第 55 节
作者:片片      更新:2024-04-07 21:07      字数:9321
  elected; all voting for him but himself。  It was then moved that his
  election should be ratified by acclamation; which was lost; in
  consequence of his again voting against himself。
  〃MR。 RADWAY moved that the House now take up the remaining candidates;
  and go into an election for breakfast。  This was carried。
  〃On the first ballotthere was a tie; half the members favoring one
  candidate on account of his youth; and half favoring the other on account
  of his superior size。  The President gave the casting vote for the
  latter; Mr。 Messick。  This decision created considerable dissatisfaction
  among the friends of Mr。 Ferguson; the defeated candidate; and there was
  some talk of demanding a new ballot; but in the midst of it a motion to
  adjourn was carried; and the meeting broke up at once。
  〃The preparations for supper diverted the attention of the Ferguson
  faction from the discussion of their grievance for a long time; and then;
  when they would have taken it up again; the happy announcement that Mr。
  Harris was ready drove all thought of it to the winds。
  〃We improvised tables by propping up the backs of car…seats; and sat down
  with hearts full of gratitude to the finest supper that had blessed our
  vision for seven torturing days。  How changed we were from what we had
  been a few short hours before!  Hopeless; sad…eyed misery; hunger;
  feverish anxiety; desperation; then; thankfulness; serenity; joy too deep
  for utterance now。  That I know was the cheeriest hour of my eventful
  life。  The winds howled; and blew the snow wildly about our prison house;
  but they were powerless to distress us any more。  I liked Harris。  He
  might have been better done; perhaps; but I am free to say that no man
  ever agreed with me better than Harris; or afforded me so large a degree
  of satisfaction。  Messick was very well; though rather high…flavored;
  but for genuine nutritiousness and delicacy of fiber; give me Harris。
  Messick had his good pointsI will not attempt to deny it; nor do I wish
  to do it but he was no more fitted for breakfast than a mummy would be;
  sirnot a bit。  Lean?why; bless me!and tough?  Ah; he was very
  tough!  You could not imagine ityou could never imagine anything like
  it。〃
  〃Do you mean to tell me that〃
  〃Do not interrupt me; please。  After breakfast we elected a man by the
  name of Walker; from Detroit; for supper。  He was very good。  I wrote his
  wife so afterward。  He was worthy of all praise。  I shall always remember
  Walker。  He was a little rare; but very good。  And then the next morning
  we had Morgan of Alabama for breakfast。 He was one of the finest men I
  ever sat down to handsome; educated; refined; spoke several languages
  fluently a perfect gentleman he was a perfect gentleman; and singularly
  juicy。  For supper we had that Oregon patriarch; and he was a fraud;
  there is no question about itold; scraggy; tough; nobody can picture
  the reality。  I finally said; gentlemen; you can do as you like; but I
  will wait for another election。  And Grimes of Illinois said; 'Gentlemen;
  I will wait also。  When you elect a man that has something to recommend
  him; I shall be glad to join you again。'  It soon became evident that
  there was general dissatisfaction with Davis of Oregon; and so; to
  preserve the good will that had prevailed so pleasantly since we had had
  Harris; an election was called; and the result of it was that Baker of
  Georgia was chosen。  He was splendid!  Well; wellafter that we had
  Doolittle; and Hawkins; and McElroy (there was some complaint about
  McElroy; because he was uncommonly short and thin); and Penrod; and two
  Smiths; and Bailey (Bailey had a wooden leg; which was clear loss; but he
  was otherwise good); and an Indian boy; and an organ…grinder; and a
  gentleman by the name of Buckminstera poor stick of a vagabond that
  wasn't any good for company and no account for breakfast。  We were glad
  we got him elected before relief came。〃
  〃And so the blessed relief did come at last?〃
  〃Yes; it came one bright; sunny morning; just after election。  John
  Murphy was the choice; and there never was a better; I am willing to
  testify; but John Murphy came home with us; in the train that came to
  succor us; and lived to marry the widow Harris〃
  〃Relict of〃
  〃Relict of our first choice。  He married her; and is happy and respected
  and prosperous yet。  Ah; it was like a novel; sirit was like a romance。
  This is my stopping…place; sir; I must bid you goodby。  Any time that you
  can make it convenient to tarry a day or two with me; I shall be glad to
  have you。  I like you; sir; I have conceived an affection for you。
  I could like you as well as I liked Harris himself; sir。  Good day; sir;
  and a pleasant journey。〃
  He was gone。  I never felt so stunned; so distressed; so bewildered in my
  life。  But in my soul I was glad he was gone。  With all his gentleness of
  manner and his soft voice; I shuddered whenever he turned his hungry eye
  upon me; and when I heard that I had achieved his perilous affection; and
  that I stood almost with the late Harris in his esteem; my heart fairly
  stood still!
