“First Ward!” the secretary called.
Nolan squared his shoulders, not having looked in his hat or counted the ballots there, and said slowly and impressively:
“On behalf av the solid dillygation av the First Ward, I cast twinty-wan votes for John W. Underwood.”
“Misther Chairman! Misther Chairman!” cried Grogan, waving his hand in the air, “I challenge that vote! I challenge that vote!”
“The gentleman from the Fifth Ward challenges the vote—”
“Misther Chairman,” said Nolan, standing with one heavy foot on his chair and leveling a forefinger at Muldoon, “a point of order! The gintleman from the Fifth Ward has no right to challenge the vote av the First Ward—he’s not a mimber of the dillygation!”
“Let the First Ward be polled,” calmly ruled Muldoon. Nolan took his foot from his chair and stepped to Donahue’s side. Every man in the First Ward delegation, as his name was called from the credentials, cried “Underwood!” As the secretary neared the name of Donahue, Nolan laid his hand heavily on the fellow’s shoulder.
“Donahue!” called the secretary.
The fellow squirmed under Nolan’s hand.
“Donahue!”