Despotism and Democracy: A Study in Washington Society and PoliticsSeawell, Molly Elliot
General
Despotism and Democracy: A Study in Washington Society and Politics
Seawell, Molly Elliot
Political fiction; Washington (D.C.) -- Fiction
“Well, the best of frinds must part, so here’s good-bye and good-luck
to ye, Jim Baldwin, and I’ll say to you, Miss Baldwin, I hope ye’ll
live and die as honest as ould Danny Hogan, your grandfather, and a
better man never stepped in shoe-leather;” and then, turning to Mrs.
Hill-Smith, Senator Mulligan continued, “I commind to you the example
of your grandfather, Cap’n Josh Slater, that I had the honour of
knowin’ and who always got what he wanted, and was an agreeable man
enough barrin’ the bad tobacco and mean whiskey. But in the polite
society in which we find oursilves, in these dazzlin’ halls of light
an’ scenes of pothry an’ splendour, both Cap’n Josh Slater an’ good
ould Danny Hogan wud be about as much at home as a ham sandwich at a
Jew picnic!”
With these words, Senator Mince Pie Mulligan bowed himself off, leaving
a great trail of social devastation behind him.
_Chapter Ten_
THERE ARE MEN WHO CAN RESIST EVERYTHING EXCEPT TEMPTATION
Congress adjourned on the 15th of June, just two months after it
was convened in extra session. Thorndyke’s apprehensions had been
confirmed. Few legislative follies had been committed--the House had
gone with the people, leaving to the Senate and the Administration the
disagreeable task of stemming the popular tide as far as possible, when
it rushed on too fast. No reputations had been damaged in either House,
and several had been made--but none to equal Julian Crane’s. As for
Thorndyke, the newspapers seemed to have forgotten his existence.
By the time adjournment was reached, Washington was deserted. The
class which is designated as “everybody” was either going or gone. The
outgoing steamers carried half the town across the ocean. Thorndyke had
promised himself a treat--a trip to Europe that year--the first since
that long-remembered one which had settled his fate in some particulars
for him. It was the first time in years that he felt he could afford
it, for he was a free-handed man, generous to his invalid sister, not
averse to lending money when he had it, and fond of giving presents.
To do this on his Congressional salary did not leave much surplus.
This summer, however, he concluded he could take a three months’ trip.
Constance Maitland’s return had not changed his determination, because
he felt that he could not, in decency, follow her wherever her summer
wanderings might take her; and if he could not be with her, he would
rather, just then, be in Europe.
But one word from Constance, on the afternoon when he went to bid her
farewell, changed all this in the twinkling of an eye.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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