\"Theworkingpeopleherehavehadahardtimeduringthelastyear,\"shewenton.\"Someofthemillshadtobeshutdown,youknow.Ithastroubledme.Indeed,ithastroubledallofus.Andwhathasmadeitmoredifficult,morepainfulisthatmanyofthemseemactuallytodislikeus.Theythinkit\'sfather\'sfault,andthathecouldrunallthemillsifhewantedto.I\'vebeenaroundalittlewithmotherandsometimesthewomenwouldn\'tacceptanyhelpfromus;theysaidthey\'dratherstarvethantakecharity,thattheyhadtherighttowork.Butfathercouldn\'trunthemillsataloss——couldhe?\"
\"Certainlynot,\"Ireplied.
\"Andthenthere\'sMr.Krebs,ofwhomwewerespeakingatsupper,andwhoputsallkindsofqueernotionsintotheirheads.Fathersayshe\'sananarchist.IheardfathersayatsupperthathewasatHarvardwithyou.
Didyoulikehim?\"
\"Well,\"Iansweredhesitatingly,\"Ididn\'tknowhimverywell.\"
\"Ofcoursenot,\"sheputin.\"Isupposeyoucouldn\'thave.\"
\"He\'sgotthesenotions,\"Iexplained,\"thataremischievousandcrazy——
butIdon\'tdislikehim.\"
\"I\'mgladtohearyousaythat!\"sheansweredquietly.\"Ilikehim,too——
heseemssokind,sounderstanding.\"
\"Doyouknowhim?\"
\"Well,——\"shehesitated——\"IfeelasthoughIdo.I\'veonlymethimonce,andthatwasbyaccident.Itwasthedaythebigstrikebegan,lastspring,andIhadbeenshopping,andstartedforthemillstogetfathertowalkhomewithme,asIusedtodo.Isawthecrowdsblockingthestreetsaroundthecanal.AtfirstIpaidnoattentiontothem,butafterawhileIbegantobealittleuneasy,therewereplaceswhereI
hadtosqueezethrough,andIcouldn\'thelpseeingthatsomethingwaswrong,andthatthepeoplewereangry.Menandwomenweretalkinginloudvoices.Onewomanstaredatme,andcalledmyname,andsaidsomethingthatfrightenedmeterribly.Iwentintoadoorway——andthenI
sawMr.Krebs.Ididn\'tknowwhohewas.Hejustsaid,`You\'dbettercomewithme,MissHutchins,\'andIwentwithhim.Ithoughtafterwardsthatitwasaverycourageousthingforhimtodo,becausehewassopopularwiththemillpeople,andtheyhadsuchafeelingagainstus.
Yettheydidn\'tseemtoresentit,andmadewayforus,andMr.Krebsspoketomanyofthemaswepassed.AfterwegottoStateStreet,I
askedhimhisname,andwhenhetoldmeIwasspeechless.Hetookoffhishatandwentaway.Hehadsuchaniceface——notatalluglywhenyoulookatittwice——andkindeyes,thatIjustcouldn\'tbelievehimtobeasbadasfatherandGeorgethinkheis.Ofcourseheismistaken,\"sheaddedhastily,\"butIamsureheissincere,andhonestlythinkshecanhelpthosepeoplebytellingthemwhathedoes.\"
Thequestionshotatmeduringthemeetingrankledstill;IwantedtobelievethatKrebshadinspiredit,andherchampionshipofhimgavemeatwingeofjealousy,——theslightesttwinge,tobesure,yetaperceptibleone.Atthesametime,theunaccountablelikingIhadforthemanstirredtolife.Theactshedescribedhadbeensocharacteristic.
\"He\'soneofthebornrebelsagainstsociety,\"Isaidglibly.\"YetIdothinkhe\'ssincere.\"
Maudewasgrave.\"Ishouldbesorrytothinkhewasn\'t,\"shereplied.
