CONTAINING VARIOUS THINGS APPERTAINING TO THIS HISTORY
MARIA MCARTHUR having, by her womanly sympathy, awakened1 the generous impulses of Tom Swiggs, he is resolved they shall have a new channel for their action. Her kindness touched his heart; her solicitude2 for his welfare gained his affections, and a recognition of that love she so long and silently cherished for him, is the natural result. The heart that does not move to woman's kindness, must indeed be hard. But there were other things which strengthened Tom's affections for Maria. The poverty of her aged3 father; the insults offered her by Keepum and Snivel; the manner in which they sought her ruin while harassing4 her father; the artlessness and lone5 condition of the pure-minded girl; and the almost holy affection evinced for the old man on whom she doated-all tended to bring him nearer and nearer to her, until he irresistibly6 found himself at her feet, pledging that faith lovers call eternal. Maria is not of that species of being the world calls beautiful; but there is about her something pure, thoughtful, even noble; and this her lone condition heightens. Love does not always bow before beauty. The singularities of human nature are most strikingly blended in woman. She can overcome physical defects; she can cultivate attractions most ap- preciated by those who study her worth deepest. Have you not seen those whose charms at first-sight found no place in your thoughts, but as you were drawn7 nearer and nearer to them, so also did your esteem8 quicken, and that esteem, almost unconsciously, you found ripening9 into affection, until in turn you were seized with an ardent10 passion? You have. And you have found yourself enamored of the very one against whom you had endeavored most to restrain your generous impulses. Like the fine lines upon a picture with a repulsive12 design, you trace them, and recur13 to them until your admiration14 is carried away captive. So it is with woman's charms. Tom Swiggs, then, the restored man, bows before the simple goodness of the daughter of the old Antiquary.
Mr. Trueman, the shipowner, gave Tom employment, and has proved a friend to him. Tom, in turn, has so far gained his confidence and respect that Mr. Trueman contemplates15 sending him to London, on board one of his ships. Nor has Tom forgotten to repay the old Antiquary, who gave him a shelter when he was homeless; this home is still under the roof of the old man, toward whose comfort he contributes weekly a portion of his earnings16. If you could but look into that little back-parlor, you would see a picture of humble17 cheerfulness presented in the old man, his daughter, and Tom Swiggs, seated round the tea-table. Let us, however, turn and look into one of our gaudy18 saloons, that we may see how different a picture is presented there.
It is the night previous to an election for Mayor. Leaden clouds hang threatening over the city; the gaslight throws out its shadows at an early hour; and loud-talking men throng19 our street-corners and public resorts. Our politicians tell us that the destiny of the rich and the poor is to forever guard that institution which employs all our passions, and absorbs all our energies.
In a curtained box, at the St. Charles, sits Mr. Snivel and George Mullholland-the latter careworn20 and downcast of countenance21. "Let us finish this champaign, my good fellow," says the politician, emptying his glass. "A man-I mean one who wants to get up in the world-must, like me, have two distinct natures. He must have a grave, moral nature-that is necessary to the affairs of State. And he must, to accommodate himself to the world (law and society, I mean), have a terribly loose nature-a perfect quicksand, into which he can drag everything that serves himself. You have seen how I can develop both these, eh?" The downcast man shakes his head, as the politician watches him with a steady gaze. "Take the advice of a friend, now, let the Judge alone-don't threaten again to shoot that girl. Threats are sometimes dragged in as testimony23 against a man (Mr. Snivel taps George admonishingly on the arm); and should anything of a serious nature befall her-the law is curious-why, what you have said might implicate24 you, though you were innocent."
"You," interrupts George, "have shot your man down in the street."
"A very different affair, George. My position in society protects me. I am a member of the Jockey-Club, a candidate for the State Senate--a Justice of the Peace--yes, a politician! You are--Well, I was going to say-nothing! We regard northerners as enemies; socially, they are nothing. Come, George, come with me. I am your best friend. You shall see the power in my hands." The two men saunter out together, pass up a narrow lane leading from King Street, and are soon groping their way up the dark stairway of an old, neglected-looking wooden building, that for several years has remained deserted25 by everything but rats and politicians,--one seeming to gnaw26 away at the bowels27 of the nation, the other at the bowels of the old building. Having ascended28 to the second floor, Mr. Snivel touches a spring, a suspicious little trap opens, and two bright eyes peer out, as a low, whispering voice inquires, "Who's there?" Mr. Snivel has exchanged the countersign29, and with his companion is admitted into a dark vestibule, in which sits a brawny30 guardsman.
