XXXI
Gulling a Bluenose.
"I allot," said Mr. Slick, "that the Bluenoses are the most gullible
folks on the face of the airth--rigular soft horns, that's a fact.
Politics and such stuff set 'em a-gapin', like children in a chimbley
corner listenin' to tales of ghosts, Salem witches, and Nova Scotia
snowstorms; and while they stand starin' and yawpin' all eyes and
mouth, they get their pockets picked of every cent that's in 'em.
One candidate chap says 'Feller citizens, this country is goin' to
the dogs hand over hand; look at your rivers, you have no bridges;
at your wild lands, you have no roads; at your treasury, you hain't
got a cent in it; at your markets, things don't fetch nothin'; at
your fish, the Yankees ketch 'em all. There's nothin' behind you but
sufferin', around you but poverty, afore you but slavery and death.
What's the cause of this unheerd of awful state of things, ay, what's
the cause? Why judges, and banks, and lawyers, and great folks, have
swallered all the money. They've got you down, and they'll keep you
down to all etarnity, you and your posteriors arter you. Rise up like
men, arouse yourselves like freemen, and elect me to the legislatur',
and I'll lead on the small but patriotic band, I'll put the big wigs
through their facins, I'll make 'em shake in their shoes, I'll knock
off your chains and make you free.
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