Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work
She had a nice talk with the
hardware man, and he gave her much useful information about the most
important people in the neighborhood--those it would be desirable to win
for their candidate. When he mentioned Thompson, she said:
"Oh, he's impossible. I've talked with him."
"Thompson is really a good Republican," replied Mr. Andrews, the
hardware man. "But he's under Hopkins's thumb and doesn't dare defy
him."
"Doesn't he like Mr. Hopkins?" asked Patsy, in surprise.
"No; he really hates him. You see, Thompson isn't a very successful
merchant. He has needed money at times, and borrowed it of Hopkins at a
high rate of interest. It's a pretty big sum now, and Hopkins holds a
mortgage on the stock. If he ever forecloses, as he will do some day,
Thompson will be ruined. So he's obliged to shout for Hopkins, whether
he believes in him or not."
"I think I understand him now," said Patsy, smiling. "But he needn't
have been so disagreeable."
"He's a disagreeable man at any time," returned Mr. Andrews.
"Has he any political influence?" asked the girl.
"Yes, considerable. Otherwise he couldn't have secured the nomination
when he pretended to run against Hopkins--for it was only a pretense.
You see, he's a well known Republican, and when he sides for Hopkins
he's bound to carry many Republicans with him."
But there were other important people whom Mr. Andrews thought might be
influenced, and he gave Patsy a list of their names. He seemed much
amused at the earnestness of this girlish champion of the Republican
candidate.
"I do not think we can win," he said, as she left him; "but we ought to
make a good showing for your cousin, and I'll do my very best to help
you."
As she rode home with Uncle John in the afternoon, after a day of really
hard work, Patsy sized up the situation and declared that she was
satisfied that she had made progress. She told Mr. Merrick of the
mortgage held over Thompson by Mr. Hopkins, and the little man made a
mental note of the fact. He also was satisfied with his day's work, and
agreed to ride over to Fairview the next day with her and carry the war
into this, the largest village in Kenneth's district.
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