Black Beauty

An election is drawing near, and a local candidate ask to hire Jerry’s cab for the day. According to election practices at that time, the cab would be expected to display propaganda supporting the candidate, and would be made available to take voters (many of whom would be drunk, since alcohol was provided as a voting incentive) to polling-stations. Jerry declines, objecting to the general chaos of current election practices, and also to the particular candidate.

On the morning of the election, Dolly comes home crying; she is wearing a blue dress, and some local boys interpreted this as a mark of loyalty to a specific political party and threw dirt at her. Harry defends his sister, and Jerry explains that the entire election system is corrupt as present; he advocates for secret ballot, which would allow for a more secure and less boisterous election process. As Jerry tells his son, “an election is a very serious thing; at least it ought to be” (159).

On the day of the election, there is a great deal of chaos in the streets. A young woman, carrying a sickly child, approaches Jerry, and asks for directions to the hospital. She explains that she is from the country, and has come to London seeking medical help for her child.