of 'em had long
whiskers. On the whole they carried their liquor pretty well, and they
had plenty. Old Man Wright was in his shirt sleeves--rolled up so that
his freckles would show--and he had two or three cases of red liquor,
and not a cork in the room!

"So far as Sunday closing is concerned," says he, "it ain't Sunday yet."

They taken something with the new alderman and hollered for a speech.

"Men," says he, "we licked 'em like I said we would--only more. I don't
ast any of you to show me how to make any more money, for I've got
enough. We made this fight on the Lake Electric Ordinance. The intention
of the other gang was to hold up all you people that has homes of your
own. Every one of you has to use electric light. It's only right you
ought to pay a fair price, but nothing more. Let me tell you that's all
you're going to pay. I've bought into that company, and me and my bank
crowd can run it. Let me tell you the prices will be right: don't you
worry about that none at all. For once you'll get a square deal here;
or if you don't, then elect some other man the next time."

"Hooray for our new alderman!" says Johnson, jumping up then.

They all jumps up too. They had their glasses in their hands--plenty of
men standing there in our ranch room, rather big men with yellow
whiskers, a good many.

About then Bonnie Bell she comes down the front stairs. She was all
dressed up in silk, in a low-necked dress and a good many jewels on. You
wouldn't hardly of thought it was her pa standing in his shirt sleeves
in the room.

"Gentlemen," says Old Man Wright, "this is my daughter."

What them men did was not to compare them two at all. They just stood in
line and every one of 'em raised his glass like she was a real queen;
and they give her three cheers. Bonnie Bell she drops them a curtsy.

You see, them folks saw that, while we had the price and had the class,
and could play some games, we was just folks. They felt all the time
that they was just folks too. When you can play that game square and on
the level, like Old Man Wright done, they can't beat you in politics.

Them people went away at last--even our little Dutch band, though they
give up hard. The Wisner house was dark, while ours was all lit
up--everything in it, including me, Curly. The papers said that the new
alderman kept open house until a late hour. There was some truth in
that--the door was open all night long.

At breakfast Old Man Wright was h