  I was bewildered beyond description。  I did not doubt his word; I could
  not question a single item in a statement so stamped with the earnestness
  of truth as his; but its dreadful details overpowered me; and threw my
  thoughts into hopeless confusion。  I saw the conductor looking at me。
  I said; 〃Who is that man?〃
  〃He was a member of Congress once; and a good one。  But he got caught in
  a snow…drift in the cars; and like to have been starved to death。  He got
  so frost…bitten and frozen up generally; and used up for want of
  something to eat; that he was sick and out of his head two or three
  months afterward。  He is all right now; only he is a monomaniac; and when
  he gets on that old subject he never stops till he has eat up that whole
  car…load of people he talks about。  He would have finished the crowd by
  this time; only he had to get out here。  He has got their names as pat as
  A B C。  When he gets them all eat up but himself; he always says: 'Then
  the hour for the usual election for breakfast having arrived; and there
  being no opposition; I was duly elected; after which; there being no
  objections offered; I resigned。  Thus I am here。'〃
  I felt inexpressibly relieved to know that I had only been listening to
  the harmless vagaries of a madman instead of the genuine experiences of a
  bloodthirsty cannibal。
  THE KILLING OF JULIUS CAESAR 〃LOCALIZED〃 'Written about 1865。'
  Being the only true and reliable account ever published; taken from the
  Roman 〃Daily Evening Fasces;〃 of the date of that tremendous occurrence。
  Nothing in the world affords a newspaper reporter so much satisfaction as
  gathering up the details of a bloody and mysterious murder and writing
  them up with aggravating circumstantiality。  He takes a living delight in
  this labor of lovefor such it is to him; especially if he knows that
  all the other papers have gone to press; and his will be the only one
  that will contain the dreadful intelligence。  A feeling of regret has
  often come over me that I was not reporting in Rome when Caesar was
  killedreporting on an evening paper; and the only one in the city; and
  getting at least twelve hours ahead of the morning…paper boys with this
  most magnificent 〃item〃 that ever fell to the lot of the craft。  Other
  events have happened as startling as this; but none that possessed so
  peculiarly all the characteristics of the favorite 〃item〃 of the present
  day; magnified into grandeur and sublimity by the high rank; fame; and
  social and political standing of the actors in it。
  However; as I was not permitted to report Caesar's assassination in the
  regular way; it has at least afforded me rare satisfaction to translate
  the following able account of it from the original Latin of the Roman
  Daily Evening Fasces of that datesecond edition:
  Our usually quiet city of Rome was thrown into a state of wild excitement
  yesterday by the occurrence of one of those bloody affrays which sicken
  the heart and fill the soul with fear; while they inspire all thinking
  men with forebodings for the future of a city where human life is held so
  cheaply and the gravest laws are so openly set at defiance。  As the
  result of that affray; it is our painful duty; as public journalists; to
  record the death of one of our most esteemed citizensa man whose name
  is known wherever this paper circulates; and where fame it has been our
  pleasure and our privilege to extend; and also to protect from the tongue
  of slander and falsehood; to the best of our poor ability。  We refer to
  Mr。 J。 Caesar; the Emperor…elect。
  The facts of the case; as nearly as our reporter could determine them
  from the conflicting statements of eye…witnesses; were about as follows:…
  The affair was an election row; of course。  Nine…tenths of the ghastly
  butcheries that disgrace the city nowadays grow out of the bickerings and
  jealousies and animosities engendered by these accursed elections。  Rome
  would be the gainer by it if her very constables were elected to serve a
  century; for in our experience we have never even been able to choose a
  dog…pelter without celebrating the event with a dozen