AfterIhadbiddenhergoodnightatthefootofthestairs,andgonetomyroom,IreflectedhowabsurditwastobejealousofKrebs.WhatwasMaudeHutchinstome?Andevenifshehadbeensomethingtome,shenevercouldbeanythingtoKrebs.Alltheforcesofourcivilizationstoodbetweenthetwo;norwassheofanaturetotakeplungesofthatsort.Thenextday,asIlaybackinmyseatintheparlour-carandgazedattheautumnlandscape,Iindulgedinaluxuriouscontemplationofthepictureshehadmadeasshestoodonthelawnunderthetreesintheearlymorninglight,whenmycarriagehaddrivenaway;andIhadturned,toperceivethathereyeshadfollowedme.Iwasnotinlovewithher,ofcourse.IdidnotwishtoreturnatoncetoElkington,butIdweltwithapleasantanticipationuponmyvisit,whenthecampaignshouldbeover,withGeorge.
XIII.
\"ThegoodolddaysoftheWatlingcampaign,\"asColonelPaulVarneyiswonttocallthem,aregoneforever.AndtheColonelhimself,whostucktohisgods,hasbeenthroughtheburning,fieryfurnaceofInvestigation,andhascomeoutunscathedandunrepentant.Theflamesofinvestigation,asamatteroffact,passedoverhisheadintheirvainattempttoreachthe\"manhigherup,\"whosefeettheylicked;buthimtheydidnotdevour,either.Aveteraninretirement,theColonelislivingunderhisvineandfigtreeonthelakeatRossiter;thevinebearsCatawbagrapes,ofwhichheispassionatelyfond;thefigtree,theBartlettpearshegivestohisfriends.Hehassavedsomethingfromthespoilsofwar,butotherveteransIcouldmentionarenotsofortunate.
Theoldwarriorshaveretired,andmanyaredead;thegoodoldmethodsarebecomingobsolete.Weneverbotheredaboutthosemischievousthingscalledprimaries.Ourcountycommittees,ourstatecommitteeschosethecandidatesfortheconventions,whichturnedaroundandchosethecommittees.Boththecommitteesandtheconventions——underadvice——chosethecandidates.Why,pray,shouldthepeoplecomplain,whentheyhadeverythingdoneforthem?Thebenevolentparties,bothDemocraticandRepublican,evenundertooktheexpenseofprintingtheballots!Andgenerousballotstheywere(twentyincheslongandfivewide!),distributedbeforeelection,inorderthatthevotersmighthavetheopportunityofstudyingandpreparingthem:inorderthatDemocratsofdelicatefeelingsmighttakethepainstoscratchoutalltheDemocraticcandidates,andwriteinthenamesoftheRepublicancandidates.
Patriotismcouldgonofartherthanthis
Ispenttheweekbeforeelectioninthecity,whereIhadtheopportunityofobservingwhatmaybecalledthecharitablesideofpolitics.Forawholemonth,ormore,theburdenofexistencehadbeenliftedfromtheshouldersofthehomeless.Nochurchororganization,lookedoutforthesefrowsy,blear-eyedandraggedwandererswhohadfailedtofindaplaceinthescaleofefficiency.Forawholemonth,Isay,Mr.JuddJasonandhislieutenantsmadethemtheirespecialcare;supportedtheminlodging-houses,inducedthenightclerkstogivethemattention;tookthegreatestpainstoensurethemthebirth-rightwhich,asAmericancitizens,wastheirs,——thatofvoting.Theywerenotonlygivenhomesforaperiod,buttheywereregistered;andintheabundanceofgoodfeelingthatreignedduringthistimeofcheer,eventheforeignerswereregistered!Onelectiondaytheyweredriven,likevisitingnotables,incarryallsandcarriagestothepolls!Someofthem,asthoughincompensationforillsenduredbetweenelections,votednotonce,butmanytimes;exercisingjudicialfunctionsforwhichtheyshouldbegivencredit.Forinstance,theywereconvincedthattheHon.W.W.Truleasehadmadeagoodgovernor;andtheywereWatlingenthusiasts,——intentonsendingmentothelegislaturewhowouldvoteforhimforsenator;yettherewerecasesinwhich,fortheminoroffices,thedemocratwasthebetterman!
