Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1880 — Politics in the Ball-Room. [ARTICLE]

Politics in the Ball-Room.

“Well, say,” said one of our best young men at a North Hill hop the other evening, “ you know ’bout this fellah Hancock ? Well, say, he ain’t same one that’s President of an insurance company, is he ? Writes awfully coarse hand, you know ?” “Naw,” replied the best young man addressed, “he’s man that signed constitution of United States; great politician, I reckon. Had a row with Gen. Washington at battle of Monmouth.” “ Haw, no,” interposed a third best man,” ’tain’t that fellah. Gad, he’s dead, man ; ’pon my soul he is. ” “ Well, say,” exclaimed the first best young man, “ wbenkl he die ?” “ Can’t say, ’m sure,” replied the third best young man, who appeared to be a young man of broad information on general topics, “but I know he’s dead. This Hancock’s a military man ; Colonel in the army, and Governor of some island near New York.” The other best young men gathered around him with a common expression of the liveliest interests Finally one of them asked : “Well, say, what’s he want to run for President for, if he’s Governor of an island ?” “Don’tknow, ’’ said the well-informed best young man, “ but guess he has to. B’lieve after a fellah’s been Governor of an island for ’bout so long as lie has to retire, an’ if he can’t get to be President, he lias to—hasn’t got nothing to do, you know. I don’t know just how it is.”

“Well, say, who’s this preacher follow, Garfield, that’s runnin’ the Democrats for President ?” asked the first best young man, after an intelligent pause. “Don’t know much ’bout him,” said the well-informed young man; “haV been President once, I know. ” “ Talkin’ man or dancin’man?” asked the third best young man. “ Ohio man, I b’lieve they call him,* said the well-informed best young man “ What’s that?” asked tho other best young men in intelligent chorus. “’Pon my soul, I don’t know,” replied the well-informed best young man frankly. “Some kind of a—or, ah—ci —kind of a man—l don’t know ’m sure. ” And just then the band struck up and the three best waltzcrs in tho roon ceased talking politics and abandoned the profound study of statecraft to join the giddy mazes of the dance. Tinglory of the land of freedom and the pride of society is its young menHurdette.