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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

"It--it

wouldn't interest you a bit."

"Why not?" asked Louise, softly.

"Because it doesn't interest me," he replied.

"Are you so sure of election?" inquired Beth.

"I'm sure of defeat, if you must know," he declared, scowling at the

recollection of his predicament.

"You haven't been cowardly enough to give up?" asked Patricia, boldly.

"What do you mean by that, Patsy Doyle?" he asked, the scowl deepening.

"Just what I say, Ken. A brave man doesn't know when he's beaten, much

less beforehand."

He looked at her fixedly.

"I'm not brave, my dear," he replied, more gently than they had

expected. "The people here don't understand me, nor I them. I'm laughed

at and reviled, a subject for contemptuous jeers, and--and it hurts me.

I don't like to be beaten. I'd fight to the last gasp, if I had any show

to win. But these conditions, which I foolishly but honestly brought

about myself, have defeated me so far in advance that I have absolutely

no hope to redeem myself. That's all. Don't speak of it again, girls.

Play me that nocturne that I like, Beth."

"We've got to speak of this, Kenneth, and speak of it often. For we

girls have come down here to electioneer, and for no other reason on

earth," declared Patsy.

"_What! You_ electioneer?"--a slight smile curled his lips.

"Exactly. We're here to brace up and get to work."

"And to win," added Beth, quietly.

"And to put you in the Legislature where you belong," declared Louise.

Kenneth turned to Mr. Merrick.

"Talk to them, Uncle John," he begged.

"I have," said the little man, smiling, "and they've convinced me that

they mean business. It's all up with you, my boy, as a private citizen.

You're as good as elected."

Ken's eyes filled.

"You're all very kind, sir," he said, "as you were bound to be. And--and

I appreciate it all--very much. But Mr. Watson will tell you that the

case is hopeless, and there's nothing to be done."

"How about it, Watson?" inquired Uncle John, turning to the lawyer.

"I'll explain the proposition, sir, so you will all understand it," he

replied, and drew his chair into the circle.

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