Itwasamemorableday.InspiteofMr.Lawler\'sPilot,whichwasasavoicecryinginthewilderness,citizenswhohadwivesandhomesandresponsibilities,businessmenandclerkswenttothevotingboothsandrecordedtheirchoiceforTrulease,WatlingandProsperity:andworking-
menfollowedsuit.Victorywasintheair.Eventhepolicemenworehappysmiles,andinsomeinstancestheelectionofficersthemselvesinabsent-mindedexuberancethrustbunchesofballotsintotheboxes!
Inresponsetoaninsistentdemandfromhisfellow-citizensMr.Watling,theSaturdayeveningbefore,hadmadeaspeechintheAuditorium,deckedwithbuntingandfilledwithpeople.ForoncetheMorningEradidnotexaggeratewhenitdeclaredthattheovationhadlastedfullytenminutes.\"Aremarkableproof\"itwentontosay,\"oftheesteemandconfidenceinwhichourfellow-citizenisheldbythosewhoknowhimbest,hisneighboursinthecitywherehehasgivensomanyinstancesofhispublicspirit,wherehehasachievedsuchdistinctioninthepracticeofthelaw.HeholdsthesoundAmericanconvictionthattheofficeshouldseektheman.Hisaddressisprintedinanothercolumn,andwebelieveitwillappealtotheintelligenceandsoberjudgmentofthestate.Itisrepletewithmodestyandwisdom.\"
Mr.WatlingwasintroducedbyMr.BeringoftheStateSupremeCourt(acandidateforre-election),whospokewithdeliberation,withowl-likeimpressiveness.Hedidn\'tbelieveinjudgesmeddlinginpolitics,butthiswasanunusualoccasion.(Loudapplause.)Mostunusual.Hehadcomehereasaman,asanAmerican,topayhistributetoanotherman,along-timefriend,whomhethoughttostandsomewhatasideandabovemerepartystrife,torepresentvaluesnotmerelypoliticalSoaccommodatingandflexibleisthehumanmind,so\"practical\"mayitbecomethroughdealingwithmenandaffairs,thatinlisteningtoJudgeBeringIwasabletoignorethelittleanomaliessuchasituationmighthavesuggestedtothetheorist,tothemerestudentoftheinstitutionsofdemocracy.ThefriendlyglassesofryeandwaterMr.BeringhadtakeninMonahan\'ssaloon,thecaseshehad\"arranged\"forthefirmofWatling,FowndesandRiponwereforgotten.Forgotten,too,whenTheodoreWatlingstoodupandmenbegan,tothrowtheirhatsintheair,——werethecavillingchargesofMr.Lawler\'sPilotthat,farfromtheofficeseekingtheman,ourcandidatehadspentoverahundredthousanddollarsofhisownmoney,tosaynothingofthecontributionsofMr.Scherer,Mr.
