Ibegantokeepascrap-book,thoughIlockeditupinthedrawerofmydesk.Initaretobefoundmanyclippingsofasimilarlygratifyingtenor
MecklinandIwerewellcontrasted.Inthisway,incidentally,Imademanyvaluableacquaintancesamongthe\"solid\"menofthestate,thelocalcapitalistsandmanufacturers,withwhommymannerofdealingwithpublicquestionswasinparticularfavour.Thesewerepracticalmen;theyratherpatronizedtheHon.Joseph,thusestimating,toanicety,amansvalue;orsolidity,orspecificgravity,itmightbetterbesaid,sinceouruniversewasoneofchecksandbalances.TheHon.Josephandhislike,skyrocketingthroughtheair,weresomehownecessaryintheschemeofthings,butnottobetakentooseriously.Metheydidtakeseriously,theseprovinciallords,invitingmetotheirhousesandopeningtheirhearts.Thus,whenwecametoElkington,Mr.MecklinreposedintheCommercialHouse,onthenoisymainstreet.Fortunatelyforhim,theclangingoftrolleycarsneverinterferedwithhisslumbers.
IsleptinawidechamberinthemansionofMr.EzraHutchins.ThereweremanyHutchinsesinElkington,——brothersandcousinsandunclesandgreat-uncles,——andallwereconnectedwiththewoollenmills.ButthereisalwaysonesupremeHutchins,andEzrawashe:tall,self-contained,elderly,butwellpreservedthroughfrugalliving,essentiallyAmericanandtypicalofhisclass,whenheenteredthelobbyoftheCommercialHousethatafternoonthebabelofpoliticaldiscussionwassuddenlyhushed;politicians,travelingsalesmenandthemembersofthelocalcommitteemadealaneforhim;tohim,theHon.JosephandIwereintroduced.Mr.Hutchinsknewwhathewanted.HewascordialtoMr.
Mecklin,buthetookme.Weenteredamostrespectablesurreywithtassels,drivenbyaraw-bonedcoachmaninablackovercoat,drawnbytwosleekhorses.
\"Howisthisthinggoing,Paret?\"heasked.
IgavehimMr.Grunewald\'sestimatedmajority.
\"Whatdoyouthink?\"hedemanded,ashrewd,humorouslookinhisblueeyes.
\"Well,Ithinkwe\'llcarrythestate.Ihaven\'thadGrunewald\'sexperienceinestimating.\"
EzraHutchinssmiledappreciatively.
\"WhatdoesWatlingthink?\"
\"Hedoesn\'tseemtobeworryingmuch.\"
\"EverbeeninElkingtonbefore?\"
IsaidIhadn\'t.
\"Well,adrivewilldoyougood.\"
Itwasaboutfouro\'clockonamildOctoberafternoon.Thelittletown,offifteenthousandinhabitantsorso,hadawonderfulsettinginthewideningvalleyoftheScopanong,whoseswiftlyrunningwatersfurnishedthepowerforthemills.Wedrovetothesethroughagatewayoverwhichthewords\"NoAdmittance\"wereconspicuouslypainted,pastlongbrickbuildingsthatborderedthecanals;andinthewindowsIcaughtsightofdrabfiguresofmenandwomenbendingoverthemachines.Halfofthebuildings,asMr.Hutchinspointedout,wereclosed,——mutewitnessesoftariff-tinkeringmadness.
Evenmoreeloquentofdemocraticfollywasthatpartofthetownthroughwhichwepresentlypassed,streetslinedwithrowsofdrearyhouseswheretheworkerslived.Childrenwereplayingonthesidewalks,buttheirsseemedalistlessplay;listless,too,werethemenandwomenwhosatonthesteps,——listless,andsomewhatsullen,astheywatcheduspassing.
EzraHutchinsseemedtoreadmythought.
\"SincetheunionsgotinhereI\'vehadnothingbuttrouble,\"hesaid.
