登陆注册
4811200000013

第13章 AN ASPIRANT FOR CONGRESS

A few years ago, the "Hon." John Whimpery Brass, of Georgia, one of the "thoughtful patriots" of the period, who now and then found time to lay aside the cares of statecraft to nurse little private jobs of his own, allured by the seductive offers of "Wogan & Co." of New York City, wrote to that somewhat mythical concern proposing to become their agent for the circulation of the "queer." Even after receiving the first installment of their wares, the honorable gentleman did not comprehend that the firm dealt exclusively in sawdust, not in currency. He wrote again, complaining that, after a journey of sixty miles over a rough road to the nearest reliable express office, he found nothing but a worthless package, marked "C. O. D.," awaiting him. Did Wogan & Co. distrust either his parts or fidelity? He ventured to assert that no man in the State could serve them so effectually. He had just run for Congress, and though beaten at the polls by "fraud," intended to contest the seat with the chances of success in his favor. The mountaineers among whom he lived did not care whether the money in their pockets was good or bad so long as it circulated. He could put thousands of counterfeits afloat without the slightest fear of detection. His constituency believed in him and would stand by him. Currency was very scarce in that congressional district, and it would really be doing his people a great favor to give them more. After setting forth the mutual benefits to accrue from trusting him, he appealed to Wogan & Co. with the vehemence and energy of the sewing- machine man, or life-insurance agent, to send on the goods without further delay. They should never regret dealing with him, his character and standing being a sufficient guaranty that he could not play false. He was acting in good faith, and expected like treatment in return.

Unfortunately for the political aspirations of "Hon." John Whimpery Brass, the authorities not long after made a descent upon the den of Wogan& Co., finding a great many letters from credulous fools, and a largesupply of sawdust--their only stock in trade. The missives of the prospective congressman were published, thus gaining much more extensive currency than he proposed to give to the imitation greenbacks. It was supposed that the noisy fellow would slink away to some cave in his native mountains, and never show his brazen face among honest people again. But the impudence of "Hon." John Whimpery Brass rose to the level of the emergency. Instead of hiding or hanging himself, he published a card representing that he embarked in the scheme for the purpose of entrapping Wogan & Co. and bringing them to justice.

Pathetic was the spectacle, showing the confidence of an ingenuous soul in its own prowess, of the volunteer detective, digging parallels on the southern spurs of the Blue Ridge for the capture of the wily swindler a thousand miles away! Armed with a kernel of corn, the doughty gosling sets forth to catch the wicked fox that is preying on the flock! If the bold mountaineers, the constituency of "Hon." John Whimpery Brass, cannot commend the discretion displayed by the projector of the enterprise, they must certainly admire his pluck. In face of the odds, few goslings would volunteer.

Perhaps the card might have been accepted by the more trustful class of adherents as a satisfactory explanation of the letters, had not the aspiring statesman in course of time fallen under the ban of the law for defrauding widows of their pensions, the campaign against Wogan & Co. having so completely exhausted the virtue of the amateur who planned it as to leave no residue to fructify in subsequent operations.

同类推荐
  • 瓶粟斋诗话四编

    瓶粟斋诗话四编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • TOM SAWYER DETECTIVE

    TOM SAWYER DETECTIVE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 汉武故事

    汉武故事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 养羊法

    养羊法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鹖冠子

    鹖冠子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 星星峡传奇

    星星峡传奇

    无为,原名赵亮。甘肃平凉人,定居广西北海。出版有中短篇小说集《周家情事》。广西作家协会会员!
  • 神武星尊

    神武星尊

    天若亡我,我必逆天;地若灭我,我必毁地!林凡遭小人暗算,天才陨落,品世态炎凉;却遇绝世恶魔,废柴崛起,修无上神武!
  • 调皮王妃闹王府

    调皮王妃闹王府

    步雅佳,现代米虫,一朝穿越成丞相之女叶琴歌。什么?叶琴歌年轻貌美,居然是被未婚夫三王爷南宫射和妹妹联手坠崖的?好你个南宫射,嫌叶琴歌太过文静是吧,且看她重生之后,东山再起,卷土重来滔滔之势三王爷如何抵挡!一番没有烟火的回合之后,孔雀南宫射,动心了吧,嘿嘿,小样,姐姐的选择不只有你,为毛要嫁你?等等,三王府小三各式各样,呼之即来,任其玩闹?这条件不错,考虑考虑,找小三玩可是她人生的一大乐趣。
  • 丑颜倾天下:悍妃驾到

