Moreover, the Honorable Erastus was dubbed “close-fisted” by his neighbors.  He never spent a penny on anyone but himself, and being unscrupulous in politics he was naturally unscrupulous in smaller things of a business nature.  But since he had risen from a stable-boy to his present affluent position he had never been unwise or careless enough to be caught in any crooked action; and while his acquaintances had an indefinite fear of dealing with him they could not accuse him openly.

It seems strange that such a man should have been chosen to represent a wealthy and important district in the State Legislature, but politics can show many a similar case.  In the first place, Mr. Hopkins was aggressive, and knew political methods thoroughly.  He had usurped the position of Democratic leader in his community and the others were afraid to antagonize him openly.  When he was nominated for Representative he managed to dictate, by shrewd methods, the nomination of Thompson, the store-keeper, on the Republican ticket.  Thompson owed Hopkins a large sum of money and Hopkins held a mortgage on the stock.  Therefore Thompson dared not make a fight, and although the Republican vote was normally the largest in the district, Hopkins had managed to win enough of them to his side to win.

He had been a little anxious about his renomination, because he knew that he had not represented his district very satisfactorily; but when Kenneth Forbes received the nomination on the Republican ticket he felt that “all was over but the shouting” and that he would “win in a walk.”  Had it been an issue between the personality of the two men, Hopkins would have had little chance of success; but young Forbes had already raised another issue by his anti-sign speech at the school-house, and Hopkins intended to force that issue and so defeat Kenneth because of the ridicule the latter’s position had already brought upon him.

He began to circulate humorous stories about Kenneth’s antipathy to sign-boards, saying that the young man demanded that the signs be taken off the Zodiac, and that he wouldn’t buy goods of the village grocer because the man had a sign out.

Mr. Hopkins also printed thousands of large hand-bills reading “The Signs of the Times vs.  Aristocratic Snobbery.  Vote for the Hon. Erastus Hopkins, the man who believes in advertising.”

These things had their effect upon all classes of people.  There were many good-natured laughs at young Forbes’s expense.  All this was soon realized at Elmhurst, and had the effect of plunging the youthful aspirant for political honors into the depths of despair.  The campaign was hot against him, but Kenneth made no defense.

At this juncture, with election but three weeks away, he received a telegram asking him to send the drag and baggage wagon to the noon train.  It was signed by John Merrick, and the boy was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing his jolly old friend again.  And the girls?  Well, some of them surely must be coming, or Uncle John wouldn’t have asked for the drag.