\Q'
 
 _ 
 
 MR. EBENEZER BARNUASTLE.
 
 ZACHARIAH, 
 
 THE CONGRESSMAN; 
 
 A TALE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY, 
 
 BY 
 
 GILBERT A. PIERCE. 
 
 CHICAGO: 
 
 DONNELLEY, CASSETTE & LOYD, PUBLISHERS. 
 I 880.
 
 ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1879, BY 
 
 GILBERT A. PIERCE, 
 IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PACK 
 
 CHAPTER I. IN WHICH ZACHARIAH MAKES HIS FIRST 
 
 APPEARANCE, - - 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. IN WHICH PEGGY CLOVER MAKES HER 
 
 Bow, - 
 
 CHAPTER III. BOBBIN'S HOME AND HOPES, 
 CHAPTER IV. THE CAMPAIGN, - 
 CHAPTER V. IN WHICH ZACHARIAH ENTERS UPON NEW 
 
 SCENES, - - 65 
 
 CHAPTER VI. IN WHICH MR. BARNCASTLE JOINS THE 
 
 PROCESSION, 76 
 
 CHAPTER VII. BOBBIN GETS AN APPOINTMENT, - 87 
 CHAPTER VIII. ZACH. GOES INTO SOCIETY, - - 106 
 CHAPTER IX. MR. BARNCASTLE AGAIN, - 138 
 
 CHAPTER X. THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE, - - 145 
 CHAPTER XI. IN WHICH PEGGY BECOMES A WANDERER, 162 
 CHAPTER XII. MR. BOBBIN LEARNS A NUMBER OF 
 
 THINGS, - - 179 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. THREE YEARS AFTER, - 203 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. IN WHICH PEGGY APPEARS IN A NEW 
 
 ROLE, - - - 218 
 
 757580
 
 8 Contents. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XV. PLOTS, - - 228 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. IN WHICH CLOUDS APPEAR ON ZACH- 
 
 ARIAH MARTIN'S HORIZON, - - 241 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. BARNCASTLE AGAIN, - - 252 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. Miss CRISTOPHER GIVES ZACH. A 
 
 SURPRISE, - - 264 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. IN WHICH ZACH. MAKES THE AC 
 QUAINTANCE OF MISFORTUNE, - - - 277 
 
 CHAPTER XX. BOBBIN ATTENDS A PRESIDENTIAL RE 
 CEPTION, - - - 290 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. TROUBLE THICKENS, - - 307 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. Miss CRISTOPHER FORMS A RESOLU 
 TION, - 328 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. WHICH EXPLAINS PEGGY'S RE- AP 
 PEARANCE, - - 337 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. IN WHICH BOBBIN MAKES A LAST 
 
 APPEARANCE, - - 355 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. IN WHICH BARNCASTLE MORALIZES, 
 
 AND ZACH. MEETS WITH FURTHER TROUBLE, - 367 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. MR. AND MRS. MARTIN PREPARE 
 
 FOR A JOURNEY, AND ZACH. HAS A TRIAL, - 377 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. A WELCOME ARRIVAL, - - - 401 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. THE END OF IT ALL, - . 407
 
 ZACHARIAH, THE CONGRESSMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IN WHICH ZACHARIAH MAKES HIS FIRST APPEAR 
 ANCE. 
 
 ' But suppose there are two mobs," suggested Mr. Snodgrass. 
 " Shout with the largest," replied Mr. Pickwick. 
 
 " Three cheers for Zachariah Martin ! " 
 
 " Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah !" 
 
 "Tiger!" 
 
 "Rah-h-h!" 
 
 Behold the hubbub in Hiltonville! The peo 
 ple are awake. The boys are excited. 
 
 The country band has assembled in front of 
 the town hall, and Slim Timothy Bobbin is whirl 
 ing around and making himself observed from all 
 observable points. Slim Timothy Bobbin is in 
 some respects responsible for this confusion. In
 
 io The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 this wise : The Congressional convention is just 
 ended. Two prominent candidates have been 
 before the convention, and the strife between them 
 has waxed high. Numerous papers had declared 
 for Israel Snapp, and held aloft the name of Snapp 
 to an admiring world. Numerous other papers 
 had hoisted the name of Simpson and proclaimed 
 his virtues to the public. 
 
 "Where will you find another man who unites 
 to a masterly intellect a heart as tender as a 
 woman's and a love for the common people which 
 can not be questioned or denied." Thus the 
 "Herald of Liberty" for Snapp. 
 
 The " Register of Freedom," on the other hand, 
 held a different opinion. " Mr. Simpson," said that 
 organ, " is peculiarly fitted for this high position. 
 His commanding ability as a stump-speaker is 
 recognized throughout the State. During the 
 war his trumpet-tongued eloquence was heard on 
 every side like the mighty rushing of many 
 waters, and he was only restrained from mingling 
 in the conflict himself by the unfortunate illness
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 1 1 
 
 of his son Ichabod. Now, however, Mr. Simpson 
 is all for peace, and his efforts, if elected, will be 
 directed toward restoring fraternal feeling to the 
 distracted land." 
 
 But, alas ! for Snapp, and alas ! for Simpson. 
 Twenty ballots were had, and each time there was 
 a tie. Neither faction would give way. In this 
 crisis, a patriotic citizen who had mildly supported 
 Snapp arose. " He deprecated strife in this great 
 and glorious party. He would sacrifice personal 
 preference to unity and harmony. [Applause by 
 the Simpson men, who thought he was coming 
 over to them.] Every man here was a patriot. 
 [Immense applause by all.] They had proven it 
 by standing to their colors throughout a score of 
 campaigns. And should they desert them now? 
 [Cries of " No, no ! "] Where there had been 
 unity should there be division ? Sooner let his 
 name perish from the earth." He closed by with 
 drawing the name of Snapp, and nominating as a 
 substitute one upon whom all could unite; one 
 who, though young in years, was known and
 
 12 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 loved, and one whose brilliant entrance on the 
 political stage cast a shadow on many an older 
 politician. He nominated, as a candidate for this 
 position, Zachariah Martin, Esq., of Pine County. 
 
 And Timothy Bobbin had thrown his hat high 
 up in the air at this, and screamed himself hoarse 
 in his enthusiasm. 
 
 Who would have believed it? Observe the 
 fickleness of the human heart ! Fifty men had 
 sworn eternal allegiance to Snapp. They forsook 
 him for Zachariah. As many more had vowed 
 never to forsake Simpson. They went over to 
 the new man in a body, and, in precisely twenty 
 minutes from the time his name was announced, 
 Zachariah Martin was the candidate of the con 
 vention for Congress. 
 
 Zachariah Martin was a young man, not yet 
 twenty-seven, and the son of a well-to-do farmer 
 who had gotten his property by hard work, and 
 knew what it had cost him. He was very proud 
 of Zach., and had given him a very good education 
 at the "High School" in the neighboring town,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 13 
 
 but his highest ambition went no farther than to 
 have his son one of the first men in the county 
 the richest farmer in it, and, perhaps, President of 
 the Agricultural Society. For politics he cared, 
 very little, and, although he now and then got 
 excited in times of great popular outbreaks, and 
 generally voted the straight ticket, yet he was 
 accustomed to say " that the whole thing was a 
 confounded humbug," and he had no time to talk 
 about it. Not so, however, with his wife, Zach.'s 
 mother. Though a hard-working woman, and one 
 tolerably ignorant of anything relating to affairs 
 of state, she always had a notion that Zach. would 
 become a great man of some kind, and indus 
 triously courted favor with every one having the 
 least pretension to prominence. 
 
 " I allers stuck to it," said she, "that my child 
 ren should go among the foremost, or not go at 
 all ;" and so it happened that when Zach. began to 
 display a taste for politics, and when he rose 
 through successive campaigns to be, first, chairman 
 of the Township Campaign Club ; then, member of
 
 14 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 the County Central Committee; then, a delegate to 
 the State Convention, the old lady's pride rose 
 with him, until it grew unrestrainable as Zach. 
 stood upon the platform at a great mass meeting 
 and introduced to the assembled multitude the 
 party's candidate for Governor. When that can 
 didate turned around on the platform and referred 
 in complimentary terms to his "esteemed friend 
 Mr. Martin," the good lady could scarcely refrain 
 from shouting outright. She nodded her head at 
 every sentence, and looked from the speaker to 
 Zach., and back again and smiled and "hunched" 
 Mrs. Whitcomb, who sat next her, until her hus 
 band gruffly told her not to make a fool of herself, 
 his usual way of addressing her whenever any 
 thing in her manner displeased him. 
 
 But Zach. grew in political knowledge, and two 
 years before this story opens had made a canvass 
 of the State and been quite successful as a 
 speaker. He was being seriously talked of for 
 Congress by a few ardent admirers in his own 
 county, but there had been no effort made to
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 15 
 
 bring- his name before the convention, save by a 
 few, until, as narrated above, a lucky incident 
 threw him into the breach as a compromise candi 
 date, and he was nominated. 
 
