It happened, also, that our candidate (I am a Republican,
and so is Mr. Strongitharm) was rather favorably inclined to the
woman's cause. It happened, thirdly--and this is the seemingly
insignificant pivot upon which we whirled into triumph--that he,
Mr. Wrangle, and the opposing candidate, Mr. Tumbrill, had arranged
to hold a joint meeting at Burroak. This meeting took place on a
magnificent day, just after the oats-harvest; and everybody, for
twenty miles around, was there. Mrs. Whiston, together with Sarah
Pincher, Olympia Knapp, and several other prominent advocates of
our cause, met at my house in the morning; and we all agreed that
it was time to strike a blow. The rest of us magnanimously decided
to take no part in the concerted plan, though very eager to do so.
Selina Whiston declared that she must have the field to herself;
and when she said that, we knew she meant it.
It was generally known that she was on the ground. In fact,
she spent most of the time while Messrs. Wrangle and Tumbrill were
speaking, in walking about through the crowds--so after an hour
apiece for the gentlemen, and then fifteen minutes apiece for a
rejoinder, and the Star Spangled Banner from the band, for both
sides, we were not a bit surprised to hear a few cries of
"Whiston!" from the audience.
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