DickinsonandtheRailroad!IfIhadbeentroubledwithanyweak,ethicaldoubts,Mr.Watlingwouldhavedispelledthem;hehadredbloodinhisveins,acreedinwhichhebelieved,ararepowerofexpressinghimselfinplain,everydaylanguagethatwasoftencolloquial,butnever——
asthesayinggoes-\"cheap.\"Thedinner-pailpredicamentwasrealtohim.Hewouldpresentapolicyofouropponentscharmingly,evenpersuasively,andthenadd,afteramoment\'spause:\"Thereisonlyoneobjectiontothis,myfriends——thatitdoesn\'twork.\"Itwasallinthewayhesaidit,ofcourse.Theaudiencewouldgowildwithapproval,andshoutsof\"that\'sright\"couldbeheardhereandthere.Thenheproceededtoshowwhyitdidn\'twork.Hehadthefacultyofbringinghislessonshome,theimaginationtoputhimselfintothedailylifeofthosewholistenedtohim,——thelifeofthestorekeeper,theclerk,ofthelabourerandofthehouse-wife.Theeffectofthiscanscarcelybeoverestimated.FortheAmericanhugsthedelusionthattherearenoclassdistinctions,eventhoughhiswholeexistencemaybeanefforttoriseoutofonceclassintoanother.\"Yourwife,\"hetoldthemonce,\"needsadress.Letusadmitthatthematerialforthedressisalittlecheaperthanitwasfouryearsago,butwhenshecomestolookintothefamilystocking——\"(Laughter.)\"Ineedn\'tgoon.Ifwecouldhavethingscheaper,andmoremoneytobuythemwith,weshouldallbehappy,andtheRepublicanpartycouldretirefrombusiness.\"
HedidnotoncerefertotheUnitedStatesSenatorship.
Itwasappropriate,perhaps,thatmanyofusdinedontheeveningofelectiondayattheBoyneClub.TherewasearlyevidenceofaRepublicanland-slide.Andwhen,atteno\'clock,itwasannouncedthatMr.Truleasewasre-electedbyamajoritywhichexceededMr.Grunewald\'smosthopefulestimate,thatthelegislaturewas\"safe,\"thatTheodoreWatlingwouldbethenextUnitedStatesSenator,asceneofjubilationensuedwithinthosehallowedwallswhichwasunprecedented.Chairswerepushedback,rugstakenup,GeneHollisterplayedthepianoandaVirginiareelstarted;inaburstofenthusiasmLeonardDickinsonorderedchampagneforeverymemberpresent.Thecountrywasreturningtoitssenses.TheodoreWatlinghadpreferred,onthiseventfulnight,toremainquietlyathome.
Butpresentlycarriageswereordered,anda\"delegation\"ofenthusiasticfriendsdepartedtocongratulatehim;Dickinson,ofcourse,Grierson,Fowndes,Ogilvy,andGrunewald.WefoundJudahB.Tallantthere,——inspiteofthefactthatitwasabusynightfortheEra;andAdolfSchererhimself,inexpansivemood,wasfillingthelargestofthelibrarychairs.Mr.Watlingwastheleastexcitedofthemall;remarkablycalm,Ithought,foramanonthevergeofrealizinghislife\'shighambition.
Hehadsomeoldbrandy,andaboxofcigarshehadbeensavingforanoccasion.Hemanagedtoconveytoeveryonehisappreciationofthevalueoftheircooperation
ItwasmidnightbeforeMr.Schererarosetotakehisdeparture.HeseizedMr.Watling\'shand,warmly,inbothofhisown.
\"Ihavenever,\"hesaid,witharelapseintotheGermanf\'s,\"Ihaveneverhadahappiermomentinmylife,myfriend,thanwhenIcongratulateyouonyoursuccess.\"Hisvoiceshookwithemotion.
\"Alas,weshallnotseesomuchofyounow.\"
\"He\'llbeonguard,Scherer,\"saidLeonardDickinson,puttinghisarmaroundmychief.
\"Goodnight,Senator,\"saidTallant,andallechoedtheword,whichstruckmeaspeculiarlyappropriate.MuchasIhadadmiredMr.Watlingbefore,itseemedindeedasifhehadundergonesomesubtlechangeinthelastfewhours,gainedindignityandgreatnessbytheactionofthepeoplethatday.Whenitcamemyturntobidhimgoodnight,heretainedmyhandinhis.
\"Don\'tgoyet,Hugh,\"hesaid.
\"Butyoumustbetired,\"Iobjected.