\"I\'vetriedtodomydutybymypeople,Godknows.Buttheywon\'tseewhichsidetheirbread\'sbutteredon.Theyopposemeateverystep,theyvoteagainsttheirowninterests.Someyearsagotheyputupajobonus,andsentascatter-brainedradicaltothelegislature.\"
\"Krebs.\"
\"Doyouknowhim?\"
\"Slightly.HewasinmyclassatHarvardIshestillhere?\"I
asked,afterapause.
\"Oh,yes.Buthehasn\'tgonetothelegislaturethistime,we\'veseentothat.HisfatherwasarespectableoldGermanwhohadalittleshopandmadeeye-glasses.Thesonisanexampleoftoomucheducation.He\'sanotorietyseeker.Oh,he\'sclever,inaway.He\'sgivenusagooddealoftrouble,too,inthecourtswithdamagecases.\"
Wecametoabrighter,morespacious,well-to-doportionofthetown,wheretheresidencesfacedtheriver.Inalittlewhilethewaterswidenedintoalake,whichwassurroundedbyapark,agifttothecityoftheHutchinsfamily.Facingit,ononeside,wastheHutchinsLibrary;ontheother,acrossawidestreet,wherethemapleswereturning,weretheHutchinses\'residencesofvariousdatesofconstruction,fromthatoftheyoungerGeorge,whohadlatelymarriedawife,andbuiltinbrightyellowbrick,totheold-fashionedmansionofEzrahimself.This,hetoldme,hadbeengoodenoughforhisfather,andwasgoodenoughforhim.Thepictureofitcomesbacktome,now,withsingularattractiveness.Itwasofbrick,andIsupposeamodificationoftheGeorgian;thekindofhouseonestillseesinout-of-thewaycornersofLondon,withasortofDickensyflavour;highandsquareanduncompromising,withsmall-panedwindows,withaflatroofsurroundedbyalowbalustrade,andmanysubstantialchimneys.Thethirdstoreywaslowerthantheothers,separatedfromthembyadistinctline.Ononesidewasawideporch.Yellowandredleaves,theday\'sfall,scatteredthewell-keptlawn.Standinginthedoorwayofthehousewasagirlinwhite,andaswedescendedfromthesurreyshecamedownthewalktomeetus.Shewasyoung,abouttwenty.Herhairwasthecolouroftherussetmapleleaves.
\"ThisisMr.Paret,Maude.\"Mr.Hutchinslookedathiswatchasdoesamanaccustomedtolivebyit.\"Ifyou\'llexcuseme,Mr.Paret,Ihavesomethingimportanttoattendto.PerhapsMr.Paretwouldliketolookaboutthegrounds?\"Headdressedhisdaughter.
IsaidIshouldbedelighted,thoughIhadnoideawhatgroundsweremeant.AsIfollowedMaudearoundthehousesheexplainedthatalltheHutchinsconnectionhadacommonbackyard,assheexpressedit.Inreality,therewereabouttwoblocksoftheproperty,extendingbehindallthehouses.Thereweregreattreeswithswings,groves,orchardswherethelateapplesglistenedbetweentheleaves,anold-fashionedflowergardenloathtorelinquishitsblooming.Inthedistancetheshadowedwesternridgehunglikeacurtainofdeepbluevelvetagainstthesunset.
\"Whatawonderfulspot!\"Iexclaimed.
\"Yes,itisnice,\"sheagreed,\"wewereallbroughtuphere——Imeanmycousinsandmyself.Therearedozensofus.Anddozensleft,\"sheadded,astheshoutsandlaughterofchildrenbrokethestillness.
Aboycamerunningaroundthecornerofthepath.HestruckoutatMaude.Witharemarkablyswiftmovementsheretaliated.
\"Ouch!\"heexclaimed.
\"Yougothimthattime,\"Ilaughed,and,beingdetected,shesuddenlyblushed.Itwasthisactthatdrewmyattentiontoher,thatdefinedherasanindividual.BeforethatIhadregardedhermerelyasashyandprovincialgirl.Nowshewasbrimmingwithanunsuspectedvitality.A
certaininterestwasaroused,althoughhershynesstowardsmewasnotaltered.Ifounditratheraflatteringshyness.
