Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/160

 136 THE GR.\NITE MONTHLY.

In New York, the Governor and his frolicsome spirits went into sumptuous quarters at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, while Mr. Durkee and his companion mod- estly breakfasted at the Astor ; before separating, however, accepting an invita- tion from the official personages to visit with them at a later hour the New England Soldiers' Head-quarters, in charge of Col. Frank E. Howe. While thus inspecting Col. Howe's establishment, Mr. Durkee appeared to be taken sick, and drew off his party to the Astor House, where the sympathizing staff officers promised to call on their way up town, to see their distressed friend, about whom they expressed so much anxiety as to touch Mr. Durkee's heart, and to make him really desirous that they should not relinquish their devotion. At the Astor House, Mr. Durkee, contrary to his usual frugal habits, indulged himself in a large room ; procured a huge yellow envelope ; put within it an old newspaper ; placed it in his side dress coat pocket, and transferred the package of electoral votes to his inside vest pocket. He had hardly time to become so oppressed by his sickness as to throw his coat on a chair and fall into bed, before the impatient official party arrived. They found Mr. Durkee in great pain ; with his face very red and turned to the wall, to conceal his anguish ! Their devotion was excessive ; Dr. Hutchins felt his pulse ; Dr. Dumas insisted that a drop of something stimulating was the proper remedy for the not unnatural qualmishness of an unsophisticated gentleman from the country, unused to night travel ; the chief of staff stroked his forehead, and expressed his tender sympathies for so dear a friend ; while Mr. Gilmore ex- amined the dress coat. He speedily found a pocket carefully closed by four pins, and within, a package addressed to the " President of the Senate," and rushed to the hotel office, took a large yellow envelope, directed it to the Pres- ident of the Senate, putting within an old newspaper, and safely pinned it in- side the coat pocket ; all successfully done just as the kind ministrations of the staff corps had succeeded in relieving Mr. Durkee's pains, and reviving his ac- tivity. After a few congratulations on his speedy recovery, and the expression of hopes that he would have no relapse, the shrewd military heroes and gal- lant band of practical jokers withdrew to the Fifth Avenue Hotel ; the door was closed and locked behind them, and a smile came over the features of the gentleman from Croydon, (like that of Ah Sin, when he counted the spoils he had won from Truthful James and Bill Nye) as he said"' Did those d — n — A greenhorns think they could fool Ruel Durkee?"

Mr. Durkee that night pursued the even tenor of his way to Washington, and delivered the votes to the Hon. Daniel Clark. President //'(^ /em of the Senate. The gubernatorial party were in much trouble over their successful joke. Their fears were aroused of penalties for capturing the electoral vote of a State (Dec- ember, 1876, had not then dawned). During their stay in New York for sev- eral days, they lodged the precious package in a safe ; then, their senses a little bewildered by their arduous movements in the city, they went to Wash- ington without it ; and, in great anxiety, telegraphed and had the yellow envel- ope and old newspaper sent to the Governor at Washington by express, marked " very valuable."

At last the suspicious and pitying smiles of the Hon. Daniel Clark, when he met them, and Mr. Durkee's calmness and imperturbability during his stay in Washington, where he tarried a week or two to learn something of the Capital, and enough of the world to enable him thereafter to hold his own with the jocose Governor and his brilliant staff, aroused their suspicions ; the yellow en- velope as they gazed upon it seemed to lose its importance, and at some one of their many private temperance reform meetings, they swore each other to secrecy, and never to allude to it again, by word, smile, or tear, but to hide in secret places like their many other good and noble deeds that have never seen

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