One of Chauncey's Latest.
Chauncey M. Depew tells the following story of another of the many interesting characters he encountered last Fall while addressing his fellow citizens on the vital issues of the campaign. It doesn't sound so much like a true story as some that are extant, but it is getting pretty late in the day to doubt his word:
One night, after the meeting was over and while the hall was clearing, a weather-beaten man buttonholed me and said:
"I'm postmaster out here at Shingle Corners. Blaze away and elect your man if you want to."
"You don't care for the office, then?" I said.
"No, that ain't it," he replied. "It don't pay but $14 a year, or mebbe good years, when I boom 'er a little, $15, but it's powerful handy to have in the house. No, my idee is that we can keep it in the fam'ly anyhow."
"How's that?"
"The old woman, you see, she's a rip-snortin' Republican, powerful so, reg'lar uncompromisin'. If Cleveland gets it I stay; if Harrison slides in the old woman comes to the front for her reward. Nobody else wants it, so there we be."
"Well, you're all right then."
"You bet we are. If we get tired of it or too old for it, or anything ever, there's my boy, a red-hot Republican, and my oldest gal, Democrat from 'way back. Oh, we're hustlers in our fam'ly when it comes to politics."
"But suppose the Mugwumps should develop power some day and carry things?" I asked.
"Well," he replied, "we will soon be fixed for that, too. The baby is a Mugwump—I know it 'cause he howls all the time. If you see anybody lookin' for p'ints on keepin' a good thing in the family jess send him out to Shingle Corners."
—Wasp.