Coniston, Book III.

this morning, Cynthy," Jethro remarked,

see Washington, and he is to show me the places that he remembers." S

t eleven, Cyn

nthia in dismay, "that

House at eleven," said Jethro, "pl

sacred temple, and the great shaft that struck upward through the sunlight, though yet unfinished, a fitting memorial to him who had led the barefoot soldiers of the colonies through ridicule to victory. They looked up many institutions and monument, they even had time to go to the Navy Yard, and they saved the contemplation of the White House till the last. The White House, which Cynthia thought the finest and most graceful mansion in all the world, in its simplicity and dignity, a f

as in the soldier's, and her face, which even in repose had a true nobility, now was alight with an inspiration that is seen but

as the body which had risked and suffered all for it, and still held it fast.

him. Then he stiffened and raised his hand in an involuntary salute. The man smiled. He was not very tall, he had a closely trimmed light beard that was growing a l

mrade?" he said, h

correcting himself, "how be you?" He shifted the g

th a smiling glance at the tall senator b

ple reverence and affection, "but you hain't changed so much as I'd a thought s

dent, quite as simply. He added with a touch o

e general over everything now, but you're

ok the complimen

un an army than I do to

eyes flamed w

ll them lies the dratted newspapers print about you,"-Ephraim hammered his umbrella o

the senator again, and

; Comrade,

ghest compliment known to rural New England; "the people think

ess?" said the President, a

had been a company drill. Had a cigar then, too. But the second day; May the 6th, I was with the regiment. I'll never forget that day," said Ephraim, warming to t

ween his teeth. He looked as though

n't see the length of a company, and the Rebs jumpin' and hollerin' around and shoutin' every which way. After a w

d?" asked the Pr

, in the hip," a

recital of it never failed to stir her blood! They carried him out just as he was going to be burned up,

le reproof, "I callate the Gen

President looked at her

e story. If I remember rightly," he added, turning again to Ephraim,

f the First Division

splendid New England regiments in that brigade. I s

r too," cr

President, "wit

rnoon to git into position. The woods was just comin' a little green, and the white dogwoods was bloomin' around. Sheridan, he galloped up to the line with that black horse of his'n and hollered out, 'Come on, boys, go in at a clean, jump or You won't ketch one of 'em.' You know how men, even veterans like that Fifth Corps, sometimes hev to be pushed into a fight. There was a man from a Maine regiment got shot in the head fust

ident, "that was She

nderingly while General Grant had lost himself in

resident, "we must go

rad

ant, G

dly. It may be well to add that he was not always so incautious, but this

m hesi

for a pension, Gen

astonishment, "are you so rich as all th

I never liked the notion of gittin' paid for it

sident, but more to himse

ake harness," a

t any more on account

," Cynthi

with the grace that many simple people found inhe

ell-General," s

ral," said the Preside

daug

"Cynthy's pulled me through some tight spells. Her mother w

President, sharply, taking his ciga

ral," repeated Ephraim, sorely puzzle

to Washington for?"

s I won't say nothin' about it," he added, "we've had such a sociable time. I've a

resident again, and the

Miss Cynthi

ia's turn to be

r. Bass" (the President

ke harness any more and

n post-

et the senator's, and

seeing any cause for mi

table and mopped the pe

, did he?" said the Presiden

for me, and I live with him since my father died. He was going to meet us here,"

f an hour late already," s

Cynthia," said he, taking the girl's hand warmly. "Good-by, Comrade. I

mething to the senator which they did not hear, and the senator laughed

raim, "they told me he w

s as simple

at all great men must b

Jethr

r," said Ephraim, clutching Cynthia's arm. "Cynthy, I'm glad we didn't press that post-office matter