 Zach. had no serious thought of being selected, 
 still he knew that it was just possible he might be, 
 and he was in a feverish excitement during the 
 day that the convention was held. " Of course I 
 don't expect they'll do it," he said to his mother, 
 standing in his shirt sleeves, leaning up against the 
 kitchen door, while she industriously scoured the 
 knives and forks. " I don't expect they'll do it, but 
 it will be funny if something does occur to make 
 me the choice." 
 
 " They're plaguey fools if they don't, that's all I 
 have to say," replied his mother, carefully wiping 
 the table and setting things to rights. " Plaguey 
 fools if they don't" 
 
 " Who's plaguey fools ? " said the old gentle 
 man, coming in the outer door. 
 
 "Them convention men if they don't nominate 
 Zach.," said the old lady, lighting her pipe.
 
 1 6 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Tut, tut, old woman, here's more foolishness," 
 replied Mr. Martin. " I allers hoped Zach. would 
 settle down on the farm and stay with us, but it 
 seems his head is bent on destruction. I don't 
 like these politicians anyhow. I mind how smooth 
 and oily Snyder was when he was running for 
 Sheriff. Called on us frequent. Even went out 
 one night and helped milk the cows, and said noth 
 ing would suit him better than to take a hand at 
 husking. But, dang it ! he didn't know me t'other 
 day when he met me in town ; and that's the way 
 with 'em all. I wouldn't have a thing to do with 
 'em, Zach., if I was you ; not a thing." 
 
 Zach. only smiled as his father ceased speaking, 
 and walked away ; but the old lady shook her 
 head, and remarked that "Joe never did care about 
 anything better than raising corn and calves. As 
 for her, she wanted her children eddicated, and she 
 wanted them to be something, and a precious lot 
 they'd a' been, she guessed, if they'd a follered his 
 advice, and if she hadn't seen to 'em." 
 
 The day wore away, and it was night, and as
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 17 
 
 no news had been received Zach concluded that 
 the expected candidate had been nominated. The 
 little town of Martin's Corners, near which they 
 lived, was very quiet, and nine o'clock had arrived, 
 when all at once shouts were heard in the village, 
 and soon afterward the sound of a fife and drum 
 followed, intermingled with more shouts. A few 
 minutes afterward a buggy, furiously driven, came 
 up the road, and in a minute more stopped before 
 the farm-house. Two men were in it, and as they 
 leaped to the ground they shouted : 
 
 "Hurrah for Martin!" 
 
 Zach.'s heart beat as he looked from the win 
 dow. One of the men hastily tied the horse, and 
 as he finished the other one took off his hat and 
 cried out, "Three cheers for Martin," which were 
 given by the twain with a will, and which were 
 echoed from the village with still louder cheers. 
 The men came to the door, which was opened by 
 Mr. Martin, and as they walked in Zach. recognized 
 one of them as the Hon. Aaron Spiker, who had 
 been a livery stable keeper, a real estate agent, a
 
 1 8 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 member of the Legislature, and a very chronic 
 office holder at Hiltonville, the county seat, but 
 who now lived at Martin's Corners. The other 
 was a quiet, mild-eyed little fellow, to whom we 
 have before alluded, by name Timothy Bobbin, a 
 gentleman engaged in no particular business that 
 any one ever heard of, but who was universally 
 respected for his non-combativeness. Spiker was 
 a stout man, with short hair and a very red face, 
 shaved smooth. He had an imposing shirt front 
 and wore gold studs, which lowered him several 
 degrees in old Mr. Martin's estimation. He 
 advanced and wrung Zach.'s hand with the ardor 
 of a long-separated brother. 
 
 " Zach.," said he, slapping him on the back and 
 wheezing with his great exertions, "You've got it, 
 old fellow! You're nominated!" 
 
 At this Zach. grasped the hand of Spiker with 
 great fervor, putting his left in both the hands of 
 Bobbin, who smiled, and stroked the honored 
 palm with much tenderness. 
 
 "We've done it, eh, Bobbin?" said Spiker.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 19 
 
 "We've done it in spite of 'em all. You were 
 nominated on the twenty-first ballot!" 
 
 " On the twenty-first ballot," echoed Bobbin. 
 
 "The fight was terrible, terrible," repeated 
 Spiker, shaking his head and contracting his eye 
 brows, at which Bobbin shook his head and con 
 tracted his eye-brows, breaking off in the very 
 middle of a -smile to look serious. 
 
 "It was a terrible fight, but a few determined 
 men put the thing through and won the day, eh 
 Bobbin?" 
 
 Bobbin came out of his thunder - cloud 
 of solemnity and rushed into the sunshine of 
 merry recollection, and then Spiker shook hands 
 with Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who, up to this time, 
 had been wholly unnoticed, and was immediately 
 followed in this ceremony by Bobbin. 
 
 " Yes, it was a hard fight," continued Spiker, 
 turning again to Zach. "Oh, all kinds of objec 
 tions were urged against you. ' He has no settled 
 convictions,' says one. ' Hang the convictions,' 
 says I. 'What do you want with him? Here's a
 
 2O The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 man goes to Congress to represent the people. 
 We can't all go, so we send a man. We're the 
 ones to have the principles, and he is the one to 
 enforce them. What the blue blazes has he orot 
 
 o 
 
 to do with convictions;' eh, Bobbin? Ain't that 
 what I said?" 
 
 " Them's um," returned Bobbin. 
 
 "Another fellow says he, ' Martin may be a good 
 man, but he's too young; he lacks experience.'" 
 
 "'How do you count years in politics?' says I. 
 ' If you count the Summers which he has seen 
 he is young, but if you count the wounds he has 
 given and the scars he has received in the service 
 of the party he is older than the best of us.' 
 That cracked his nut, didn't it, Bobbin ? " 
 
 " Mashed him," replied Bobbin. 
 
 " Coming along, I says to Bobbin here," con 
 tinued Spiker, "says I, 'I never worked harder for 
 a man than for Martin, and I'm very much mis 
 taken if he forgets it. We've never had any pat 
 ronage in this county. One of the best offices in 
 the district ought to come here,' and, says I, ' I'm
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 21 
 
 fooled if Zach. Martin ain't just the man to send 
 it here.' ' And if ever a man deserved that same 
 office,' says Bobbin to me, ' Aaron Spiker is that 
 man.' 'I've done nothing but my duty to my 
 country, Bobbin,' says I ; but he insisted that my 
 part in the matter should be mentioned, and 
 threatened to do it himself, and he always blun 
 ders so I thought it best to get ahead of him. 
 Eh, Bobbin ? Ain't that so?" 
 
 " That's so," said Bobbin. 
 
 " I shall most assuredly remember you," said 
 Zach, warmly shaking the fat man's hand again. 
 
 "Thank you!" returned Spiker, "I can con 
 sidered that settled then." 
 
 Zach. said "yes" without hesitation. 
 
 " The collector's office," said Spiker. 
 
 "You can have what you want," returned Zach 
 impulsively, and they again shook hands all 
 round. 
 
 " They are coming ! " said the fat man, as the 
 sound of the drum drew nearer. "We stopped and 
 told them and they are coming, and we must have
 
 22 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 a little speech from you." And as the old lady in 
 a terrible state of excitement threw open the front 
 door that led into the little parlor and lighted 
 both big lamps, the procession of nearly fifty men, 
 women, and children drew up at the door. The 
 fat man stepped out on the balcony as it stopped, 
 and cried out: 
 
 " Three cheers for your distinguished fellow- 
 citizen, Zachariah Martin," and the cheers were 
 given with great spirit. 
 
 " Fellow citizens," said Spiker, addressing the 
 crowd, "it is useless to inquire what air the cir 
 cumstances that draw this spontaneous crowd from 
 their peaceful pursoots. What means this ere 
 procession and lights ? What means this beat 
 of the drum and sound of the soul-stirring fife? 
 Is the Fourth of July upon us? No, my friends, 
 it does not mean that. The great American 
 nation looks with pride upon Martin's Corners 
 to-night, for it has furnished a statesman, a young 
 man it is true, but one whose name will yet stand 
 bright on the roll of that is to say patriots.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 23 
 
 Need I say who it is? I see the answer before 
 hand in your eyes. I read it in your looks. It is 
 your own townsman, Zachariah Martin, who I now 
 have the pleasure of introducing to you." 
 
 At this Spiker stepped back, while the crowd 
 cheered lustily as Zach. advanced. He made a 
 speech neither good nor bad, but one which bore 
 evident marks of having been thought about 
 beforehand, under a possibility that he might be 
 the lucky man. He of course said it was the 
 proudest moment of his life, which was true, and 
 that he had never dreamed of such an honor, 
 which was not true. He declared that he was 
 nothing; that the nomination was not a tribute 
 to him personally, but to the great principles he 
 advocated, and closed by promising the crowd that 
 his life should be devoted to their service and in 
 upholding the liberties of his countrymen. Then 
 there were hand-shakings, and more congratula 
 tions, and a repetition by Spiker of the scenes at 
 the convention, and at last the crowd separated, 
 and Zach. was alone with his father and mother.
 
 24 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Well!" exclaimed he, taking a hand of each, 
 "what do you think now? Ain't I getting up in 
 the world pretty fast?" 
 
