adherents of Jerry Purplevein, the nominee of the other party,
made haste to assert that Bleak was not a drinker at all but was a
tool of the Chuff machine. Jerry was a former bartender who had
been pining away in the ice-cream cone business. Huge banners
appeared across the streets, showing highly colored pictures of
Mr. Purplevein plying his original profession, with the legend:

RALLY ROUND THE FLAGON

VOTE FOR

PURPLEVEIN

THE PRACTICAL MAN

One of the exciting features of the campaign was the sudden
appearance of a Woman's Party, which launched an ably-conducted
boom for a Woman Souse and nominated Miss Cynthia Absinthe as its
candidate. The idea of having a woman elected to this responsible
office was disconcerting to many citizens, but Miss Absinthe's
record (as outlined by her publicity headquarters) compelled
respect. She was reputed to have been a passionate and tumultuous
consumer of sloe gin, and thousands of women in white bartenders'
coats marched with banners announcing:

ABSINTHE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER VOTE FOR CYNTHIA

and

OUR SLOGAN IS SLOE GIN