A couple of blocks from the House he was joined by a fellow deacon.
"I say, Ashe," was the other's greeting, "did you ever know anything so
unfortunate as that Wilson letter?"
Philip turned upon him an uncomprehending face.
"What is the Wilson letter?" he inquired absently.
"What? Don't you know about it? I saw you at the convention."
"I was there a little while; but there was nothing said about a letter,
that I heard."
"Oh, there has been nothing said about it in the convention, but they
say it will turn the scale."
"But what is it?"
"It's a letter Mrs. Wilson--Mrs. Chauncy Wilson, you know--you must
know who she is?"
"Yes; I know her."
"Well, this is a letter that she wrote to a rector in the western part
of the State,--his name was Briggs or Biggs, or something of that kind.
She said that if he didn't vote for Father Frontford she could get him
out of his parish."
"What!" exclaimed Philip. "She couldn't have written such a thing!"
"There's a fac-simile of it in the hands of every member of the
convention."
"But how did it get out?"
"They say," answered the other, eager to impart his information, "that
a man named Rangely had it printed, and sent it around.
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