 "Not a bit," said his mother, settling- herself 
 back rather stiffly ; " I know'd it. I said so ever 
 since you was born. Even while you was kicking 
 and crowing in my lap, says I, 'Joe,' says I, 'that 
 boy has a head on him that's a plaguey sight 
 mor'n common,' and so it was." 
 
 Zach. smiled good-naturedly, and pressed his 
 mother's hand. 
 
 " Well, Zach.," spoke up his father, " it's a big 
 thing, I s'pose. Anyway, I'm proud of you. But 
 I've seen these great men in my time. They went 
 away with big hopes. Some of 'em got mighty 
 proud and stuck up, but arter a while they growed 
 fretful, and two of 'em died in rags, arter all they 
 had flown so high. I'm not going to discourage 
 you, Zach., but I stick to it that a living got by 
 honest work is the manly and independent way 
 arter all." 
 
 " Oh, you'll feel different when you see my
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 25 
 
 name heralded through the land, and my praise 
 in every mouth," said Zach. 
 
 "Yes, I s'pose so," replied his father; "but no 
 matter how bright the outside of this public life 
 may look, it is full of disappointments and vexa 
 tion, and it may come to you, my boy ; it may 
 come to you." 
 
 " That's the way ! " broke in Mrs. Martin rather 
 testily, " allers a-humbugging and a-prophesying." 
 
 "Never mind," said Zach., laughing, "we won't 
 cross the river till we get to it, anyway." 
 
 And the trio fell into plans for the future, and 
 discussed them till long after the usual hour for 
 retiring. So the first evening of Zach.'s greatness 
 passed, and it was well on toward the dawn of the 
 next day before his overtaxed nerves became suffi 
 ciently composed to permit him to sleep.
 
 26 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 IN WHICH PEGGY CLOVER MAKES HER BOW. 
 
 " Where can Peggy be ? " said Zach. to his 
 mother, coming into the house next morning from 
 a long communion outside with himself. "It's cer 
 tainly time she was home." 
 
 "Nobody knows," replied his mother. "Trapes 
 ing over the hills like a wild Indian, I suppose. 
 Nothing would do but she must go over to the 
 Fairweathers yesterday morning, to stay all night 
 with the girls. She promised to be home before 
 breakfast this morning, and here it is ten o'clock 
 and not a sign of her yet. The girl is getting 
 too trifling for anything," 
 
 "I believe I will go out and find her," said 
 Zach., partly to himself, and partly to his mother. 
 " I know her haunts, and I'll bring her in." 
 
 Mrs. Martin took her hands out of a wash-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 27 
 
 bowl and, looking straight at Zach., said : " I 
 wouldn't do it, Zach. Folks have allers thought 
 it strange how you run after her, and it'll be a 
 mighty sight stranger now. You ought to look 
 higher. She's nothing, and she never will be." 
 
 Old Mr. Martin had approached while the con 
 versation was going on, and broke in now. 
 
 " She's an honest girl," said he; "good enough 
 for a king, that's what she is ; and I say that a 
 man who will give up an honest girl just because 
 he is like to get a little office ought to be shot as 
 a deserter, and I hope that'll be the first law you 
 pass when you get to Congress." 
 
 " Now you're both right," said Zach. " Peggy 
 has not been thought a good match for me, and 
 no one would blame me now for looking in 
 another direction ; but you both know I love 
 Peggy, and I do not intend to give her the go-by, 
 
 oo/ ' <j o J ' 
 
 because I've been lucky. But of course she must 
 improve herself. It will be no little thing to be 
 the wife of a member of the United States Con 
 gress, and she'll see that as well as anybody. If
 
 28 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 she has a mind to, no one, will have reason to be 
 ashamed of Peggy Clover. I'm going to meet 
 her. She hasn't heard a word yet, I'll be bound, 
 and I'll startle her out of her wits," and away Zach. 
 went down a path that led toward the grove. 
 
 " The idea of Zach.'s marrying that girl," said 
 Mrs. Martin, "when there haint a born lady in the 
 land but would jump at the chance of him." 
 
 "Betsy!" said the old man, "you're a fool. 
 What's a born lady with no soul, and no body to 
 speak of, compared to a healthy, blooming lass, 
 with a heart bigger than an ox, and steel springs 
 in every limb. Suppose she can't simper and 
 giggle, and wear bustles bigger than a haystack. 
 She can work, and she can love, and what's better, 
 she can be true and faithful to the end, and that's 
 what some of your born ladies can't do, let me tell 
 you. Lord! what a girl that is for business. If 
 Zach. had only stayed on the farm and married 
 Peggy I'd a made over my whole property to 
 them. But he never will be contented till he's 
 gone through the mill."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 29 
 
 Zach. wandered away down the path, and as 
 he neared the grove peered through under the 
 trees, expecting to get a sight of Miss Peggy 
 
 returning. 
 
 Peggy Clover was an orphan, and had as good 
 as been brought up by the Martin family. She 
 first turned up as a waif at the little tavern in the 
 village, where, at the age of nine, she was washing 
 dishes, building fires, and otherwise paying her 
 way. She came into the country with her father, 
 a sort of itinerant portrait painter, who sought the 
 locality for his health, and endeavored to meet the 
 wants of himself and child by occasional jobs in 
 his line. But there were few who cared for any 
 thing as grand as a painted picture among the 
 simple, practical folk of that region, and so Mr. 
 Clover's customers were few, and his earnings very 
 pitiful. He boarded at the little public house, and 
 when the unfortunate man yielded to his disease 
 and went peacefully to his long sleep, in debt to 
 the proprietor, Peggy was the sole dependence of 
 that worthy gentleman out of which to get his
 
 30 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 money back. He kept her ostensibly because 
 the poor little thing had no other home, but really 
 because she was wonderfully handy about the 
 house, and did an astonishing amount of work in 
 an incredibly short space of time ; and gradually 
 more and more came to be piled on the willing 
 little worker until, overtasked, she fell very ill 
 and her life was despaired of. The doctor's bills 
 began to look formidable, and there being funeral 
 expenses in prospect, the hotel keeper was only 
 too glad to accept the proposition of the Martins 
 to take her home, nurse her, and if she recovered, 
 adopt her. She soon got up and was regarded as 
 a very lucky girl to be taken into the wealthiest 
 and most influential family in the neighborhood. 
 She had to work, to be sure, for all in that region 
 worked, no matter what their circumstances ; but 
 she was used to that, and as she grew to under 
 stand that the Martins' home was hers, the first 
 she had ever had, she was happy at the thought 
 and happy in the enjoyment of it She went to 
 school during the short season it was in session
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 31 
 
 and had certainly grown up a promising young 
 lady. 
 
 From the very first Zach. had been her friend, 
 and the twain, from the affection of a brother and 
 sister, had gradually come to experience a stronger 
 feeling, a love rarely expressed, scarcely under 
 stood, even by themselves, and yet some way 
 settled and stored away in their hearts as a mat 
 ter fully arranged and consummated. Zach. fully 
 expected to marry her, she fully expected to be 
 Zach.'s wife, yet exactly when had never entered 
 either of their heads. Zach. had carried himself a 
 little high when he returned to the farm from an 
 academical course which he had taken in a neigh 
 boring town, but he soon lowered when Peggy, 
 with a woman's tact, pretended to be interested in 
 another young gentleman of the village ; and so 
 the old relations were renewed. And thus they 
 had gone on, Zach. entering into politics ardently 
 and securing considerable reputation thereby, 
 Peggy looking upon it all as a matter of course, 
 proud of him, to be sure, but no more so than
 
 32 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 if he never had been heard of outside of their 
 own little neighborhood. There was a vein of 
 frivolity, or rather rompishness, about Peggy that 
 Zach., as he became more impressed with his own 
 dignity and possibilities, disliked. She could row 
 on the lake as well as the champion oarsman of 
 the village. She could leap a fence quicker than 
 half of the boys, and in a race was most astonish 
 ingly fleet of foot. She could sing, but she sang 
 songs that grated upon Zach.'s ear, especially after 
 his return from school, and all these things he 
 strove to correct in her. She would listen 
 demurely, and promise sacredly, but she forgot 
 the compact before the words were cold, and w,as 
 skimming across the fields ere the echo of Zach/s 
 tones had scarcely died away, Zach. felt on the 
 morning in question that a more solemn interview 
 than ever was necessary, and had determined to 
 make an impression on her that would be lasting. 
 He had reached a little opening in the path and 
 seated himself on a log to await her coming, and 
 there he sat when he was awakened from a reverie
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 33 
 
 by her voice. She was concealed by the thick 
 foliage that shaded the pathway, but her tones 
 were distinctly audible. She was singing as she 
 walked, and Zach. detected an absurd break or 
 twitch in the lines every now and then which he 
 shrewdly guessed was occasioned by a nervous 
 hop, skip, and jump, which Peggy was fond of 
 indulging in as an accompaniment to her music. 
 She was "humming" the song, the words of which, 
 if words they could be called, sounded something 
 like this : 
 
 Then blow ye winds hi-o, 
 
 Tra la la la lay; 
 I'm going to my own true love 
 
 A thousand miles away a-a. 
 