\"It\'sHugh,\"sheexplained,\"he\'salwaystryingtobefunny.SpeaktoMr.Paret,Hugh.\"
\"Why,that\'smyname,too,\"Isaid.
\"Isit?\"
\"Sheknockedmyhatoffalittlewhileago,\"saidHugh.\"Iwasonlygettingsquare.\"
\"Well,youdidn\'tgetsquare,didyou?\"Iasked.
\"Areyougoingtospeakinthetowshallto-night?\"theboydemanded.I
admittedit.Hewentoff,pausingoncetostarebackatmeMaudeandIwalkedon.
\"Itmustbeexcitingtospeakbeforealargeaudience,\"shesaid.\"IfI
wereaman,IthinkIshouldliketobeinpolitics.\"
\"Icannotimagineyouinpolitics,\"Ianswered.
Shelaughed.
\"Isaid,ifIwereaman.\"
\"Areyougoingtothemeeting?\"
\"Oh,yes.Fatherpromisedtotakeme.Hehasabox.\"
Ithoughtitwouldbepleasanttohaveherthere.
\"I\'mafraidyou\'llfindwhatIhavetosayratherdry,\"Isaid.
\"Awomancan\'texpecttounderstandeverything,\"sheansweredquickly.
Thisremarkstruckmefavourably.Iglancedathersideways.Shewasnotabeauty,butshewasdistinctlywell-formedandstrong.Herfacewasoval,herfeaturesnotquiteregular,——givingthemacertaincharm;
hercolourwasfresh,hereyesblue,thelighterblueoneseesonChineseware:notapoeticcomparison,butsoIthoughtofthem.Shewasapparentlynotsophisticated,asweremostoftheyoungwomenathomewhomIknewintimately(asweretheWatlingtwins,forexample,withoneofwhom,Frances,Ihadhad,bytheway,ratheralivelyflirtationthespringbefore);sheseemedrefreshinglyoriginal,impressionableandplastic
Wewalkedslowlybacktothehouse,andinthehallwayImetMrs.
Hutchins,abustling,housewifelylady,inclinedtostoutness,whosecreasedandkindlyfaceborewitnesstolongacquiescenceinthedisciplineofmatrimony,tothecontentmentthatresultsfromanessentiallycircumscribedandcomfortablelife.Shewas,Ilearnedlater,thesecondMrs.Hutchins,andMaudetheironlychild.Thechildrenofthefirstmarriage,allgirls,hadmarriedandscattered.
Supperwasadecorousbutheterogeneousmealoftheold-fashionedsortthatgivesonethechoicebetweenteaandcocoa.Itwassomethingofanoccasion,Isuspected.Theministerwasthere,theReverendMr.
Doddridge,whowouldhavemade,inappearanceatleast,aperfectPuritandivineinasteeplehatandatippet.Only——hewasnolongertheleaderofthecommunity;andeveninhisgracehehadtheairofdeferringtothemanwhoprovidedthebountiesofwhichwewereabouttopartakeratherthantotheAlmighty.YoungGeorgewasthere,Mr.Hutchins\'snephew,whowasdailybecomingmoreandmoreofafactorinthemanagementofthemills,andhadbuiltthehouseofyellowbrickthatstoodoutsoincongruouslyamongtheolderHutchinses\'mansions,andmarkedatransition.Ithoughthimratherayellow-brickgentlemanhimselfforhisassumptionofcosmopolitanmanners.Hiswifewasapretty,discontentedlittlewomanwhoplainlydeploredherenvironment,longedforlargerfieldsofconquest:George,shesaid,mustremainwherehewas,forthepresentatleast,——UncleEzradependedonhim;butElkingtonwasaprosyplace,andMrs.Georgegavetheimpressionthatshedidnotbelonghere.Theywenttothecityonoccasions;bothcities.
AndwhenshetoldmewehadacommonacquaintanceinMrs.HambletonDurrett——whomshethoughtsolovely!——IknewthatshehadtakenNancyasanideal:Nancy,thesocialleaderofwhatwastoMrs.Georgeametropolis.
