y description of my personal
virtues and talents, interwoven with sound doctrine. Although he
confided to me that torchlight organizations were moribund factors in
political warfare, he advised me to supply uniforms and torches, and a
promise of abundant cigars, ice-cream, and ginger-beer for the
cementation of a band of youthful warriors eager to call themselves the
"Fourth District Reform Cadets." "There is not more than one voter in
twenty among them," said Nick, "but it will please their fathers, and
do no harm in any event, especially as your wife and I have devised a
costume for them that will drive the Spinney Guards under cover with
jealousy."

The costume in question was a pattern of garish ingenuity: white
bearskin caps with red, white, and blue pompons; bright blue blouses
dashed with white, and white leather belts, and red zouave
knickerbockers. Their torches were encased in fantastic glass lanterns
alternately red, white, and blue. On the occasion of their first
parade, when they drew up before the house to receive their
transparency, adorned on one side with a villainous portrait of myself
superscribed by the motto, "Our Fathers Fought For Freedom, We Are
Fighting For The Right," and on the other a cut depicting the rival
candidate up to his armpits in the bog of Civil Service Reform,
described as "Spinney's Walk-Over" (a happy blending, as Nick called
it, of serious principle and humorous suggestion), I appeared on the
door-steps and delivered a few halting sentences of gratitude and
augury for success, which were received with loud plaudits and the
rattle of the drum corps. Thereupon I invited the battalion to enter
and partake of a little simple hospitality, which they hastened to do
to the number of two hundred, including a dozen ward heelers in
citizens' raiment, and three or four nondescripts whom nobody knew, but
whom Nick said it would be impolitic to offend by exclusion. A hearty
supper was ready for them in the dining-room, presided over by
Josephine and her daughters, whose presence seemed at first to abash my
warriors of the torch. But only for a few moments. Realizing
presently that these Goddesses had apparently but one aim in life, to
wit, to help them to salad, oysters, and ice-cream, diffidence
disappeared like fog before the morning sun, and with it the viands
down the throats of my red, white, and blue supporters. In the liquid
line Josephine gave a choice of hot coffee and cho