 " Now such a song as that," said Zach. to him 
 self, "How that would sound at the Russian 
 Minister's or the Secretary of State's ! Can't the 
 girl learn anything?" 
 
 As Zach. thought this aloud, Peggy appeared 
 bounding along the path. She stopped short with 
 a little screech upon seeing Zach., then, drawing 
 
 2* C
 
 34 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 back, puckered her mouth, and gave vent to a low 
 whistle. 
 
 " Well," said she, finally, " if there ain't Zach." 
 
 "Yes, here's Zach.," responded that worthy. 
 
 " Why, what you doing here? " said Peggy. 
 
 " Come after you," replied Zach. 
 
 "Oh, what a nice little boy he is getting to be," 
 said Peggy, and she patted him on the cheek good- 
 humoredly. 
 
 Zach. took her hand in his, and looking very 
 serious, said: "Peggy, I want to talk to you to 
 talk soberly, too. Now, you know whistling will do 
 for a cow-boy, but you're not a cow-boy, are you ? " 
 
 " I believe not," said Peggy. 
 
 " Then, not being a cow-boy, you ought not to 
 act like one," he went on. 
 
 " Well, that's settled," returned Peggy. " No 
 more whistling for me. Now, what else? " 
 
 " I suppose you haven't heard the news," said 
 Zach., assuming an air of indifference. 
 
 " No. What is it ? " she inquired with woman's 
 eagerness.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 35 
 
 " You haven't heard it ? " said Zach., almost 
 reproachfully, " while everybody else knows. Well, 
 guess." 
 
 " You've found my rabbits," said Peggy, quickly. 
 
 Zach. looked at her almost contemptuously. 
 "Your rabbits!" he said. "Well, no, it isn't that; 
 guess again." 
 
 Peggy rolled her eyes, with a thoughtful expres 
 sion, upward, and then said, half inquiringly 
 
 " Mrs. Miles is dead." 
 
 Zach. shook his head with rather of a disap 
 pointed air. It was plain she hadn't a thought 
 of what had really happened, though he had told 
 her repeatedly that the prospect was open to him, 
 and he so wished that she would take an interest 
 in these things. 
 
 " No," said he. "Mrs. Miles is not dead. It is 
 something about me." 
 
 "Something about you?" said she. "I know! 
 you've had that tooth pulled," and she seized him 
 by the chin with her right hand, while she went 
 to inspecting his mouth with her left. Zach. took
 
 36 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 away her hands laughing in spite of himself. 
 "There, there! "said he, "you'll never guess; let 
 me tell you. I have been nominated for Congress." 
 
 "You've been what?" exclaimed Peggy. 
 
 " Nominated for Congress," said Zach., " and, of 
 course, shall be elected. I am going to have a 
 great office, Peggy." 
 
 " Oh ! I heard about that," said Peggy, rather 
 contemptuously. 
 
 "You heard of it," returned Zach., "and didn't 
 you wonder at it ? " 
 
 " Why, is it such a dreadful thing ? " said 
 she. 
 
 "Now, look here, Peggy," exclaimed Zach., "let's 
 have a serious talk about this. I shall soon be 
 elected to one of the highest -positions in the land. 
 I shall go to Washington and associate with great 
 people, fine ladies and eminent men, shall visit the 
 President and Judges of the Supreme Court, and 
 walk arm in arm with them." 
 
 " I wouldn't do it, Zach., said Peggy, solemnly. 
 
 "You wouldn't do it?" he cried. "How would
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 37 
 
 you like to go with me, and be dressed in silks 
 and satins, like Cinderela?" 
 
 " Oh, crackey ! " exclaimed Peggy, clapping her 
 hands, "but you're joking, Zach." 
 
 "No, I'm not, and that's just what I want to 
 talk to you about ; and don't you see, Peggy, that 
 your manners here would not do there? In those 
 refined circles no slang or vulgarity are allowed, 
 and you use both." 
 
 "Why, Zach.!" cried Peggy, amazed, "I never ! 
 What did I ever say that was vulgar?" 
 
 " I do not mean immoral," said Zach., "but low. 
 You must leave off expressions which offend polite 
 ears. I heard you say 'Oh, crackey' just now. 
 Very well. 'Oh, crackey' will do for Martin's Cor 
 ners, but it won't do for Washington. 
 
 " I'll never say it again, Zach.," said Peggy, 
 looking penitent. 
 
 " Well, it's not that alone," Zach. went on. " All 
 these rough words and songs must be left off. 
 Now what was that I heard you singing just 
 now ? "
 
 38 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Peggy hung her head and looked a little 
 sheepish. 
 
 " That was a funny little song we heard at the 
 show," said she. " I heard you say you liked it." 
 
 " Yes, but such songs won't do for you," he 
 answered. " I told you once before they wouldn't 
 do. You sing, and sing well, but you must choose 
 something more genteel, you know. Then there is 
 another thing. You must quit calling me Zach." 
 
 At this Peggy looked at him in perfect amaze 
 ment. "Quit calling you Zach.!" she burst out. 
 "Why, what on earth shall I call you?" 
 
 " Call me Mr. Martin," said he. 
 
 " Mr. Mar ." Here Peggy fairly roared. 
 
 "Mr. Martin! Oh, crackey!" And it was so 
 funny that Peggy laughed the tears into her eyes. 
 
 " There you go again with your ' Oh, crackey ! ' ' 
 said Zach. pettishly. 
 
 "I didn't quite get it out, Zach. Mr. Martin," 
 responded Peggy, stammering, and correcting her 
 self. 
 
 "Well, you act as if there was something
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 39 
 
 immensely funny about calling me by my name," 
 said he. " How do you think it would sound to 
 have you rush through the rooms at the Presi 
 dent's reception, bawling 'Zach., oh, Zach.?'" 
 
 "'Twould sound dreadful, wouldn't it?" said 
 Peggy, thoughtfully imagining the effect. " But 
 then Zach. has always been so dear to me, and to 
 call you Mr. Martin seems so cold. It seems to 
 me they must be very heartless down there, no 
 matter how grand they are ; but I shall call you 
 Mr. Martin after this, see if I don't." 
 
 "Well," said Zach., a little less confidently, "try 
 to look at these things right, Peggy, that's all. You 
 don't want to be laughed at, I know, and I want 
 you to eclipse everybody when you go to the 
 capital as my wife ; that's all it's for you I say 
 these things." 
 
 " Zach.," said Peggy, very resolutely, " I'll learn 
 to do everything you say." 
 
 " That's right," exclaimed Zach., pressing her 
 hands warmly ; " and when you go down there we 
 shall be the happiest mortals alive. You shall
 
 40 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 have dresses with forty yards of silk in them, and 
 be decked in diamonds like a princess. You shall 
 have your carnage and your servants, and the 
 people will say ' there goes the beautiful and 
 accomplished Mrs. Zach. Martin.'" 
 
 "And you will be my husband?" said Peggy, 
 her thoughts running away from the finery to the 
 one great desire of her heart. 
 
 " I shall be your husband," said Zach.," and you 
 shall be my wife, and here's a kiss to start it with," 
 and Zach. drew her slender form to him and kissed 
 her most tenderly. 
 
 "Ah! we shall be so happy," sighed Peggy, 
 dreamily. ' So happy, and I owe it all to you, 
 Zach., all to you." And she said the " Zach." so 
 tenderly, and crept to him so confidingly, that he 
 did not reprove her. The ship was sailing away 
 freely now, no signs of storm, and they, with hearts 
 that beat so high, were sailing with it.
 
 i the Congressman. 41 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 BOBBIN'S HOME AND HOPES. 
 
 When Spiker and Bobbin drove away from the 
 Martins', on the night of the speech-making, it was 
 in the best of spirits. Spiker was happy over 
 Zach.'s promise, and Bobbin was happy in a sort 
 of reflected way because of Spiker's happiness. 
 When the two reached the village they alighted 
 and started to their respective homes. Spiker 
 opened a gate before a pretentious house, and 
 with his overcoat across his arm stalked down the 
 graveled walk with an air of authority. Bobbin 
 sped around to a back street, and, with his pinched 
 coat buttoned up, directed his steps toward a little 
 one-story house that had an air of begging to 
 exist, and in its jammed and battered appearance 
 bore a striking resemblance to little Bobbin him 
 self. He raised the latch and walked in, sniffing
 
 42 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 his nose approvingly as he caught the smell of 
 supper. The meal was ready and Mrs. Bobbin 
 was waiting for him. Four children, so near of a 
 size that it seemed necessary to number them to 
 distinguish one from the other, were clustered 
 round her, tugging at her dress aiid demanding 
 that the eating should begin. Mrs. Bobbin was a 
 thin, unhealthy-looking woman, whose clothes 
 seemed only put on for the sake of decency, and 
 to be constantly threatening to fall off. She had 
 a tired air, and looked as if she had had a weary 
 dispute with the world and been floored. Bob 
 bin himself was in high spirits this evening, and 
 he gave the family a kiss all round with the air 
 of a prince scattering gold among the poor. 
 