\"Thissortofthingdoesn\'tmakeamantired,\"helaughed,leadingmebacktothelibrary,wherehebegantopokethefireintoablaze.\"Sitdownawhile.Youmustbetired,Ithink,——you\'veworkedhardinthiscampaign,agooddealharderthanIhave.Ihaven\'tsaidmuchaboutit,butIappreciateit,myboy.\"Mr.Watlinghadthegiftofexpressinghisfeelingsnaturally,withoutsentimentality.Iwouldhavegivenmuchforthatgift.
\"Oh,Ilikedit,\"Irepliedawkwardly.
Ireadagentleamusementinhiseyes,andalsotheexpressionofsomethingelse,difficulttodefine.Hehadseatedhimself,andwasabsentlythrustingatthelogswiththepoker.
\"You\'veneverregrettedgoingintolaw?\"heaskedsuddenly,tomysurprise.
\"Why,no,sir,\"Isaid.
\"I\'mgladtohearthat.Ifeel,toaconsiderableextent,responsibleforyourchoiceofaprofession.\"
\"Myfatherintendedmetobealawyer,\"Itoldhim.\"Butit\'struethatyougavememy——myfirstenthusiasm.\"
Helookedupatmeattheword.
\"Iadmiredyourfather.Heseemedtometobeeverythingthatalawyershouldbe.Andyearsago,whenIcametothiscityarawcountryboyfromupstate,herepresentedandembodiedformeallthefinetraditionsoftheprofession.Butthepracticeoflawisn\'twhatitwasinhisday,Hugh.\"
\"No,\"Iagreed,\"thatcouldscarcelybeexpected.\"
\"Yes,Ibelieveyourealizethat,\"hesaid.\"I\'vewatchedyou,I\'vetakenapersonalprideinyou,andIhaveanideathateventuallyyouwillsucceedmehere——neitherFowndesnorRiponhavethepeculiarabilityyouhaveshown.YouandIarealikeinagreatmanyrespects,andIaminclinedtothinkweareratherrare,asmengo.Weareabletokeeponeobjectvividlyinview,sovividlyastobeabletoworkforitdayandnight.IcouldmentiondozenswhohadandhavemorenaturaltalentforthelawthanI,moretalentforpoliticsthanI.Thesamethingmaybesaidaboutyou.Idon\'tregardeitherofusasnaturallawyers,suchasyourfatherwas.Hecouldn\'thelpbeingalawyer.\"
Herewasnewevidenceofhisperspicacity.
\"Butsurely,\"Iventured,\"youdon\'tfeelanyregretsconcerningyourcareer,Mr.Watling?\"
\"No,\"hesaid,\"that\'sjustthepoint.Butnotwoofusaremadewhollyalike.Ihadn\'tpractisedlawverylongbeforeIbegantorealizethatconditionswerechanging,thatthenewforcesatworkinourindustriallifemadetheolderlegalidealsimpracticable.Itwasacaseofchoosingbetweenefficiencyandinefficiency,andIchoseefficiency.
Well,thatwasmyownaffair,butwhenitcomestoinfluencingothers——\"
Hepaused.\"IwantyoutoseethisasIdo,notforthesakeofjustifyingmyself,butbecauseIhonestlybelievethereismoretoitthanexpediency,——agooddealmore.There\'saweakwayoflookingatit,andastrongway.AndifIfeelsureyouunderstandit,Ishallbesatisfied.
\"Becausethingsaregoingtochangeinthiscountry,Hugh.Theyarechanging,buttheyaregoingtochangemore.Amanhasgottomakeuphismindwhathebelievesin,andbereadytofightforit.We\'llhavetofightforit,soonerperhapsthanwerealize.Weareanationdividedagainstourselves;democracy——Jacksoniandemocracy,atallevents,isaflatfailure,andwemayaswellacknowledgeit.Wehaveapoliticalsystemwehaveoutgrown,andwhich,therefore,wehavehadtonullify.