"Cribs are necessary, sir-I suppose you never looked into one before?"
George, in a voice discovering timidity, says he never has.
"You must have cribs, and crib-voters; they are necessary to get into high office-indeed, I may say, to keep up with the political spirit of the age." Mr. Snivel is interrupted by the deep, coarse voice of Milman Mingle31, the vote-cribber, whose broad, savage32 face looks out at a small guard trap. "All right," he says, recognizing Mr. Snivel. Another minute, and a door opens into a long, sombre-looking room, redolent of the fumes33 of whiskey and tobacco. "The day is ours. We'll elect our candidate, and then my election is certain; naturalized thirteen rather green ones to-day-to-morrow they will be trump34 cards. Stubbs has attended to the little matter of the ballot-boxes." Mr. Snivel gives the vote-cribber's hand a warm shake, and turns to introduce his friend. The vote-cribber has seen him before. "There are thirteen in," he says, and two more he has in his eye, and will have in to-night, having sent trappers out for them.
Cold meats, bread, cheese, and crackers35, and a bountiful supply of bad whiskey, are spread over a table in the centre of the room; while the pale light of two small lamps, suspended from the ceiling, throws a curious shadow over the repulsive features of thirteen forlorn, ragged22, and half-drunken men, sitting here and there round the room, on wooden benches. You see ignorance and cruelty written in their very countenances36. For nearly three weeks they have not scented37 the air of heaven, but have been held here in a despicable bondage38. Ragged and filthy39, like Falstaff's invincibles, they will be marched to the polls to-morrow, and cast their votes at the bid of the cribber. "A happy lot of fellows," says Mr. Snivel, exultingly40. "I have a passion for this sort of business-am general supervisor41 of all these cribs, you understand. We have several of them. Some of these 'drifts' we kidnap, and some come and be locked up of their own accord-merely for the feed and drink. We use them, and then snuff them out until we want them again." Having turned from George, and complimented the vote-cribber for his skill, he bids him good-night. Together George and the politician wend their way to an obscure part of the city, and having passed up two flight of winding42 stairs, into a large, old-fashioned house on the Neck, are in a sort of barrack-room, fitted up with bunks43 and benches, and filled with a grotesque44 assembly, making night jubilant-eating, drinking, smoking, and singing. "A jolly set of fellows," says Mr. Snivel, with an expression of satisfaction. "This is a decoy crib-the vagabonds all belong to the party of our opponents, but don't know it. We work in this way: we catch them-they are mostly foreigners-lock them up, give them good food and drink, and make them-not the half can speak our language-believe we belong to the same party. They yield, as submissive as curs. To morrow, we-this is in confidence-drug them all, send them into a fast sleep, in which we keep them till the polls are closed, then, not wanting them longer, we kick them out for a set of drunkards. Dangerous sort of cribbing, this. I let you into the secret out of pure friendship." Mr. Snivel pauses. George has at heart something of deeper interest to him than votes and vote-cribbers. But why, he says to himself, does Mr. Snivel evince this anxiety to befriend me? This question is answered by Mr. Snivel inviting45 him to take a look into the Keno den11.
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1
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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2
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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3
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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4
harassing
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| v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人） | |
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5
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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6
irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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7
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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8
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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9
ripening
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的现在分词 )；熟化；熟成 | |
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10
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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11
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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12
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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13
recur
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| vi.复发，重现，再发生 | |
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14
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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15
contemplates
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的第三人称单数 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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16
earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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17
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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18
gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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19
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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careworn
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| adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的 | |
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21
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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22
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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23
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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24
implicate
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| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
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25
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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26
gnaw
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| v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨 | |
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27
bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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28
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
countersign
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| v.副署，会签 | |
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30
brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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31
mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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32
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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33
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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34
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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35
crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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36
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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37
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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38
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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39
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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40
exultingly
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| 兴高采烈地，得意地 | |
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41
supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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42
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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43
bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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44
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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45
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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