 "You're awful late," observed Mrs. Bobbin. 
 
 " Thought you'd never come," said the oldest 
 child, as they seated themselves at the supper 
 table. 
 
 " We had the biggest time," said the little man, 
 rubbing his hands as he sat down, " about the big 
 gest time, Elvira, you ever heard of. You ought
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 43 
 
 to have seen me and Spiker work. It was always 
 Spiker and Bobbin. Nothing could be done with 
 out Spiker and Bobbin. Finally we beat the 
 crowd and nominated who now do you think?" 
 
 "Oh, I heard "said Mrs. B. 
 
 "Zach. Martin," said Bobbin; "yes, Zach. It 
 was about the biggest victory for me and Spiker 
 we ever had." 
 
 "I should think you'd get tired of it," said Mrs. 
 Bobbin. 
 
 "Tired nothing!" said Bobbin. "It's the big 
 gest fun out, especially when you win. Really, 
 this nomination is my doing, for I was the first one 
 to suggest Zach., and it run like wild-fire." 
 
 "Well, I suppose he's satisfied now," said his 
 wife. 
 
 " Not yet," returned Bobbin ; " there's the cam 
 paign ahead yet, and it's going to be a lively one ; 
 but we'll elect Zach. if it takes the skin off." 
 
 "Do you think he'll thank you for it? "said 
 Mrs. Bobbin. 
 
 "Thank us!" exclaimed Bobbin. "You don't
 
 44 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 know Zach. Now, I'll tell you something private, 
 but don't let it go an inch further. Spiker and I 
 were the first to take the news to him, and when 
 Spiker told him how we had worked, you never 
 saw a man so grateful. He took each of us by 
 the hand, and promised Spiker the Collector's 
 office sure." 
 
 "Promised Spiker!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbin. 
 
 " Yes," said Bobbin, " promised him, without 
 hesitating a minute." 
 
 " He's very kind," she responded, dryly. 
 
 " You can bet on that," went on Bobbin, 
 eagerly. "He knows who to be thankful to." 
 
 "Well, what did he promise you?" queried 
 Mrs. Bobbin, spreading another piece of bread for 
 little Tommy. 
 
 "Hey!" exclaimed her husband, stopping to 
 look at her. 
 
 "Didn't he promise you anything?" said she; 
 " you were the first to suggest him." 
 
 This seemed to be a stunner to Bobbin. He 
 had never thought of anything for himself. It
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 45 
 
 had never occurred to him as possible. He looked 
 at his wife in a puzzled kind of way ; run his 
 tongue up to one side of his mouth, and then said 
 
 casting his eyes reflectively round the room 
 "Oh, well I don't expect anything of that kind 
 
 -you know. I don't go for a man to get an 
 office." 
 
 "But you need it," said Mrs. Bobbin, "much 
 more than Mr. Spiker does." 
 
 " Why, I know," replied her husband, deprecat- 
 ingly, "but you know Spiker is rich and has lots of 
 influence and all that, and, to tell the truth, my 
 dear, he is a trifle cheeky, though it's all right 
 enough, He spoke to Zach. about the place him 
 self, and brought me in, as if I suggested it, and 
 of course I couldn't say anything else, so I took it 
 up not that Spiker isn't a fair man, for he is." 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Bobbin, with a sigh, "what is 
 it all to amount to after all ? " 
 
 "My dear!" said her husband with an injured 
 air, " I did not think to hear you say that, and 
 before the children, too. I hope the country is
 
 46 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 something, and I hope our children may live to 
 know that their father thought the country was 
 something." 
 
 "But what has the country got to do with Zach. 
 Martin?." inquired Mrs. Bobbin. 
 
 " Now, Elvira, I really wish you wouldn't," 
 responded Bobbin, looking hurt. "What do you 
 think would become of this Republic if the Oppo 
 sition should triumph?" 
 
 " I don't know, I am sure," replied his wife. 
 
 "Ruin," said Bobbin, "blank ruin. Liberty 
 would be knocked down and dragged out would 
 be overthrown, and your children would be beg 
 gars." 
 
 "And so you are working against that?" said 
 Mrs. B. 
 
 " That's it," he replied. " I'm humble, it's true, 
 but I'm striking the bass-drum of public opinion, 
 as it were, with the hammer of individual sover 
 eignty. I'm trying to save the country that's 
 enough for me." 
 
 Now this was all very well and very laudable
 
 aht the Congressman. 47 
 
 in Mr. Bobbin, but his wife thought, though she 
 did not so express herself, that it would be much 
 better if her husband would vary his dose of 
 liberty with bread and meat. The fact was that 
 up to that time Bobbin had been mighty profuse 
 with the former, but very chary of the latter. The 
 family were chuck-full of freedom, fairly puffed 
 out with it, so to speak, as if they had the dropsy, 
 but while their souls were expanded with this sub 
 lime sentiment; their stomachs, unfortunately, were 
 in state of famine, and the comparison some way 
 made Mrs. Bobbin indifferent to patriotism, while 
 it made her a devoted friend of family flour. She 
 owned the little house where they lived and a 
 quarter acre of land attached, and from this little 
 patch of ground and her odd jobs for the neigh 
 bors came the principal support of the family. 
 Bobbin, good-natured soul that he was, always had 
 some big thing in contemplation, but he never 
 quite reached it. He was always skirmishing, but 
 never getting into an actual engagement. His 
 wife's question rather startled him ; and, although
 
 48 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 he couldn't seriously think of so great an office as 
 the Collectorship, he began to imagine that his 
 labors for the party certainly did deserve recogni 
 tion. 
 
 "I tell you what," said the little man, "they 
 couldn't refuse me if I asked it." 
 
 "Then ask it," responded his wife. 
 
 " But what ? " queried Bobbin. 
 
 " Anything that will keep us comfortable ; no 
 matter what," returned she. 
 
 " I'll do it," said Bobbin, with wonderful energy, 
 bringing his little fist down on to the table. " I'll 
 tell Spiker to-morrow that he must divide." 
 
 Mrs. Bobbin looked astonished, but pleased. 
 Such spirit was unusual with her husband. He 
 had raised his fist again and was threatening to 
 
 <-> o 
 
 strike the table harder than before, when there 
 came a knock at the door, and it left his fist poised 
 in the air. A boy stuck his head in and said : 
 
 "Mr. Spiker wants to see you down to the 
 office right away." 
 
 Bobbin started as if it had been a summons
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 49 
 
 from an emperor. He grabbed his hat, and say 
 ing to his wife that Spiker, no doubt, wanted to 
 consult him about the campaign, started out. 
 
 "Get in a word for yourself, if you can," said 
 she as he was closing the door, but the almost 
 frightened glance that came back to her through 
 the opening made her sorry she had said anything. 
 
 It was a consultation, and Bobbin's work was 
 laid out for him with great particularity. A ratifi 
 cation meeting was to be held, and Bobbin was to 
 put up the posters, to prepare the big wagons, to 
 arrange the seats in the grove, to borrow the flags 
 and the banners, to make the frames for the trans 
 parencies, and at night, when a torchlight proces 
 sion was to come off, he was to carry a lamp, and 
 see that the cheers were loud and frequent. In 
 fact, Bobbin was to be filled with spontaneous 
 enthusiasm on the evening in question, and was to 
 charge the others with the same effervescing senti 
 ment, deftly uncorking them at regular intervals to 
 keep them from bursting. 
 
 " Zach. will be at my house when the procession
 
 50 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 passes," said Spiker, "and it must halt in front of 
 the porch and mass there. When I come out with 
 him you just bawl your best licks. Tell the boys 
 to bear down and raise the roof off." 
 
 Bobbin promised, and after the arranging of a 
 few more details, the meeting broke up. One by 
 one the citizens dispersed, but Bobbin lingered. 
 He was trying to get courage to speak to Spiker 
 abeut that little place, but he failed, and as usual 
 in such cases, the longer he waited the more diffi 
 cult the task became. On one pretense or another 
 he delayed his departure, and when Spiker but 
 toned up his coat to leave, Bobbin stood in front 
 of him and on either side of him, and kept saying 
 something to prolong the interview. Finally, 
 when Spiker walked out and up the street, Bob 
 bin ambled along by his side saying he would 
 walk home by way of the former's house. At the 
 gate, Bobbin, instead of passing on, leaned against 
 the fence with an air of deep interest in the 
 approaching preparations, and endeavored to think 
 of something new. Spiker passed coolly in, and
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 51 
 
 had taken a step toward the house, when Bobbin 
 with a feeling of desperation began. 
 
 "Oh!" he exclaimed, "I was thinking (here 
 Spiker turned back and Bobbin lifted his eyes 
 contemplatively toward the stars, and continued 
 sliding off as it were on to a switch) about how 
 many seats do you think, now?" 
 
 " Oh, that's all fixed," responded Spiker ; " put 
 up enough for five hundred ; the rest can stand 
 up." 
 
 "Oo-hoo," said Bobbin, "that's what I was 
 thinking myself. And the posters?" 
 
