Tales of the Chesapeake

or love, found with a little chagrin that she was also marrying for money. The Judge was led to remark upon the curiosities of a speculative

at the Treasury and obtain the currency for the Ross Valley bank, so

knew everybody, had something to chat about with innumerable strangers or members, and was freely admitted to any public offic

llic soul must Jabel's be! His very voice rattles like

ilder you can apprehend him. He has devoted his life to Ross Valley, and the only text of Scripture h

room; the day, at the windows, was growing

ght to make the hours pass pleasantly, and when his thoughtful and modest brother endeavored to argue with him

you shall have the chairmans

rrange

ches. I know the Speaker and the Speaker's friends below him, and the old chairman of the committee where I wish you to be; and, among u

seek to obtain distinction by an easy path. I do not know that I shall make a speech during the whole of this Congress, although I shall try to

ee on Ancien

much color at the best of

ead scandal about our Government giving away contract work to do from base or personal considerations; but I have

r, and his face assumed an intensity of ex

ou no renown, no superstition, nothing which would entitle you to the Speaker's consideratio

hose tasks which involve no notoriety. At home, in our church and among our townsfolks, I always tried to get on the societies which are unknown to pub

specting glance of the country lawyer, and something in it seemed to embarrass ev

e, and now I see that it has been love's labor lost. In fact,

er looked up with

you,

bay; "I want you upon that committee, not only to do me a turn but to do me a benefit; to come to my rescue;

, thin, commonplace face seemed to develop lights and intelligences which were painful to him, the c

earing something bad, my brother.

ies my destiny. I told you I was a lawyer, and had made one hundred and sixty thousand dollars with which I was to buy my way into an attorney's firm and establish myself in business. It was true. I have made that engagement. My talent and energy a

audible, and Elk MacNair saw that he seemed to be suddenly sick. With self-reproach the young

piness; for the hand of my wife; for the key to my fortune; for all that makes the future auspicious and the past clear. I am not a law

pon one large hazard, conclude this wayward, self-accusing life, and depart from the purlieus of legislation. Up to the present time no stigma has been attached to my irregularities, none have suspected that I was less than I claimed to be-a soldier and a gentleman, betrothed to the noblest woman in the world. But this manner of living in the end works the destruction of habits and reputation to any who continue in it. To be brief, I have found political life nothing but a commerce. All have their price, and the highest sometimes sell out the cheapest. Men are estimated here

all of its vitality; his fragile form was even more diminish

muttered. "I

mingled guilt and affection sought to support him with

inish, sir

hased for a small sum from his heirs. There are some equities about the claim; the attestations in its favor are purely documentary, and I have so entirely manipulated every instrumentality on the way to its passage, judicial, legislative, and executive, that if the Committee on Ancient Contracts should report favorably upon it at the beginning of the session, my confederates in the House will see that it goes along, and the department will pay it immed

sat limp and despondent. The elder brother, on the contrary, appeared to recover his strength by a vigorous effort o

lemnly, truthfully, and on your honor, tell me-will this

id already. There is no time for investigation. I have stocked the cards, and the trick must be taken at once or never. You ha

eemed to expand, and he became

o justice in this thing. You have made me a party to a fraud. You shall know that the only oath I came here to take is that of allegiance

do, fanatic?" cr

, and couple with the denunciation the story of this i

brother ga

blood and family, you do not know your countrymen in these days. The only men who deal in sentiment in our time are demagogues, who never feel it. A sneer wi

n-such as you and your class despise-there are armies of men who would rise and march upon this capital if they appreciated the whole of the scene in which you have figured to-day! You would

ered, and most of all the last, cut lik

myself in your power. Remember this: if my point is not carried within three days, or if it be balked by your inte

less an instant in the middle of the floor, and then, worn out with the int

appeared over the threshold of the bedroom; he lifted his Cong