66 THE FOREMOST MAN OF THE TIME -Blaineism
"I do not feel that I shall prove a deadhead

Press, which was sup

Cries of "Hang Jay

Cries of "

building and denounced the Associated posed to be concealing the true returns. Gould!" were a part of this demonstration, suppressed.

which was presently

The suspense was soon over. A careful and closely verified count gave New York to Cleveland by ten hundred and fortyseven votes. Never before had a presidential election been so nearly tied.

Rejoicings throughout the country were very great. Splendid ratifications took place in every city and town in the nation. At Nast's home, Morristown, there was a mighty demonstration, and in front of the artist's house was displayed a big transparency, bearing these words:

THE WORLD SAYS THE INDEPENDENTS DID IT
THE TRIBUNE SAYS THE STALWARTS DID IT

THE SUN SAYS BURCHARD DID IT
BLAINE SAYS SAINT JOHN DID IT

THEODORE ROOSEVELT SAYS IT WAS THE SOFT SOAP DINNER
WE SAY BLAINE'S CHARACTER DID IT
BUT WE DON'T CARE WHAT DID IT

IT'S DONE

A list of many other things might have been appended, the absence of any one of which would have meant the election of Blaine. By no means among the least of these causes might have appeared Gillam's "Tattooed Man" and the cartoons of Thomas Nast. A change of five hundred and twenty-four votes would have altered the result. That the influence of Nast alone swayed many times this number will hardly be denied. So, in a sense, it may be fairly claimed that in his last great campaign in the land of his adoption, the Little Lad of Landau had "made a President."

Yet it had been a costly victory. Friends by the hundred he had lost. Enemies by the thousand he had made. It is true he had made new friends of old enemies, but viewed from a purely practical standpoint, counting the loss and gain, the battle of principles had not paid. Neither Nast nor Curtis ever recov ered from the stress and bitterness of that campaign. Nor did the house they had so ably served. The Harper Brothers had calculated that their stand for good government would cost them fifty thousand dollars, but the cost was many times that sum. Commercially it had been a vast mistake. Morally, the nation will never cease to be better for that battle, and for that victory.

CHAPTER LVIII

AGAIN IN THE LECTURE FIELD

There were to be compensations at the close of this trying and turbulent year, other than those of having done righteously and with a free conscience. A happy Christmas picture, a little maid telephoning to Santa Claus, brought to Harper's a letter of grateful acknowledgment from an unknown friend.

Permit a humble admirer to thank your great artist for his greatest and best work in Harper's Weekly. I refer to the two full-page pictures of the sweet, trustful little girl on the one hand, calling up the great, the good, the mysterious Santa Claus through the telephone. This beautiful vision of my own happy childhood, my love and trust and reverence for dear old Santa Claus, came so forcibly before me in the picture I could not keep back the tears. Yes, tears from a worldly minded and I fear somewhat caustic lawyer came at the memory of childhood's golden days, and the gladdest of them all, Happy Christmas time. I know that his own great heart was full when he pictured the love and benevolence of our glorious old Santa Claus, and he will understand my gratitude. Wishing him many happy Christmas days, I am, Yours truly,

Beaumont, Tex.

H. W. Greer.

In spite of a wide spread condemnation for his political action, there was plenty of congratulation over the victory. Conant wrote:

You have done splendid work this year, saying nothing of all the other years, and may well feel proud of the result. I wish you many returns of the season, with years on years of as good work as your pencil has ever done.

His former protege, Charles M. Fairbanks, sent this word:

Well, you've won, and it's funny to see how the straight Republicans say you've lost your power, while the Democratic papers that have always fought you, begin to see that there is something in your pictures, after all. I must say I am not disappointed in the result, though I didn't expect it, and a new hat that I had hoped to wear at Cleveland's expense, will be worn by a good Democrat this fall at my cost.

Among the pleasant letters is still another, from Nast's old friend and instructor, Alfred Fredericks. It explains itself:

Dear Nast:

New York, Dec. 24, 1884.

I find that I am indebted to you for the commission for the picture," Genius and Invention," and I am awfully glad of the find, for you are in a position to need no return, and I am afraid I shall never be in one where an adequate return will be possible. Therefore I am proud to remain your debtor.

Yours truly,

Alfred Fredericks.

There are many men who forget their old benefactors. Through all the years the pupil's devotion to Fredericks had never waned. The managers of the New Orleans Exposition had asked Nast to select for them a capable artist for this important commission, with the result noted-a financial salvation to Fredericks at this time.

Yet Nast's own financial position was by no means what Fredericks perhaps believed. As we have seen, his entire savings had been swept away, leaving him only his home. Neither was his income what it had been in previous years, while his expense had not much abated. He resolved, therefore, to undertake a second lecture tour, for the purpose of restoring in some measure his fallen fortunes.

Major Pond had continued at intervals to bombard him with offers and appeals. In January, 1879, he had written:

Is it worth while for me to pay you a visit to tell you the astounding fact that we are prepared to offer you a larger sum

for a hundred lectures than any man living? how loudly the public are clamoring for you? matter before you, if you are come-at-able.

Also to tell you I will go lay the

Again in October, 1883, Pond sent a characteristic word:

Have you anything to say why judgment of lecturing should not be passed upon you?

Finally, in the summer of 1884, Major Pond, having dissolved with Hathaway, and established himself in New York, wrote, assuring the cartoonist that he could make another season as great as the first, if he only would return to the platform.

Had Nast yielded and placed himself in Pond's hands at this time, he might have made a greater financial success than he did. His ideas, however, were otherwise. He returned to the old plan, proposed to Mark Twain in 1867, and ten years later proposed by Mark Twain to him, that of making pictures to illustrate another man's address. He arranged with an English impersonator, Walter Pelham, for this part of the entertainment, and under the management of Hathaway, the legitimate successor of his old agent and friend, Redpath, the two were booked for an extended tour. Thomas Nast, Jr., now grown to man's estate, was press agent and general manager in charge.

It was the year that Mark Twain was making a tour with George W. Cable, and the two gave a reading in Morristown, on Thanksgiving Eve, just before the Nast tour began. The cartoonist arranged for them a quiet supper after their entertainment, and they remained over night in the Nast home. Oysters on the shell were served at the little repast, and Mr. Clemens expressed his delight at the quality thereof.

"Won't you have some more?" suggested the host. "Don't care if I do," assented Clemens in his deliberate way. So another serving was brought, and approved of at the finish. "Have another," said Nast.

"Come to think about it, I believe I will," drawled Clemens.