 "Why, put up the usual number in the usual 
 places," said Spiker. 
 
 "Yes, that's all right," said the timid little man, 
 and then as Spiker turned again toward the house 
 Bobbin heaved a big sigh. 
 
 " Well, good night !" he exclaimed, and started 
 slowly on. 
 
 Spiker had got half way up the walk when 
 Bobbin, with a reckless bravery that amazed him 
 self, suddenly stopped and called the great man
 
 52 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 back to the gate, while he returned to that point 
 himself. He was a rod or two away when he 
 began saying in a trembling voice, " See here, 
 Spiker, if Zach.'s elected, don't you suppose I 
 could get something, too ? " 
 
 Spiker was almost transfixed with amazement. 
 "What!" he exclaimed, as if he thought his ears 
 deceived him. " What ! " 
 
 "There!" said Bobbin, putting his hand out as 
 if to ward away a blow. " It don't make a bit of 
 difference, of course. I just thought I'd see what 
 you thought." 
 
 "You!" said Spiker. "You have an office ! 
 Well ! Bobby ! that's devilish good ! " 
 
 " I was only fooling," said Bobbin, with an air 
 of hilarity. "Good joke, ain't it? Good night!" 
 and he sped away into the darkness. 
 
 But Spiker stood at the gate chuckling, and 
 wondering, and thinking, and when Bobbin had 
 reached the middle of the block he called to him. 
 The little man turned, and with a voice rather 
 choked and husky said, " What !"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 53 
 
 " I'll think of it, Bobbin," shouted Spiker, 
 " Maybe something can be done." 
 
 How the little man's heart bounded at these 
 words. He grew half an inch taller in a moment, 
 and when he reached home he awakened his wife 
 and exclaimed triumphantly, " Well, by George, 
 I've done it"
 
 54 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN. 
 
 Those were busy days that succeeded the 
 nomination of Zach. The campaign began in 
 earnest, and was what the politicians call short, 
 sharp, and decisive. It was a new and pleasant 
 experience for Zach., though not without its severe 
 trials. At the commencement all was clear sail 
 ing, and only plaudits greeted him ; but after 
 awhile the opposing candidate was nominated, and 
 though not expecting to win, he made an ugly 
 fight for it. He was a rough, but keen and expe 
 rienced debater, and when Zach. was compelled to 
 meet him he found that his path was not strewn 
 exclusively with roses. The opposition newspa 
 pers also attacked him on every side, as only 
 American newspapers can, and ere the campaign 
 was over a large minority of the good people of
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 55 
 
 the Fifth District looked upon Zachariah Martin 
 as the impersonation of all that was wicked and 
 devilish. Still, as we said, there was a charm 
 about the situation that made the experience a 
 pleasant one. With the larger half of the crowds 
 that assembled, Zach. was the hero, the Cincinnatus 
 who had come forth at his country's call to save 
 it. It was pleasant to look down into the eager, 
 upturned faces, and to make those faces grow 
 stormy, sad, or merry at will. Sometimes also a 
 deeper and better feeling came over the young 
 speaker, and he felt, and deeply, the great respon 
 sibility that rested upon him, and the duty he 
 owed to the generous men who trusted him so 
 implicitly. Not in a politic and self-interested 
 way did he feel this, counting the tenure of his 
 office and the cost or benefit to himself in all he 
 did, but in that greater sense which makes the 
 statesman to resolve now and then to do right, 
 though popular applause may turn against him, 
 and to stand up for truth and righteousness even 
 though the very persons for whom he contends,
 
 56 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 misjudge and crucify him therefor. In these 
 moods Zach. grew impressive, earnest and con 
 vincing, and the multitude followed him as the 
 Crusaders followed Peter the Hermit; but such 
 moments of exaltation were few, and usually Zach. 
 was a very good representative of the ordinary 
 politician. He sometimes rebelled against the 
 tricks and devices so often employed on the 
 stump, but never carried his opposition far. His 
 confidential advisers .were men who wanted to 
 win, and were not very scrupulous as to the 
 means employed. With them sentiment was an 
 excellent thing on the platform, but it had no 
 place in the committee room, and they scouted 
 the virtuous givings-out of public speakers as 
 "springes to catch woodcocks," and the solemn 
 declarations of the party platform as " glittering 
 generalities." 
 
 I am not moralizing in this story. I am not 
 writing a tale with any well-defined idea of a 
 moral, I believe, but O ! for the time when a 
 truer manhood shall come into our political life ,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 57 
 
 when more of our politicians shall be statesmen, 
 and more of our statesmen patriots ; when insin 
 cerity, trickery and cunning shall meet with con 
 tempt instead of reward, and the name "politician" 
 shall be no longer a term of reproach. 
 
 Let no one scoff at this. There is need of 
 such men. There is need of more true men in 
 all the grades of politics, from the highest to the 
 lowest. Holding aloof in the " I-am-holier-than- 
 thou" sort of spirit will not answer. No Ameri 
 can can be truly faithful to his duty as a citizen 
 who is not in the larger and better sense of the 
 word a politician. Bad men degrade politics by 
 mingling actively in political affairs. Let good 
 ones exalt by lending to it the grace and virtue 
 of their own respectability. 
 
 Well, the campaign went on. Peggy grew 
 strangely interested in it, and very proud of Zach. 
 His father grew anxious and troubled, and as for 
 his mother, the charges which flowed from the 
 opposition newspapers against her boy almost set 
 her frantic. When the joint debate between Zach.
 
 5 8 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 and his opponent came off at Hiltonville, she 
 attended, and actually cried with rage at the cruel 
 words of the base man, who so ridiculed and 
 abused the pride of her heart. She could have 
 scalped him on the spot, and might have done so 
 had she not been restrained by wiser counsel. 
 
 "And this young man," said that distinguished 
 speaker, " this young man, hardly escaped from 
 the protecting wing of his mother, prattles to you 
 about duty. You, gentlemen, whose heads are 
 gray in the service, who saw the sun rise and set 
 upon the bloody fields of Tippecanoe and Lundy's 
 Lane ; who saw the charge at Chepultepec, and 
 the banners of the Republic waving over the halls 
 of the Montezumas. This man prates to you of 
 duty a beardless boy instructing gray-haired 
 veterans, Narcissus directing Apollo, an unfledged 
 gosling leading the gods." 
 
 O ! how the words stung, and stung Zach., too, 
 as well as his mother, but he had got partly used 
 to them, while all was new and terrible to her. 
 
 " You didn't give it to him half hard enough,"
 
 Zachariah) the Congressman. 59 
 
 said Mrs. Martin, after the speeches were over and 
 they were on their way home. " The nasty brute, 
 to get up there and abuse and insult me ! Why 
 didn't you pitch into his mother, Zach.? though I 
 suppose if he ever had one he brought her gray 
 hairs in sorrow to the grave long ago." 
 
 Zach. promised to lash him next time, and, 
 after giving him some minute instructions as to 
 just how he was to take the offender down, Mrs. 
 Martin subsided into something like calmness. 
 
 And so the weeks went by until, finally, Zach. 
 came home hoarse and tired, and the campaign 
 was ended. He was very glad it was over, and 
 took his seat by the fire with a big sigh of relief. 
 He had little anxiety about the election, for the 
 district gave a large majority for his party, so he 
 could wait complacently. The second day passed 
 and brought him the news. He was elected very 
 triumphantly, and, as the word spread, the roll of 
 the drum and the shouts of the villagers warned 
 him that a call of congratulation was in contem 
 plation.
 
 60 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 And they came, Spiker and Bobbin and the 
 rest. The fife shrieked, the horns tooted, and once 
 more, for the last time Zach. fervently hoped, he 
 heard the words of a campaign song composed in 
 his honor, but which had grown wearily familiar to 
 him. When the chorus rang out, however, 
 
 Brave Zach., strong Zach., 
 
 None so well as he 
 Plants upon the battlements 
 
 The flag of liberty, 
 
 Mrs. Martin drew herself up proudly and laid her 
 hand upon her son's shoulder with an air of 
 supreme enjoyment. Then came hand-shaking 
 and, inside the house, where a large part of the 
 crowd retired, a recounting of experiences. It was 
 singular what deference was paid to Mr. Spiker. 
 Next to Zach. he was the lion. When he opened 
 his mouth, which was by no means unfrequent, 
 every other tongue was stilled. Without his 
 saying so, the impression was out some way that 
 the victory was directly traceable to his efforts. 
 Spiker was one of those big, positive characters
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 61 
 
 who go through the world elbowing everybody 
 and stepping on men as they do on the rounds of 
 a ladder. To dispute with him meant a scene, 
 and as most men hate scenes, he generally traveled 
 along in his self-asserting way unmolested. Such 
 persons are by no means dangerous, and, when 
 sufficient cause presents itself, always find plenty 
 of men to oppose and vanquish them ; but people 
 do not tear down stone walls when there is an 
 easy path around them, unless it becomes neces 
 sary. So when some one suggested a plan in Mr. 
 Spiker's presence, and that gentleman replied in 
 his big voice, " No, no! stuff nonsense! it won't 
 do at all!" the other party was not likely to press 
 it, unless it was a very important and vital matter. 
 To Bobbin, meek-eyed and timid as he was, the 
 presence of Spiker was simply overpowering, and 
 the idea of disputing with him was so absurd as to 
 be entirely out of the range of his imagination. 
 His business was to laugh when Spiker laughed, 
 to frown when he frowned, and generally to play 
 a sort of minor accompaniment to the major part
 
