Mr. Crewe's Career, Book I.

merican politics, into the Honourable Humphrey Crewe. And, as interesting bits of news about important people are bound to leak

nnouncement that the well-known summer colony of Leith was to be represented in the State Legislature b

gh naturally an important and busy man, scarce

ary I bought for him in London this spring. They're in that new red leather, and Aylestone says he finds his so useful. I dropped in at Wedderburn to-day to

their cameras. He himself was at length prevailed upon to be taken in a rough homespun suit, and with a walking-stick in his hand, appraising with a knowing eye a flock of his own sheep. Pressed a little, he consented to relate something of the systematic manner in

ase. "Although a multi-millionaire, no man is more considerate of the feelings and the rights of his more humble neighbours. Send him to the Legislature! We'd send him to the United States Senate if we could. He'll land there, anyway." Such was a random estimate (Mr. Ball's) the reporters gathered on their wa

boards of directors of which he was a member had been invaluable. The article ended with a list of the clubs to which he belonged, of the societies which he had organized and of those of which he was a member,-and it might

le, that city out of the mysterious depths of which so many political stars have arisen. Mr. Crewe cancelled a long-deferred engagement with Mrs. Pomfret, and invited the senator to stay to dinner; the senator hesitated, explained that he was just passing through Ripton,

nent questions about State politics. Senator Grady was tremendously impressed with his host's programme of bills, and went over them so painstakingly that Mr. Crewe became more and more struck with Senator Grady's intelligence. The senator told Mr. Crewe that just such a man as he was needed to pull

id the senator, looking

ll have the railroa

rink," said

e sudden-like, as I sit here, that you certainly ought to be in the new encyclope

has one," said Mr. Crewe, "but he

ing in an ample inside pocket, and drawing forth a bundle. "Sure, here they are. Ain't that luck for you? Listen! 'Asa P. Gray was born on the third of August, eighteen forty-seven, the seventh son of a farmer. See, there's a space in the end they left to fill up when he's elicted governor! Here's another

o busy with his own thoughts to reflect that there was e

ishing this

press the day after eliction,' says he, 'John,' says he, 'you know I always rely on your judgment, and if you happen to think of anybody between now and then who ought to go in, you'll notify me,' says he. When I read the bills to-night, and saw the scope of yo

it cost?" Mr.

. Two hundred dollars for a two-page biography, and, three hundred for the steelengravin'. Five hundred dollars. I didn't know it was so cheap

towards his own desk, and Mr

I didn't drop in after e

and I hope you'll give

e this to Tim myself," a

we to s

enator, with renewed invitations for Mr. Crewe to call on him when he came to Newcastle, took his departure. Afterwards M

out among the young trees he was growing near the road, and occasionally tapping them with his stout stick. She poked her coachman in t

Mr. Crewe, continuing to tap the trees,

n't think what it will be afterwards," Mrs. Pomfret lamented. "Po

l try to come tonight, but I may b

ee the dignified Waters hurrying down the slope from the house towards them.

id Waters, "there's a te

. It's ur

is

give their

sed he started towards the house-in no great hurry, however. Reaching the instrument, and saying "Hel

kin' to M

es

mphrey

ourse you are.

continued the voice, caressingly. "Sure you've heard of us. We're five hundred strong, and all of us good Republicans as th

said Mr. Crewe. "I'll co

. Crewe. We hope you'll oblige us. You're such an important f

s a shor

cost?" Mr. C

ing voice of the presid

or five dollars, and a p

hone reproduced admirably. The voice now lost a little

er. A gentleman like you could give us twenty-five, and never know it was gone. You won't b

rewe, and slammed down the telephone. He seated himself in his chair, and the pe

est gift. What could he do to show his appreciation? Wrestling with this knotty problem, a brilliant idea occurred to him,-he would have a garden-party: invite everybody in town, and admit them to the sanctities of Wedderburn; yes, even of Wedderburn house, that they might behold with their own eye

