew that the only pay he could possibly expect was 

 the vote of the said sovereign, which might be had, provided the 

 opposing candidate did not furnish too copious a supply of strong 

 drink. This was one specimen of the business transactions of the 

 people's candidate for legislative honors. 



Now take an example somewhat ditferent. 



" How do you do Mr. Bradford," said a rather smart semi-gen- 

 tlemanly looking man. There was considerable importance in his 

 bearing, and quite an odor of politics about him. He had once 

 been deputy sheriff, and hence claimed a right to be on terms of 

 equality with all office seekers and office holders. After some 

 introductory remarks, which had no relation to the subject, he re- 

 marked. " They say Mr. Wiles means to run for the legislature 

 next fall." Mr. Bradford wished that a seat might be gained by 

 running, since in that case his chance in the contest with Mr. 

 Wiles would be good. Mr. Wiles being a very corpulent, wheesy, 

 rubicund man, besides usually carrying too much weight of bran- 

 dy and water to run with advantage. Mr. Bradford did not give 

 expression to that wish, but contented himself with remarking, 

 "I havn't heard much about it." 



"I don't think he can fetch it. He is not popular enough. 

 He don't take pains to please people. He is not willing to help 

 a neighbor in time of trouble. Finch had a cow taken, and 

 was about to be sold by the execution. He tried to get Wiles 

 to go security for him, but he wouldn't. Finch managed to get 



Vol v.. No. 11. 10 