 62 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 performed by his great exemplar. But Bobbin was 
 so convenient to Spiker as to be almost a neces 
 sity, and the great man had his plans for the little 
 man which, as usual, were like to be successful. 
 Bobbin had never opened his head to Spiker about 
 the office since the night referred to, but he knew 
 by the mysterious or knowing winks bestowed 
 upon him now and then that the latter had not 
 forgotten it. To-night Bobbin watched Zach. tim 
 idly, and stood near him as if owing him an 
 apology for so doing, but all the time he was bask 
 ing in the sunshine of Spiker's eyes, ready to look 
 stern when Spiker looked stern, and to draw down 
 his mouth when Spiker drew his down. If the 
 latter told a story, it was Bobbin who enjoyed it 
 most ; and if his patron was looking at him, he 
 tried to grow very red in the face, and to appear 
 almost suffocated with the mirth he was trying to 
 restrain. During the evening Bobbin saw Spiker 
 take Zach. into a corner and talk to him earnestly, 
 now and then glancing to where he (Bobbin) 
 stood. The latter tried to look unconscious, but
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 63 
 
 he shifted around uneasily on his feet, and laughed 
 very loud at a point made by one of the company, 
 when, in fact, there was nothing to laugh at. 
 Finally Spiker called, " Bobbin, come here!" Bob 
 bin looked surprised at the summons, and tried 'to 
 appear very unconscious as he approached the 
 two gentlemen. Spiker collared him as he would 
 a school-boy. 
 
 " I've been telling Zach.," said he, "just what 
 you've done in this 'ere campaign ! By thunder, I 
 never saw a better worker ! Now, you're as poor 
 as a sand-hill crane. You've got half a dozen 
 children that look as if they'd inherited a rag 
 factory. You ought to have some way to live, 
 and that's what I've been telling Zach. There's 
 nothing here that I know of, but there are any 
 quantity of places in Washington that a member 
 of Congress can get whenever he's a mind to. 
 Now, my plan is that Zach. get you a place there. 
 He's agreed, and says he'll do it if he can, and 
 I know he can. Now, that's settled. When a 
 man does good work, by George I like to see
 
 64 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 him paid for it, and, Bobbin, you'll be paid, mind 
 that!" 
 
 "Oh, I don't want any pay," said Bobbin, with 
 the tears glistening- in his eyes. 
 
 "Stuff!" cried Spiker, slapping him on the 
 back. " You do want it, and you'll get it, eh, 
 Zach. ? " 
 
 " I shall surely feel delighted to help you, 
 Bobbin," said Zach, "and as Spiker says, I pre 
 sume I can. At any rate, I'll do my best, and I 
 owe you much besides." 
 
 "That's the talk," said Spiker. "What did I 
 tell you, Bobbin?" and slapping the little man 
 again, Spiker wiped his face and puffed, and 
 looked immensely placid. Promising to talk over 
 the matter again, the subject was dropped here, 
 and soon after the company separated. Bobbin 
 went home in a state of bewilderment. He was 
 wondering whether he could ever do enough to 
 repay Spiker, and how he would act in the new 
 and great life that seemed opening before him. 
 And thus the campaign ended.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 65 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 IN WHICH ZACHARIAH ENTERS UPON NEW SCENES. 
 
 The engagement existing between Peggy and 
 Zach. was not a public one. Only the family 
 knew of it, and so the remarks of gossips did 
 not annoy the young people. Peggy had gained 
 a conception of what would be required of her 
 when she came to support a part of the dignity 
 of Zach.'s new position, and she had tried hard to 
 qualify herself for the place that is, she toned 
 herself down somewhat, tried to read the various 
 ponderous books that Zach. provided for her, and 
 tried to learn a good many things which, under 
 other circumstances, she would have heartily 
 despised. Among the books thus supplied her 
 were several on drawing, and these had a fasci 
 nation for her. Though unaided, she developed 
 
 in a few months a decided cleverness in sketch- 
 E
 
 66 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 ing, and frequently delighted Zach. with her profi 
 ciency in this respect. With most of the other 
 studies, however, she was at natural enmity, and 
 do what she would she could not become inter 
 ested. Perhaps Zach. expected rather too much 
 of her. Few women would be fascinated with 
 Mill on Political Economy, but this was one of the 
 works that Zach. commended to her, and even urged 
 most strongly upon her attention. Poor Peggy 
 tugged away at it until her little brain was racked 
 to bursting, but it was no use. The ideas and the 
 words faded out of her memory before they were 
 fairly lost to the eye. 
 
 "To think," said she, "that the women down 
 there are familiar with such great books as these ! 
 I know I will seem like a fool to them, for I can 
 not understand it," and then she would go poring 
 over the pages again in the vain hope of remem 
 bering a passage with which she could delight 
 Zach. 
 
 And so the time intervening between the elec 
 tion and Zach.'s taking his seat passed away. It
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 67 
 
 had been arranged that immediately after his 
 arrival in Washington he should secure a position 
 for Bobbin, if possible. The collectorship for 
 Spiker was practically in his own bestowal, so 
 there was no question about that. The night 
 before Zach.'s departure a company of his neigh 
 bors assembled to bid him good-bye. It was rather 
 a merry company until about the hour for sepa 
 ration, when a somewhat sad tinge was given it. 
 Some one proposed the health of Zach. in a little 
 speech, to which he responded good-humoredly. 
 A guest then called for the old gentleman, and the 
 call being taken up loudly, there was nothing for 
 Mr. Martin to do but come forward. He did this, 
 but not blushing and stammering, as they expected. 
 On the contrary, he was calm and possessed, and 
 surprised them by speaking deliberately and to 
 the point. ' He closed by saying: "My friends, as 
 you all know, I am not a speaker or a politi 
 cian. I look upon my son's election, however, with 
 pride, and am grateful to you for so generously 
 aiding him. He has been taught to be faithful,
 
 68 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 honest, and industrious in his humble duties at 
 home, and I pray heaven that he may prove 
 equally so in his public career. While he does, 
 may God in His goodness bless and spare him." 
 The earnestness of the old man, into whose eyes 
 the tears came fast as he spoke, dissipated the 
 mirth which had prevailed, and the crowd pressed 
 Zach.'s hand, with a solemn prayer for his happi 
 ness as they bade him good-bye. 
 
 The next morning the carriage stood at the 
 door which was to carry the young statesman to 
 the depot ; the trunks and valises were aboard, 
 and he turned to bid a farewell to his father and 
 mother ere he started. Peggy stood by with a 
 half-frightened look and with a presentiment in 
 her heart that she was seeing the last of Zach. 
 He took her and kissed her tenderly, and was 
 turning away silently when, with a sudden impulse, 
 she threw her arms about his neck and, looking up 
 into his face, pale and anxious, said almost wildly: 
 "Oh, Zach., you will not forget me, will you? 
 Promise me you will not."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 69 
 
 Zach. was not used to partings, and he was 
 easily affected. He clasped her close to him, and 
 his voice trembled as he replied : 
 
 " Forget you, Peggy ! When I do, may heaven 
 forget me." 
 
 He kissed her again and was gone. It all 
 seemed very foolish to Zach. when he thought of 
 it, and it will seem still more foolish to those who, 
 in the ceaseless going and coming incident to 
 modern travel, forget what last partings are ; but 
 it was a solemn thing to Peggy, and she went to 
 her room sad, dispirited, almost despairing. 
 
