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The Little Brown Jug at Kildare

Chapter 8 THE LABORS OF MR. ARDMORE

Word Count: 4191    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

e the constitution of the United States. He had reached the governor's office early, and, seek

k contained the answers to a great many questions which had often perplexed him, but which he had imagined c

e than the stipulations for a yacht race, or a set of foot-ball rules; and that, moreover, he understood the greater part of it, or thought he did. Such strange words as "attainder" and "capitation" he sought out in the dictionary, and this also gave him a new sensation and thrill of pleasure at finding the machinery of knowledge so simple. He made note of several matters he wished to ask Griswold a

re taking it

e, standing up, and seeking to

ust a newspaper under his eyes. "Do you mea

Miss Dangerfield, I hard

e in?" she demanded severely, withholdin

the states and that sort of thing. I was just reading the cons

s that what I'm doing is all against the constitution and the r

. It seems remarkably reasonable. You

. Ardmore, if you're trying to support the present administration with stup

the executive and judicial branches of the government. I think I heard Grissy speak of

s a constitution of North Carolina, too, if you're looking for constitutions, but in good society such things are not mentioned. Papa always refers to the constitution with tears i

that way about the people ever since I was defeated

when Ardmore finished reading a double-leaded telegram from Columbia, in which the governor of South Carolina was quoted as declaring his intention of taking i

, "is the answer to that telegram we sent yesterday evening. S

ere was a storm brewing. He read the message from Columbia a number of times, and if the ac

is. He wouldn't have used 'divert

. Ardmore? The iron enters your soul, does it?

nor Osborne would never have sent a message like that

orth State; that's who he's insulted, Mr. Ardmore. Let

so perfectly mean. The diverting by itself would not hurt my feelings half so much. He's a good deal smarter ma

Appleweight dead or alive.

had to do something to avoid being disgraced, and it's easy enough to talk big in the newspapers when you haven't the slightest i

" whispered Ardm

f he'd expressed his real sentiments; neither would anybody else

ated for alderman on the reform ticket. I

Osborne's telegram is much more important than his interview in the newspapers, which is just for effect and of no importance at all. He doesn't say the same things in the telegram to father that he said to the reporter. A governor who

d you te

to, for it would spoil you for private secretary. But Eva is simply killing when she gets to cutting up, and we made those reporters sing to us, and all they say in the papers, even the opposition papers, this morning is that Governor Dangerfield is in Savannah visitin

all evening, talking to my manager at Ardsley. He read me my letters and a lot of telegrams that a

d troubles; you certainly don

her-in-law to a duke has the sl

inkle's picture in the papers

he world. I got my place over here in North Carolina just to get away from them, and now my sister-not the duchess, but Mrs. Atchison-is coming down th

ought to recognize him officially," and Jerry's eyes we

ny better than anybody else? If you'd suffered what I have from being related to a duke you'd be s

me way, is it? I've read about the Duke of Ballywinkle and he belongs to one o

early died of pneumonia. I make it a rule now never to visit dukes. You never know what you'll strike when you stay in those ancestral castles, even when they've been restored with some

tia," persisted Jerry. "It would sound well in the paper

can tell you that. Old Wellington may have been all ri

his orders and ride the lines that way

ge and let the sharp-shooters pepper away at him! Please let us not talk ab

and was poring over it

lf, "but I know something about this country over here. Here's A

nty, South Carolina, and Turner Court House is the county seat of it. Those little black marks are hills on the border,

ht and put him in jail in South Carolina, which relieves the gove

possession of the map for a moment, t

militia is encamped, just three counties away from Dilwell, and if we nee

to give orders to the adjutant-general, and, being engaged to him, he would

could break our engagement. When I broke my engagement with Arthur Treadmeasur

Miss Dangerfield. No gentle

n't let me go; but I thought it was very careless and taking too much for granted fo

reased. She spoke of employing the armed forces of the state as though playing with the militia were a cheerful pastime, like horseback riding or tennis. His heart sank as he foresaw the possibility of the gallant Gillingwater coming out of

that insulting telegram; what are yo

e tranquil park outside the birds whistled their high disdain of law and precedent. It was no small thing to be identified with a great undertaking like this, with the finest girl in the world; and he could not help think

head about little things like this unless everybody else has gone to sleep. N

the sheriff,

s, and I'll drop him a few lines to let him kn

s concise, unequivocal and apt. Von Moltke, roused at night with news of war, merely waved his hand to the long-prepared orders in his chiffonier and went to sleep again; but the great Prussian has his counterpart in the American magnate who ties up a railroad by telegraph over his after-dinner coffee. Telegrams were, however, with Mr. Thomas Ardmore, something more than a form of communication or a mere literary exercise

iff of Dilw

re, N

move you from your job and then some. I shall be down soon to see whether you are pitching quoits at the blacksmith shop or fishing for lobsters in Raccoon Creek, instead of attending to your knitting. Y

m Dang

of North

e asked, his pride falling as

inquired, counting the words to ten

ld. What I want to know is whether you

a week ago. I found it in his private letter b

re

by grand jury is undoubtedly faulty and Foster

hought papa was going to have to do something, so he's holding back the payment of the state bonds just to frighten papa. You see, the state owes the

d forgotten

it. That must be almost as much money

nbroking is only a more vulgar form of banking. There was a fellow in my class at college who pawned his pawn ticket to get money to pay his laundress, and then gave the new ticket to a poor blin

the messenger we'll get it off. I'll sign it with the rubber stamp. Papa hardly ever signs anything himself; he says if you d

ven a governor into exile, and through the wretched Foster, who was their friend, the credit of the state was gravely menaced. The possibilities of the game fascinated Ardmore. He was eager for

, and if he shows no signs of life

" Jerry declared, as though announc

and tell him to put my forester at Ardsley to work. He's a big fellow who served in the German army, and if he's afraid of anything I haven't heard of it. If we can drive the gang into South Carolina, ri

mush and syrup at her house is the best I ever tasted, and if papa should come when he sees that something is being done quite different from what he intended, then I should be there

; but I hope you

perfectly beautiful military funeral, with Chopin's funera

it your aunt, but I shouldn't do it if I were you. I once visited my aunt, Mrs. Covington-Burns, at Newport for a week. It was a de

retty girl?"

ands of my aunts. It's been a good rule to me, and has saved me no end of trouble. But if my sister doesn't change her mind, and if she really comes through Raleigh to-day in her car with

your sister th

r of a great state. She refuses to meet senators, because you can never be sure they are respectable, but she rather prides herself on knowing governors. Governors

re papa is that our meals at the executive mansion are not exactly cheerful functions. And besides"-and she eyed Ardmore severely as she rose and accepted

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