Presentlythetalkbecamegeneralamongthemen,thesubjectbeingthecampaign,andItheauthority,bombardedwithquestionsIstrovetoanswerjudicially.Whatwasthesituationinthiscountyandinthat?
thenationalsituation?Georgeindulgedinratheravigorousarraignmentofthedemagogues,nationalandstate,whowerehurtingbusinessinordertoobtainpoliticalpower.TheReverendMr.Doddridgeassented,deploringthepovertythatthelocalpeoplehadbroughtonthemselvesbyheedingtheadviceofagitators;andMrs.Hutchins,whospentmuchofhertimeincharitywork,agreedwiththeministerwhenhedeclaredthatthetroublewaslargelyduetoadeclineinChristianbelief.EzraHutchins,too,noddedatthis.
\"TakethatmanKrebs,forexample,\"theministerwenton,stimulatedbythisencouragement,\"he\'sanatheist,pureandsimple.\"Asympatheticshudderwentaroundthetableattheword.Georgealonesmiled.\"OldKrebswasafree-thinker;Iusedtogetmyglassesofhim.Hewasatleastaconscientiousman,agoodworkman,whichismorethancanbesaidfortheson.YoungKrebshastalent,andifonlyhehaddevotedhimselftothehonestpracticeoflaw,insteadofstirringupdissatisfactionamongthesepeople,hewouldbeasuccessfulmanto-day.\"
Mr.HutchinsexplainedthatIwasatcollegewithKrebs.
\"Thesepeoplemustlikehim,\"Isaid,\"ortheywouldn\'thavesenthimtothelegislature.\"
\"Well,agoodmanyofthemdolikehim,\"theministeradmitted.\"Yousee,heactuallylivesamongthem.Theybelievehissocialisticdoctrinesbecausehe\'safriendoftheirs.\"
\"Hewon\'trepresentthistownagain,that\'ssure,\"exclaimedGeorge.
\"Youdidn\'tseeinthepapersthathewasnominated,——didyou,Paret?\"
\"Butifthemillpeoplewantedhim,George,howcoulditbeprevented?\"
hiswifedemanded.
Georgewinkedatme.
\"Therearemorewaysofskinningacatthanone,\"hesaidcryptically.
\"Well,it\'stimetogotothemeeting,Iguess,\"remarkedEzra,rising.
Oncemorehelookedathiswatch.
Wewerepackedintoseveralfamilycarriagesandstartedoff.Infrontofthehalltheinevitableredfirewasburning,itsquiveringlightreflectedonthefacesofthecrowdthatblockedthestreet.Theystoodsilent,strangelyapatheticaswepushedthroughthemtothecurb,andtheredfirewentoutsuddenlyaswedescended.Mytemporarysenseofdepression,however,desertedmeasweenteredthehall,whichwaswelllightedandfilledwithpeople,whoclappedwhentheHon.JosephandI,accompaniedbyMr.DoddridgeandtheHon.HenryClayMellishfromPottstown,withthelocalchairman,walkedoutonthestage.Aglanceovertheaudiencesufficedtoascertainthatthatportionofthepopulationwhosedinnerpailswelongedtofillwasevidentlynotpresentinlargenumbers.Butthefarmershaddriveninfromthehills,whilethemerchantsandstorekeepersofElkingtonhadturnedoutloyally.
Thechairman,inintroducingme,proclaimedmeasacomingman,anddeclaredthatIhadalreadyachieved,inthecampaign,considerablenotoriety.AsIspoke,IwaspleasantlyawareofMaudeHutchinsleaningforwardalittleacrosstherailoftheright-handstagebox——forthetownhallwashalfopera-house;herattitudewasoneofsemi-absorbedadmiration;andthethoughtthatIhadmadeanimpressiononherstimulatedme.Ispokewithmoreaplomb.Somewhattomysurprise,I
foundmyselfmakingoccasional,unexpectedwitticismsthatdrewlaughterandapplause.Suddenly,fromthebackofthehall,avoicecalledout:——
\"HowaboutHouseBill709?\"
Therewasasilence,thenastirringandcraningofnecks.Itwasmyfirstexperienceofheckling,andforthemomentIwastakenaback.I
thoughtofKrebs.Hehad,indeed,beeninmymindsinceIhadrisentomyfeet,andIhadscannedthefacesbeforemeinsearchofhis.Butitwasnothisvoice.