    丑颜倾天下:悍妃驾到

    她是美艳动人的金牌讨债师,一不小心穿越成了天南皇朝最出名的鬼面女,鬼面女偏偏被俊美无双的七皇子当做解毒祭祀品给吃干抹净,誓要为七王妃。大婚前夜被绑架,大婚之日狼狈不堪入王府,独守空房心不甘,没事就去看看新郎和小三表演活春宫。鬼面女要立威勇斗小三,目的无他,那个俊美的男人就只能是她的!你要夺嫡我助你,为你吃苦我心甘,你成君王想劈开我,那是万万不行,且看丑颜悍妃如何倾天下!
  • 高能预警:冷爷好撩人

    高能预警:冷爷好撩人

    【已完结,欢迎支持新文《萌妻突袭:大神请注意》】【我爱过一个人,数个春暖秋冷;也守过一个人,在她方圆几里。】方秋冷恼羞成怒:“韭菜、羊腰子、牛鞭汤……你给我拿去喂狗。”赵小弟:“是,不过这些在那方面还挺补的,而且暄姐难得亲自下厨……”方秋冷:“……等等。”一小时后,袁春暄:“喂狗了?呵,他什么时候养了狗?”赵小弟面无表情:“刚养的。”而且,狗名还贼好听,就叫——方、秋、冷。……是夜,方秋冷:“为夫深感自己某方面技术不好,老婆,当个陪练?”她一脚踹他下床,“滚。”
  • 中国名人传记速读大全集

    中国名人传记速读大全集

    本书精选了近百位中国历史上影响最大、传颂最广的名人,分为先贤圣哲、帝王风骚、治世名臣、传奇名将、科学巨匠、文学泰斗、艺术宗师、民族先驱、巾帼红颜九大类,以最精练的文字讲述了名人的生平事迹、思想见解、丰功伟绩等,同时配以“名人名言”栏目和精美的图片,点面结合,图文并茂,使读者朋友能够在最短的时间内准确地了解名人成长经历和成功历程,更加清楚、细致地了解名人为中华民族的进步和发展所作出的伟大贡献,进而达到了解名人、学习名人,用名人的事迹激励自己,用名人的智慧指导自己。实现成功人生的最终目的。
  • 唯爱:老婆大人太凶狠

    唯爱:老婆大人太凶狠

    她有着绝色容颜,过人家世,却秉持不作就不会死的观念将身边所有疼她爱她的人一一作向别人的怀抱。青梅竹马,宠她入骨的恋人因她一句你什么都不是而转向她亲妹妹的怀抱,大学四年的舍友终于在某一天彻底爆发,从此形同陌路,可是即便如此,她依旧坚决秉承作的性格,将大学爱了三年的男友作的远走他乡,不复相见。原以为一次次的决裂会让她有所领悟,却不曾想她竟将生身父母作的一病不起,而家中企业也在一夜间改名换姓。而她,终于一无所有。
  • 神探王妃:王爷独宠小萌妃

    神探王妃:王爷独宠小萌妃

    [神探大小姐vs腹黑世子爷,宠文,悬疑,1v1]某日,沐依然心血来潮问某人:“都说情人眼里出西施,那在你眼里我其实是不是没有你说的那么糟糕?”某人:“嗯,如果没有那么贪吃,孩子气,矮,时不时的智商不在线的话。”沐依然“......”我忍,眨巴着眼睛看着,“那你猜我眼里出什么啊?”某人认真的盯着沐依然的眼睛看了会儿:“眼屎。”某女累觉不爱......
  • 爱你说不出口

    爱你说不出口

    本文主要是讲的一名转校生,因为某件事而选择转校。在新的学校,新的环境和人,所留下的一些淡淡的回忆,淡淡的忧伤......
  • 大清神鼎

    大清神鼎

    大清咸丰二年,一件由陕西出土的西周古鼎,辗转落入潍坊籍翰林学士陈介祺的手中。擅长于金石文字的陈翰林在研究鼎内铭文时,发现了藏于文字之间的一个大秘密,此时,一封放在家门口的血书,使他意识到自己被人利用,接下来,他被动地卷入一场朝野纷争。可他并不知道,被他命名的毛公鼎,居然开始左右大清国的国运,更大的危险正一步步向他靠近……陈介祺如何摆脱各方势力的纠缠,保住大清国的威严和自家的性命?