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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

But, to offset this cheering condition, the Democratic agents who made

the canvass reported that there was an air of uncertainty throughout the

district, and that many of those who declared for Hopkins were lukewarm

and faint-hearted, and might easily be induced to change their votes.

This was what must be prevented. The "weak-kneed" contingency must be

strengthened and fortified, and a couple of hundred votes in one way or

another secured from the opposition.

The Democratic Committee figured out a way to do this. Monroe County,

where both Forbes and Hopkins resided, was one of the Democratic

strongholds of the State. The portions of Washington and Jefferson

Counties included in the Eighth District were as strongly Republican,

and being more populous gave to the district its natural Republican

majority. On the same ticket that was to elect a Representative to the

State Legislature was the candidate for Sheriff of Monroe County. A man

named Cummings was the Republican and Seth Reynolds, the liveryman, the

Democratic nominee. Under ordinary conditions Reynolds was sure to be

elected, but the Committee proposed to sacrifice him in order to elect

Hopkins. The Democrats would bargain with the Republicans to vote for

the Republican Sheriff if the Republicans would vote for the Democratic

Representative. This "trading votes," which was often done, was

considered by the politicians quite legitimate. The only thing necessary

was to "fix" Seth Reynolds, and this Hopkins arranged personally. The

office of Sheriff would pay about two thousand a year, and this sum

Hopkins agreed to pay the liveryman and so relieve him of all the

annoyance of earning it.

Reynolds saw the political necessity of this sacrifice, and consented

readily to the arrangement. Mr. Cummings, who was to profit by the deal,

was called to a private consultation and agreed to slaughter Kenneth

Forbes to secure votes for himself. It was thought that this clever

arrangement would easily win the fight for Hopkins.

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