\"Well,whataboutBill709?\"Idemanded.
\"Yououghttoknowsomethingaboutit,Iguess,\"thevoiceresponded.
\"Puthimout!\"camefromvariousportionsofthehall.
Inwardly,Iwasshaken.Not——inorthodoxlanguagefromany\"convictionofsin.\"Yetitwasmyfirstintimationthatmypartinthelegislationreferredtowasknowntoanysaveaselectfew.IblamedKrebs,andahotangerarosewithinmeagainsthim.Afterall,whatcouldtheyprove?
\"No,don\'tputhimout,\"Isaid.\"Lethimcomeupheretotheplatform.
I\'llyieldtohim.AndI\'mentirelywillingtodiscusswithhimanddefendanymeasurespassedinthelegislatureofthisstatebyaRepublicanmajority.Perhaps,\"Iadded,\"thegentlemanhasacopyofthelawinhispocket,thatImayknowwhatheistalkingabout,andanswerhimintelligently.\"
Atthistherewaswildapplause.Ihadtheaudiencewithme.TheoffenderremainedsilentandpresentlyIfinishedmyspeech.AfterthatMr.Mecklinmadethemcheerandweep,andMr.Mellishmadethemlaugh.
Themeetinghadbeenhighlysuccessful.
\"Youpolishedhimoff,allright,\"saidGeorgeHutchins,ashetookmyhand.
\"Whowashe?\"
\"Oh,oneofthelocalsore-heads.Krebsputhimuptoit,ofcourse.\"
\"WasKrebshere?\"Iasked.
\"Sittinginthecornerofthebalcony.Thatmeetingmusthavemadehimfeelsick.\"Georgebentforwardandwhisperedinmyear:\"IthoughtBill709wasWatling\'sidea.\"
\"Oh,IhappenedtobeinthePottsHouseaboutthattime,\"Iexplained.
George,ofwhomitmaybegatheredthathewasnotwhollyunsophisticated,grinnedatmeappreciatively.
\"Say,Paret,\"hereplied,puttinghishandthroughmyarm,\"there\'salittlelegalbusinessinprospectdownherethatwillrequiresomehandling,andIwishyou\'dcomedownafterthecampaignandtalkitover,withus.I\'vejustaboutmadeupmymindthatyou\'rehemantotackleit.\"
\"Allright,I\'llcome,\"Isaid.
\"Andstaywithme,\"saidGeorge
Wewenttohisyellow-brickhouseforrefreshments,saladandice-creamand(inthefaceoftheHutchinstraditions)champagne.Othershadbeeninvitedin,sometwentypersonsOnceinawhile,whenIlookedup,I
metMaude\'seyesacrosstheroom.Iwalkedhomewithher,slowly,thelengthoftheHutchinses\'block.FloatingoverthelakewasawaningOctobermoonthatcastthroughthethinningmaplesalace-workofshadowsatourfeet;Ihadthefeelingofwell-beingthatcomestoheroes,andthepresenceofMaudeHutchinswasanincense,avestalincensefarfromunpleasing.Yetshehadreservationswhichappealedtome.Herswasnotagushingprovincialism,likethatofMrs.George.
\"Ilikedyourspeechsomuch,Mr.Paret,\"shetoldme.\"Itseemedsosensibleand——controlled,comparedtotheothers.Ihaveneverthoughtagreatdealaboutthesethings,ofcourse,andIneverunderstoodbeforewhytakingawaythetariffcausedsomuchmisery.Youmadethatquiteplain.
\"Ifso,I\'mglad,\"Isaid.
Shewassilentamoment.
