The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 72: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

630 Another of the non-partizan gathering offered information at this point: “A friend of mine said that he heard Dick Pierce say that all he regretted about the race was that he would have to run against the hottest-headed citizen in all Oak Forest.”’ ‘Did he say that?” cried Hicks, be- side himself with anger in a moment, and making as though he would spring across the aisle and attack his opponent. “That’s what my friend told me; but politics brings out things like that, you~ know.” “This is a case of something more than politics,” answered Hicks, throwing out his jaw and glaring across the aisle at his neighbor. Both of the candidates returned to Oak Forest earlier than usual that afternoon. It was the day before election, and all the work must be done then, or not at all. Hicks rode around in Spooner’ s motor, and Pierce traveled about in another, each making sure of all the votes he could. “Well, it’s going to be a close pull,” said Spooner that night. ‘“ As near as I can figure, we've got a little majority ; but the majority seems so small that, to tell the truth, I’m worried.” Hicks knew that his manager’s sagacity could be depended on, and he did not sleep a wink that night. According to ancient precedent in Oak Forest, neither of the principal candi- dates must be around the polls on elec- tion day. ‘They always left their fate to their manager, and went about their usual work with a smiling face. So Hicks and Pierce left their houses at about the same time, fifteen minutes before their regular train, in order to go to the polls and cast their votes and then journey on to town as though nothing had happened. Quite a crowd of officials and “ plug- gers ’’ were around the town hall, where the voting. was to take place. They broke away and stood staring as the two principal candidates walked up the street, six feet apart. Few people had learned of the enmity between Pierce and Hicks, so it was a great surprise when the two candidates drew up beside each other at the polls and asked for ballots without so much as a look exchanged between them. THE ARGOSY. “This is the funniest election we ever had, isn’t it?’ remarked one of the Pierce “ pluggers’”’ to Spooner, as they both stood by, watching the antagonists cast their ballots. “Why? What’s funny growled Hicks’s manager. ‘Why, the two of ’em are sore at each other, an’ won’t even speak. I+-’s always about it?” -been the custom at every election where I ever worked for the principals at least to speak to each other.” “Oh, I guess they spoke,” Spooner, trying to cover the quarrel. ‘“An’ I guess they didn’t. I’ve got eyes. I’ll bet they’ll be some dirty work done here to-day; each looks as though they’d do anything less than murder to get the other fellow’s goat.” Before the two candidates had left the polls a great deal of gossip began to cir- culate. Everybody knew of the former friendship of the men, and the fact that they did not speak now aroused all sorts of curiosity. Spooner pulled Hicks aside as he was leaving. ‘““ Speak to Pierce,” he advised. “Why?” asked the other. “Because it’ll look better. You'll lose votes if you don’t. We don’t want peo- ple to think our candidate is a sorehead, that’s what we don’t!” “Let them think what they like. I wouldn’t speak to that scoundrel if I were certain of winning the election by just doing that one thing.” Evidently Pierce’s handlers were hav- ing the same trouble with him, for they stood clustered around their candidate, urging him, in low: voices, to do some- thing. But the two men left the polls without recognizing each other, and took seats at opposite ends of the smoker. ‘There was no work in either of them that day. Both their minds were on the race for office. Hicks sat in his office with the tele- phone-receiver at his ear all afternoon. Spooner was keeping him informed at intervals about the gossip around the polls. Pierce also sat close to his phone, and received information from his backers every few minutes. The polls were scheduled to close at three o’clock. said Gioo CO (©