too?" demanded Mr. Pardriff,

generosity. "I won't draw any distinction betwe

by accident, vote the

ed, narrowing h

suggestion, for he did not reply to it, but pr

ow they tried to get Austen Vane t

awyer yet. I've hired him in an unim

aylord and a

ave got it," s

ff, "he might have given Billin

llings, I noticed

iff winke

e cynical view of a man of the world, "have had some row with the Northeastern over lumber shipments. I understand they're goin' to buck 'em for a franchise in th

ation to sit down, although there were only two chairs, and that a wrestling match had ensued with young Tom, in the progress of which one chair had been broken. Young Tom thought it was time to fight the railroad, and perceived in Austen the elements of a rebel leader. Austen had undertaken to throw young Tom out of a fro

n advertisement, and bearing a one-cent stamp. It announced that a garden-party would take place at Wedderburn, the home of the Honourable Humphrey Crewe, at a not very distant date, and the honour of the bear

ith him. The imaginary man was unprincipled, and had no dignity, but he had such influence over Austen Vane that he had induced him to drive twice within sight of Fairview gate, when Austen Vane had turned round again. The imaginary man was for going to call on her and letting subsequent events take care of themselves; Austen Vane, had an uncomfortable quality of reducing a matter first of all to its simplest terms. He knew that Mr. Flint's views were as fixed, ineradicable, and unchangeable as an epit

s under the pines. Austen awoke from his dream in this enchanted borderland to find himself in a long line of wagons filled with people in their Sunday clothes,-the men in black, and the young women in white, with gay streamers, wending their way through the rear-entrance drive of Wedderburn, where one of Mr. Crewe's sprucest employees was taking up the

? Clad in a rough-and-ready manner, with a Gladstone collar to indicate the newly acquired statesmanship, and fairly radiating geniality, Mr. Crewe stood at the foot of the steps while the guests made the circuit of the driveway; and they carefully avoided, in obedience to a warnin

find the refreshments on the back porch-just have an eye to the signs posted round, that's all." And Mr. and Mrs. Perley Wright, overwhelmed by suc

t. "Can't somebody move 'em round to see the cows and what's in the house and the automobile and the horses? Move around th

our appeared, a man whose genius scattered the groups and who did more to make the party a success th

ght, and I'll show you the best cows this side of the Hudson Riverall pedigreed prize winners. Hello

hining eyes. "I'll help. Come, Edith; come, Victoria where's Victoria?-and dear Mrs. Chillingham. We American women are so deplorably lacking in this kind of exper

nding somewhat apart with his hands in his pockets. He did not mov

e-gloved hand with a cordiality that astonished her

ss curios. The giraffe Mr. Barnum had once brought to Ripton was not half as interesting as this immaculate and mysteriou

remark so unexpected that for the mom

h-with these," she gasped,

be," he added, his eye travelling up and down the Pari

en to flattery, Mr.-Mr.

he pleasure of

he answered, "but you ha

e thoroughly bewil

ard your nam

r he has his friends with him, like this, I come over and help

ding alarmingly near her ear

t?" said Mr

d," declare

rewe would get married-a wife could take so many burdens off

so so," said

et was at

o you see

id Mr. Braden. "G-g

w good he is-how unceasingly he works for others. He is not a man who gives much expression to his feelings, as no doubt you have discovered,

-does he-l

ntry gentleman's duty to improve the condition of his-his neighbours. And then Mr. Crewe is so fond of his townspeople that he co

casion to," s

ret, who had been walki

ngland-is it?