, happy in the afterglow of this wonderful

im. "I guess Jethro haint' a-comin'-must he

ever knew him to miss

ey walked back

sitting next to Miss Duncan, was much amused about something. Suddenly Cynthia's exaltation over the incident of the morning seemed to leave her, and Bob Worthington's words which she had pondered over in the night came back to her with renewed force. He did not find it necessary to steal away to see Miss Duncan. Why should he have "stolen away" to see her? Was it because she was a

s in his room,"

ing over some newspapers, and both in a breath demande

aitin' for you under the tree he come up and stood talkin'

her own grievance at the recollection;

o, in astonishment, putting down

as if he was common folk. Never had a more sociable talk with anybody. Why, there was times when I clea

subject, began to recou

sionally appealing to C

again the Wilderness a

e he had seen him whittl

asked about

the post-office,

o exactly. You see, we was havin' such a goo

k Cousin Eph had been, and that you were going to give him the p

ime had schooled Jethro

t you, Cynthy? P-President say he'd giv

er views for the place, and he was too kind to come right out with 'em and spoil our mor

ng to give Cousin Eph the post-office, aren't you, Uncle Jethro? All you have to do is to t

Ephraim put in,

ed Cynthia. "Surely you're not going to l

w-what'd you say to me once about

were not to be understood by a young woman, of even by an old soldi

dinner unless we

she was relieved to discover tha

otel again by half-past four, because Ephraim's Wilderness leg had its limits of endur

hed for the present certain grave problems of the Administration in which he was involved, hurried into the Willard Hotel, l

of the most delightful characters I ever met-simple as a child," and he laughed at the recollection. "That was a masterstroke of yours, B

thro, "they to

Grant? What did

st time in my life I didn't know how to commerce or what to say; looked-looked at me-didn't take his eye off me. After a while I got started, somehow; told him I was there to ask him to appoint Ephraim Prescott to the Brampton postoffice-t-told him all about Ephraim from the time he was locked in the cradle-never was so hard put that I could remember. T-told him ho

he would have seen the senator was sha

All he would do was to stand there and look-look-look. K-kept me there ten minutes and never opened his mouth at all. Hardest man to talk to I ever met-never see a man before but what I could get him to say somethin', if it was only a cuss word. I got tired of it after a while, made up my mind that I had found one man I couldn't

sir,'

said, 'I-I

give him that postmaster

not control his mirth, and the e

what did you

ident, I thought I wa

you change your

ittle-not much-but

lives within the limits of the delive

ct, Mr. Presid

l app'int him postmaster

n?' s

ughed a li

nt sent to your hotel th

r than I expected, Mr. President. I'm much obliged

hington or Duncan, did he?" asked the

he said," answered Jethro

r held out

t's the hardest man in the Union to get anything out of, I've a notion who's the second."

skly in from the street, nodding affably to the colored porters and bell-boys, who greeted him by name. He wore a flowing Prince Albert coat, which served to dignify

e you,

cigar fell to the floor. He was not used to visitations, and for t

ton, Heth-lik

and that other presence of which he was so pro

ere out of session time. S-stick pretty close to busin

cigar or a drink, but (as is well known) Jet

ble Heth, catching his

ee you, Jethro," whi

said Jethro. "Er-glad to se

uliarly difficult to lie to peo

swallowing hard, "certainly I am, Jethro. I meant to

minded politics, Heth-r-read a highminded speech of yours-two high

ro?" asked Mr. Sutton, striving as bes

y was high-mind

k of nothing more to say. And he yearned to depart

always very friendly and obliging. You've do

ethro," said Mr. Sutton, but his voice

for you, Heth," Jethro continued, "but I can't

ght the stump of his cigar. He did not succeed this t

utually helpful, Jethro,"

t know as I could have put it as well as t

ore as the successful congressman, the trusted friend of the railroad interests, and he saw Jethro as a discredited boss. He did not stop to reflect that Jethro did not act like a discredited boss, as a keener man might have done. But if the

k to me, Heth. N-now I come to think of

out the smoke; "of course anything I

id Jethro; "the fact is, I'd like to git Eph Prescott appointed at the B

umb into his vest pocke

oblige you, Jethro, but I've arranged to

t, hev You-a-

his own ears. Could it be possible that he was u

" said Jethro; "g-got

t to oblige you, Jethro; but these are matters which a member of Congress must look after pretty closely." He held out his hand, but Jethro did not appear to see

ough, Heth-g-guess I've abo

er little thing, I'm in Room 29," said Mr.

ou got that app'intme

Jethro called

on the sofa of a private sitting room reviewing the incident, with much gusto, for the benefit of Mr. Isaac D. Worthington and Mr. Alexander Duncan. Both of these gentlemen