An American Politician

ep booby. It was simply a form of invitation. There was no reason why Mr. Vancouver should not get in, and with a

was it not, Miss Th

Joe, staring

tady, "it does not seem to make much diffe

nical?" aske

rse not! I am John Harrington's ve

t altogether accustomed to the peculia

, of course; it s

believe it all?

the old lady. "You might ring the be

ere will be an end of them. Politics consist in one half of the wo

ghed a

id, "though I do at home, of course. I must say, tho

ry much in earnest. But it is like war, you see. When every one understands it thoro

those books. Vril, and that so

undred years hence people will write a book to explain what Bulwer mean

, and a good deal easier to un

stir the furnace a little. And then to have people explain you. Goethe must be a good deal amused, I expect, when people write books to prove

t Zo?!" said Joe. "But what had Bul

you know–they abolished war because

ld be!" exclaimed

shock me, Joe," cr

no war," return

tely pacified. "Well, yes. Perhaps you could bring us a little cake, Sa

s old enough to carry a musket in the Rebellion. Joe understood and asked no Questions ab

s speech," said she presently, "but we g

Thorn," answered Vancouver. "You see, I

th parties to combine. Besides, you d

opinions, neverthele

activity ought to g

alw

gton," persisted Miss Thorn, "then you have a strong opinion

directness of Joe's question and a very strong impression

Will you please give this

ose quickly

dy put them in. It is such celebrated tea of yours! Do you know, I alwa

me what you believe about Mr. Harrington's speech?" said the inex

Vancouver faced

a very good speech

ve what he sa

e you that Harrington is very enthusiasti

about making a Civil

ns hope to have a regular Civil Service some d

t ridiculous Navigation Act that you o

to repeal it. It is only kept up for the s

the hope he expressed that bribery and that sort of

ere is not nearly so much of it as he mad

ay. I remember very well, at the end; he said, 'when bribery, corrup

d Vancouver, who was not altogether pleased; "was the s

t to remember what I hear. I could repeat word for word everythin

e with him. He is a Democrat, I am a Republican. That is the whole story. I do not believe, nor shall I ever believe, that any large number of the two parties can work together. I cannot help my belief in the least; it is a m

mit that he spoke clearly, even if she did not greatly respect his logic.

a perfect Socrates for questions

id Joe, laughing, "

about this thing, and you have been talking like anything

d Vancouver, l

sked, turnin

ions. Of course it was very clever, as Plato makes it out; but I do wish he could

r practice," said Joe

almost as well. Look at Mr. V

omfortable, he always returned to the charge with renewed intelligence and sweetness. Joe liked him too, in spite of an unfounded suspicion she felt that he was dangerous. He was always ready when she needed anything at a party; he never bored her, but whenever he saw she was wearied by any one else he came up and saved her, clearing a place

t been displeased that he should come to Miss Schenectady's house for tea. The evening passed quickly, and Vancouv

inquired the b

the telegram, and the boy stood inside the door waiting for the

again, hat in hand, "I just met this telegram on the ste

rtled, not being accustomed to receive telegrams. Her brow contracted as she

are Sche

n, Bo

ed t

na

r hand and signed the receipt wit

said again, but in a

?" suggeste

nswered Joe. "G

departed, wondering what t

d nodded to Pocock as he left the room; her peculiarities were chiefl

" she inquired, when

ld has just sailed from England. I s

e?" asked Mis

about business. I wish he wou

that he would not find his place in Boston society so easily as she had done. Of course he would expect to see her every day, and to spend all his leisure hours at M

and she was certain that when he saw her surrounded by her Boston acquaintances, his British nature would assert itself, and he would claim her, or try to claim her, and persuade her to go away. She bid Miss Schenectady

st in all her thoughts, and very clear-sighted. People often said she spoke her mind too freely, and was not enough in awe of the veiled deity known in society as "The Thing." How she hated it! How many times she had been told that what she sa

im and how he would look. He was handsome–far handsomer than Vancouver or–or John Harrington. He was very nice; much nicer than Vancouver. John Harrington wa

ose quickly to her feet and leaned against the smooth white marble man

at herself in the glass for a few seconds, and her face was very pale. Then she bent over her hands again, and the

thought. He would come to her so full of hope and gl

really felt just as she did to-night; only she had never realized it, never at all. Why had it come over her so suddenly too? It would have been so much better if she could have seen the

ng must explain it to him. He would say–what would he

ld be wrong, for there was no one else, not one of all these men she had seen, who had so much

ous. Her lips moved now and then, as though she were repeating something to herself, and

to rouse herself, and at the same time a deep blush spread over her delicate cheek. For with the voice of midnight there was also the voice of a man ringing in

pale, and forgets to be boyish when, the fit is on him, nevertheless he goes near and worships, and loses his heart in learning a new language. So kind and soft is love, so tender and sweet-spoken, that you would think he would not so much as ruffle the leaf of a rose, nor breathe too sharply on a violet, lest he should hurt the flower-soul within; and if you treat him hospitably he is kind to the last, so that when he is gone there is still a sweet sav

-room at midnight, and as she turned away she wondered at herse

because, of course, she really loved Ronald. She had marveled, indeed, at what people were willing to do, and at what they were ready to sacrifice, for a feeling that seemed to her of such little importance as that. It had been an illusio

ears. She blushed indeed at the idea that she was thinking so much of him, but it was not that she believed she loved him. If as ye

ne, but she could not. One thing she must do; she must explain

r Aunt Zoruiah was so horrid about such th