e admitt

til he was within a very few inches of her pearl ear-rin

d from Mr. Braden's company a trifle disconcerted,-a new experience for Mrs. Pomfret. She wondered whether all country people were like Mr. Braden, but decided, after another expe

with. Austen talked to many of the Leith farmers whom he had known from boyhood, thanks to his custom of roaming the hills; they were for the most part honest men whose occupation in life was the first thought, and they were content to leave politics to Mr. Braden-that being his profession. To the most intelligent of these M

efreshments; but it was not until Austen had tried in all other quarters that he made his way towards the porch where the lemonade and cake and sandwiches were. It was, after all, the most popular place, though to his mind the refreshments had little to do wit

t hesitate to give them. Her eye seemed continually on the alert for those of Mr. Crewe's guests who were too bashful to come forward, and discerning them she would send one of her lieutenants forward with supplies. Som

ere's a chair beside me. And oh, what

eful, patient eyes, and then with awe at what seemed to her the pri

seized him in her arms and bore him to the porch, amidst the laughter of those who beheld her, and sat him down on her knee in

a'am," said

reaking off a piece, while the baby gurgled and snatched fo

r more." She sighed, her eyes wandering back to the embroidery. "What between

ia, laughing and

somebody," said the woman. "I

per amidst the laughter, "but there doesn't seem to

my man's good enough, but he don't seem to get along, somehow.

asked Victoria, sud

ery far from the Four Cor

are Mrs

er. "If it ain't askin' too mu

om the Four Corners-that is, about eight mi

mother's eyes widened until one might almos

t have knowed it from the lace-that dress must have co

d before, and knew that it was meant for a compliment, and she

n a certain direction, met that of a tall young man which had been fixed upon her during the w

he said, "but do sit there and rest

t she did not beckon him. She gave no further sign of her knowledge of

ing for you, Miss

aces first," she replied. "Hastings, don't you see that poo

Austen, did as he was bid, and she

eing seized at the same time, by an unusual and ine

ried Victoria, seizing the plate, and adding mischievou

id Austen. "Here's Mr. Jenney.

, "how be you, Austen?" Looking about him, Mr. Jenney put his hand to his mouth, and added, "Didn't expect to see you tr

ade, Mr. Jenney?

the glass to the brim, but continued to regard her with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. "Seen you

r host that Victoria laughed, and made

be an old friend

ore'n one of my colts afore he went West and shot that feller. He's as good a judge of horse-flesh

you accept

boys could have elected me,

ild as a boy, but sence he's sobered down and won that case against the railrud, he cou

o popular?" asked Victoria, glancing at Austen's b

considerable," Mr

asked V

ests with old Hilary Vane. Austen's a bright lawyer, and I have

e dislike th

y. He began to wonder who this young wo

ain't far wrong. I've be'n to the Legislature and seen some signs of it. Why, Hilary Vane himself

a Flint," sa

n it-seen you on the rud more than once. But I don't know all you ric

ey," she answered. "I wante

s I've said what I have, I'll say this: that the politicians is all for the railrud, and I hain't got a mite of use fo

ionless, gazing off into the haze, until she was

, who is that

at

ke basket in his hand, stood chatting with a g

a. "His name's Austen Vane,

in his face, "he's one I'd like to tie to. I'll b

oposed-although in a very mild form-more

could," she ag

astings, "he looks as if he were going to be so

ne," she called, "I want to introdu

tings, reddening, "and Victoria-I mea

d to her," said

politics?" a

swered Austen, with

ping Humphrey C

ith an illuminating smile, "Mr

d all this sort of thing tommyrot. He wouldn't get my vote by giving me lemonade and cake and letting me look at his cows. If you ever run for office, I'd like

into the boy's eyes with that serious expre

r. Weare," he

ss of youth. He held out his hand, and said,

on with a curious mixtu

st

said. "Is this the way you af

e river, and people had for some time been wending their way towards the field w

et me drive

o, after the shameful manne

t deserve to," he answered,

obably shouldn't let you," said Victoria, f

grass, with her hands behind her, and

lared. "First you take in poor little Hast

dangerous," he laughed, "for

id Victoria; "that is the only reason

he reason then," he said,-"my

to say good-by to yo

he repeat

et and Alice. I thought you had eyes in your he

ed to Miss Pomf

said Victoria. "He doesn

ere," said Austen, with an e

y dissipated sound-hasn't it? I know to a moral certainty that Mr. Crewe will eventually lead Miss Pomfret awa

