es and counties. For
instance, Mr. Silas Tredway of Ripton, made such a pilgrimage and, as a
citizen who had voted in 1860 for Abraham Lincoln (showing Mr. Tredway
himself to have been a radical once), appealed to Mr. Henderson to save
the State.

At first Mr. Henderson would give no ear to these appeals, but shook his
head pessimistically. He was not a politician--so much the better, we
don't want a politician; he was a plain business man exactly what is
needed; a conservative, level-headed business man wholly lacking in those
sensational qualities which are a stench in the nostrils of good
citizens. Mr. Giles Henderson admitted that the time had come when a man
of these qualities was needed--but he was not the man. Mr. Tredway was
the man--so he told Mr. Tredway; Mr. Gates of Brampton was the man--so he
assured Mr. Gates. Mr. Henderson had no desire to meddle in politics; his
life was a happy and a full one. But was it not Mr. Henderson's duty?
Cincinnatus left the plough, and Mr. Henderson should leave the ledger at
the call of his countrymen.

Mr. Giles Henderson was mild-mannered and blue-eyed, with a scanty beard
that was turning white; he was a deacon of the church, a member of the
school board, president of the Kingston National Bank; the main business
of his life had been in coal (which incidentally had had to be
transported over the Northeastern Railroads); and coal rates, for some
reason, were cheaper from Kingston than from many points out of the State
the distances of which were nearer. Mr. Henderson had been able to sell
his coal at a lower price than any other large dealer in the eastern part
of the State. Mr. Henderson was the holder of a large amount of stock in
the Northeastern, inherited from his father. Facts of no special
significance, and not printed in the weekly newspapers. Mr. Henderson
lived in a gloomy Gothic house on High Street, ate three very plain meals
a day, and drank iced water. He had been a good husband and a good
father, and had always voted the Republican ticket. He believed in the
gold standard, a high tariff, and eternal damnation. At last his
resistance was overcome, and he consented to allow his name to be used.

It was used, with a vengeance. Spontaneous praise of Mr. Giles Henderson
bubbled up all over the State, and editors who were for the Honourable
Adam B. Hunt suddenly developed a second choice. No man within the
borders of the commonwealth had so many good qualities as