The day wore away. At three o'clock a vote was taken in the Senate
and the so-called Downing bill was passed over the veto. Not so, in
the House, for one newspaper, read by nearly all the working men, had
so strongly pointed out the nature of the "grab" proposed by the
bill, that the State House was besieged by its opponents, and the
veto was sustained by a narrow margin.

About five o'clock, Mr. Evans and Senator Downing were dining in a
private room at a hotel. "So, the Governor won't run again," said the
Senator.

"He so informed me yesterday. He may change his mind."

"You're not satisfied with things as they are," remarked the Senator.

"No," replied the lieutenant-governor, "I'm disgusted with the
Williams matter. When I'm governor, I'll request his resignation."

"And when you're governor, we'll put my bill through. Do you know the
Governor's father is one of our heaviest stockholders? We'll have our
way yet."

Within a week the legislature was prorogued. The House had a mock
session, during which partisanship, and private victories and defeats
were forgotten, for the time at least, and the fun was jolly and
hearty.

Ben Ropes, the funny man of the House, but a member of the minority,
convulsed all by announcing his candidacy for the governorship, with
the understanding that no money was to be spent, no speakers engaged,