ho

s mind in that magnificent, thorough way of his whether she is worthy to be endowed with his heart and hand, his cows, and all his stocks

with?" demanded Aus

d, if you don't care to come. It's only manners, after all,

along too

afraid of Mr

a b

"but I think you'd bett

r. Crewe urging the departing guests to remain, a

see much of each other politically. You're anti-railroad. I don't believe that tack'll work-we can't get along without corporations, you know. You ought to talk to Flint. I'll give you a letter of introduction to him. I don't know what I'd have done without that man Tooting in your f

ance at Austen, before whom this announceme

nuine alarm as he ever got. You never let me see you. I

strange fancies," she added, with the only brief look at Austen she had deigned to bestow on him. "I

Humphrey's constituents the whole afternoon. And besides, I never said I'd st

after her," Mrs. Pomfret remarked

ran off, one can never t

a bit if Victoria elop

s after her money, but h

Augustu

I don't believe she gives him a thought. She's only going as far as the field with

r as the field with him,

uty. It's none

d Victoria had walked on

hom Mr. Crewe is in lo

if he desires one-is an inanimate and accommodating looking-glass, in whom he may see what he concei

hile Austen undid the hitch

er hand. Then she sprang lightly into the buggy by Austen's side. The manner of these acts and the generous courage with which she

id gravely, when they had reached the road

d, with one of

nd added, more lightly, "I don't wish to

ria l

ty to tell father the

said I asked

ten inquired, looking

ed. "Father never does. I think

d quizzically, but with

The last time I saw you, you were actually trying to throw a fat man out of your wind

you," h

r time in office hours,-throwi

only Tom

aid wanted you to be a sen

ed her. "Yes. That's the reason I t

abruptly. "I always think of you in pub

was only some of Tom's nonsense. I should have ha

t the politicians, surely. If Humphrey Crewe can ge

monade," said Austen, and they both laughed. He d

a particle of ambition," she sa

o cultivate it

to be popu

popular, because they don

win them," she said. "I saw Zeb Meader the other day, a

ligible-having been bor

where did y

nt to s

way to

hough in excuse, and added, still more lamely, "Zeb a

ne brought up as she had been which prompted her to take the trouble to see

uette against the saffron sky, the myriad dappled clouds, the crimson fading from the still reaches of the river, and the wine-colour from the eastern hill

more intimate element than speech. A faint tang of autumn smoke was in the air, a white mist crept along the running waters, a silver moon like a new-stamped coin rode

know who doesn't insis

re time

nothing to say,

sound of it afterwards, when he rehearsed t

. "You seem such an out-of-door person, and Mr. Jenney

ther reflections about

in his humour, secretly thank

wanted to ask you about," she went on, breat

e not come to an aut

you tried to become a State senator. Do you believ

putting such thin

umphrey Crewe said that you hadn't a chance politically, because yo

xhibition of courage on her par

uch of an authority, ei

oesn't know about them. This is only one State, and the railroad runs through so many. He can't know everything, and I have heard him say that he

ealists anywhere-the very word has become a term of reproach. Undoubtedly your fath

e does," excl

npleasant feeling of hypocrisy, "we must remember that they are nobody's fault in par

ly, but he did not meet her look. T

very silly for asking su

t that they are often not understood by those who are in the midst

men who would not wish a

said, "no

rprised and troubled her. They w

ightness of tone, "and you never appeared. I thought it w

orget," rep

didn't wan

her eyes, and s

be the best judge

I to think?"

rew up on the gravel before the open door of Fairview

you, Vi

, fa

" said Mr. Flint, comin

leaping out of the buggy,

, Hilary?" s

ne, Mr. Flint,

s the barest politeness allowed. "What was

d many times whether her lips had trembled. "Mr. Vane asked me t

ten, "I'm afraid I hav

est pressure in return, and then she fled up the steps. As he drove away, he turned once to look at the gr

ia had saved for him. But though he tried nobly, his heart was n