Therearecertainneeds,certaintendenciesofdevelopmentinnationsaswellasinindividuals,——needsstrongerthanthestate,strongerthanthelaworconstitution.Inordertomakeourresourceseffective,combinationsofcapitalaremoreandmorenecessary,andnomoretobedeniedthanachemicalprocess,giventheproperingredients,canbethwarted.Themenwhocontrolcapitalmusthaveafreehand,orthestructurewillbedestroyed.Thiscompelsustodomanythingswhichwewouldrathernotdo,whichwemightaccomplishopenlyandunopposedifconditionswerefranklyrecognized,andmetbywisestatesmanshipwhichsoughttobringaboutharmonybythereshapingoflawsandpolicies.Doyoufollowme?\"
\"Yes,\"Ianswered.\"ButIhaveneverheardthesituationstatedsoclearly.Doyouthinkthedaywillcomewhenstatesmanshipwillrecognizethisneed?\"
\"Ah,\"hesaid,\"I\'mafraidnot——inmytime,atleast.Butweshallhavetodevelopthatkindofstatesmenorgoontherocks.Publicopinionintheolddemocraticsenseisamyth;itmustbemadebystrongindividualswhorecognizeandrepresentevolutionaryneeds,otherwiseit\'satthemercyofdemagogueswhoplayfastandloosewiththeprejudiceandignoranceofthemob.Thepeopledon\'tvaluethevote,theyknownothingabouttherealproblems.SofarasIcansee,theyareaseasilyswayedto-dayasthecrowdthatlistenedtoMarkAntony\'sorationaboutCaesar.
You\'veseenhowwehavetohandlethem,inthiselectionand——inothermatters.Itisn\'tapleasantpractice,somethingwe\'dindulgeinoutofchoice,butthealternativeisunthinkable.We\'dhavechaosinnotime.
We\'vejustgottokeephold,youunderstand——wecan\'tleaveittotheirresponsible.\"
\"Yes,\"Isaid.InthismoodhewasmoreimpressivethanIhadeverknownhim,andhisconfidenceflatteredandthrilledme.
\"Inthemeantime,we\'recriminals,\"hecontinued.\"Fromnowonwe\'llhavetostandmoreandmoredenunciationfromthevisionaries,thedissatisfied,thetroublemakers.Wemayaswellmakeupourmindstoit.Butwe\'vegotsomethingonoursideworthfightingfor,andthemanwhoisabletomakethatclearwillbegreat.\"
\"Butyou——youaregoingtotheSenate,\"Iremindedhim.
Heshookhishead.
\"Thetimehasnotyetcome,\"hesaid.\"Confusionandmisunderstandingmustincreasebeforetheycandiminish.ButIhavehopesofyou,Hugh,orIshouldn\'thavespoken.Ishan\'tbeherenow——ofcourseI\'llkeepintouchwithyou.Iwantedtobesurethatyouhadtherightviewofthisthing.\"
\"Iseeitnow,\"Isaid.\"Ihadthoughtofit,butnever——neverasawhole——notinthelargesenseinwhichyouhaveexpressedit.\"Toattempttoacknowledgeordeprecatethecomplimenthehadpaidmewasimpossible;Ifeltthathemusthavereadmygratitudeandappreciationinmymanner.
\"Imustn\'tkeepyouupuntilmorning.\"Heglancedattheclock,andwentwithmethroughthehallintotheopenair.AmeteordartedthroughtheNovembernight.\"We\'relikethat,\"heobserved,staringafterit,a\"flashacrossthedarkness,andwe\'regone.\"
\"Only——therearemanywhohaven\'tthesatisfactionofaflash,\"Iwasmovedtoreply.
Helaughedandputhishandonmyshoulderashebademegoodnight.
\"Hugh,yououghttogetmarried.I\'llhavetofindanicegirlforyou,\"
hesaid.WithanelationnotunmingledwithaweImademywayhomeward.
TheodoreWatlinghadgivenmeacreed.