 Zach.'s blues lasted him until he was seated in 
 the cars and was whirling away toward the goal 
 of his ambition. The ones who stay, behind 
 always have the hardest of it, but there were 
 many things beside the mere spectacle of new 
 sights to distract and divert Zach. Falling into 
 a conversation with a gentleman, it soon became 
 known to the latter that his fellow-traveler was a 
 member of Congress, and Zach. became the 
 center of attraction. As luck would have it
 
 7o The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 and what a queer companion this same luck is 
 oftentimes the gentleman was himself a resident 
 of Washington, and soon introduced himself as 
 Richard Marmaluke, He was accompanied by 
 his wife and daughter, the former a stately woman, 
 very elegant in her dress and manners; the latter 
 a most beautiful young lady, who made a very 
 decided impression on Zach. at first sight. The 
 ladies received him very graciously, and with that 
 nameless ease and air of good breeding which 
 charmed while it embarrassed the young member. 
 Before he met them he flattered himself that he 
 was pretty well posted in social as well as politi 
 cal affairs, but he hadn't been long in their com 
 pany until he discovered that many of his expres 
 sions were uncouth and inelegant, and he found 
 that he, who could stand unawed in the presence 
 of a vast audience of his own people, felt sadly 
 rough and unpolished in the society of two unpre 
 tending ladies. In fact, so far as knowledge of 
 the polite world was concerned, Zach. was totally 
 ignorant, and he blushed guiltily when he was
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 71 
 
 forced to admit that he knew very little of the 
 theater, was unacquainted with the German, didn't 
 even know the meaning of the "kettle-drum," and 
 actually never heard an opera in his life. The 
 ladies made his ignorance tolerable, however, by 
 failing to seem surprised at it, and he found him 
 self getting on swimmingly. For two days he 
 traveled in their company, and at the end of this 
 time was ready to swear that he had never spent 
 two such profitable and pleasant days in his life. 
 And how he was drawn toward the elegant young 
 lady, who had thus accidentally become his travel 
 ing companion ! When he looked at her, and 
 reflected that she was a belle in the best society 
 of the capital, as he soon made up his mind she 
 must be, he not only felt proud of her acquaintance, 
 but very much satisfied with himself. He began 
 to think that it was no accident which had taken 
 him out of the sphere in which the Martins from 
 time immemorial had dwelt, but his own efforts 
 and his surpassing abilities, that had thus exalted 
 him. He began to think that Spiker's words were
 
 72 The D. G. dr 1 L. Series. 
 
 literally true, and that Martin's Corners was about 
 to throw a statesman on the world who would 
 astound it. And all the time he could not 
 help contrasting Miss Marmaluke with Peggy. 
 "Peggy!" some way the very name sounded so 
 coarse and countrified to him. 
 
 Miss Marmaluke was a rather sharp-featured 
 young lady, with light hair, " frizzed," and large 
 blue eyes. She had a way of languidly closing 
 the latter, and then opening them suddenly, as if to 
 dazzle her companion by leaving him in darkness 
 for a moment and then turning the supernatural 
 radiance of these orbs upon him. Some men 
 would have imagined this to be the trick of a 
 coquette, but Zach., inexperienced soul, only 
 thought that something about her was excessively 
 bewitching and difficult to resist. There was none 
 of this languor about Peggy. Her eyes were 
 brown as was her hair, and they were always 
 merry with good humor or glistening with tears. 
 They never drooped in the exquisite style peculiar 
 to Miss Marmaluke, but always spoke, as did her
 
 Zachariak) the Congressman. 73 
 
 tongue, all that was in her heart. And then, Miss 
 Marmaluke's hands ! They were the slender aris 
 tocratic hands that Zach. had read about, and the 
 gloves fitted them as if the kid out of which they 
 were made had been ordained for this service par 
 ticularly, and had walked up to the glove-maker 
 with the measure of Miss Marmaluke's hand 
 upon his back and had said, " Here I am, cut me 
 up in her behalf alone." Ah, Peggy's black kids, 
 even when she wore them, looked sadly different 
 from these. And Miss Marmaluke's hair was 
 arranged so gracefully! How it became her 
 peculiar style of beauty, and how ridiculous 
 seemed Peggy, as Zach. remembered her, with 
 her two long braids, or with her absurd little 
 knot stuck like a turnip on the back of her 
 head. 
 
 The sun was setting as they entered Washing 
 ton, gilding with gold the dome of the Capitol, 
 which Zach. looked out upon with wonder and 
 pride wonder at its loftiness and grandeur, 
 pride that he was one of the privileged few to
 
 74 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 take possession of it. At the depot he bade his 
 new friends adieu for the present, not without 
 some rather warm expressions on both sides, and 
 not until he had promised to visit them at their 
 home early and often. Then he took a carriage 
 and was driven to a prominent hotel. He was 
 early on the ground, few members had arrived, and 
 he was assigned pleasant quarters. Perhaps Zach. 
 felt rather crest-fallen that the clerk did not recog 
 nize his name and seem impressed with his 
 arrival, but the bell whanged away behind the 
 counter, and the boy was told to "show the gen 
 tleman to 46," as if he were the most ordinary 
 traveler in the world. However, Zach. was not to 
 be cast down by this. He dressed and went to 
 tea, then bent his steps to the Capitol, which he 
 examined long and critically by the light of the 
 moon, which was shining brightly on the magnifi 
 cent dome of the great structure. Returning to 
 his hotel and to his room at last he fell to think 
 ing, and his thoughts, do what he would, were not 
 of home or of Peggy, but of his new friends, the
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 75 
 
 Marmalukes, and particularly of Belle, the daugh 
 ter. He could not help comparing her once more 
 with the young ladies of his own vicinity at home, 
 and it was almost with pain that he thought of 
 Peggy again, with her simple gown and her 
 freckles. Would she ever attain such grace, such 
 a demeanor, to say nothing of such beauty? He 
 felt that it was impossible, and he sighed. Just 
 then a knock came at the door, and a servant 
 entered with a card. Zach. took it and read : 
 
 OMonel 
 
 Immediately the young man was wide awake. 
 He straightened himself and bade the servant 
 show the visitor up. It was his first caller.
 
 7 6 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 IN WHICH MR. BARNCASTLE JOINS THE PROCESSION. 
 
 Zach. had only time to wonder who his titled 
 visitor could be when there was another knock at 
 the door, and the servant ushered into the room a 
 very striking-looking personage. He was a man 
 of forty-five or fifty years, clean shaven, of medium 
 size, but slim, and dressed with a mixture of 
 shabbiness and elegance that puzz'ed you. Glanc 
 ing at his shoes and the bottom of his breeches 
 you would have set him down as a frequent patron 
 of the debtor's prison ; looking at his waistcoat 
 and his gold eyeglasses, you would have marked 
 him as a shrewd lawyer with a comfortable prac 
 tice. Proceed to his shirt collar, and thence to his 
 hair, and you would have made up your mind that 
 he was a chemist, a scientist, an alchemist, perhaps, 
 engrossed with his studies, with time for only pass-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 77 
 
 ing care to his personal appearance. This in 
 repose. When he opened his mouth, however, 
 and began to speak, you recalled all your opinions 
 and confessed that you did not know what he 
 was, but only that he was Colonel Ebenezer Barn- 
 castle. 
 
 Zach. rose as his visitor entered, and advanced 
 a step. Mr. Barncastle paused, threw back his 
 head, and, jerking his mouth into a smile, said 
 
 " I beg pardon, but have I the honor of 
 addressing the Honorable Zachariah Martin, of 
 the Fifth District?" 
 
 " That is my name," said Zach., " and I have the 
 honor to represent the Fifth District." 
 
 "Just so," said Mr. Barncastle, advancing and 
 shaking hands. "You got my card, Mr. Martin?" 
 
 Zach. replied in the affirmative, and offered his 
 visitor a chair. 
 
 " Mr. Martin," said Barncastle, again throwing 
 back his head and smiling, "we are glad to see 
 you among us, sir. When I say that we expect 
 something of you beyond the ordinary level
 
 78 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 of an ordinary member, you understand me ? 
 Hay?" 
 
 " I hope I shall be able to fill the place 
 worthily," responded Zach., modestly. 
 
 "Fill the place!" exclaimed Mr. Barncastle. 
 " Why, sir, you will overflow it. [See Frontis 
 piece.] We know, sir, of your innate modesty, 
 and we know also of your unquestioned ability. 
 Genius, Mr. Martin," here Barncastle assumed 
 the attitude of an orator, " true genius can not 
 be hidden under humble guise or remain unknown 
 in desert waste. It bursts out like the sun of 
 noon from under the morning cloud, and shines 
 the brighter for its temporary obscuration. Try 
 to contract it and it expands; consume it and it 
 rises from its ashes; shatter it and it gathers 
 new strength and comes up smiling at the last 
 round. Genius, guardian angel of my native land, 
 I hail thee! Hay, Mr. Martin! Right." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle wiped his forehead with 
 an ancient red silk handkerchief and looked 
 thoughtful
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 79 
 
 *' I agree with you, Colonel," said Zach., " that 
 true genius can not always remain in obscurity ; 
 but I fear you flatter me." 
 
 " Don't speak of it, my friend," returned Barn- 
 castle, looking hurt, "don't speak of it. We, sir, 
 who are used to public characters and public life, 
 search out the true grain from among a great deal 
 of chaff I must say that, Mr. Martin, a great 
 deal of chaff and when we see a genuine kernel 
 we know it. I called on you thus early because 
 we know it. I want to congratulate you on the 
 magnificent stand you have taken for liberty." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle here reached to his coat-tail 
 and took from his pocket a newspaper, rather 
 faded and old, and unfolded it. It proved to be 
 the Hiltonville "Herald," and contained one of 
 Zach.'s speeches in full. 
 
 " You see," said Barncastle, " I do not speak 
 unadvisedly. I hold here your speech at Hilton 
 ville. I regard it as an effort worthy of a Clay, sir, 
 worthy of a Clay. Forgive me, but you have never 
 heard this passage from another's lips. Listen :
 
 8o The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " My countrymen, behold that flag ! Look upon 
 the white and blue and crimson banner of our 
 country! Shall it be polluted? Shall those stripes 
 be soiled? Shall the stars that now gleam so bril 
 liantly be dimmed by the sacrilegious hand of 
 the opposition ? Methinks I hear a million voices 
 respond in one thundering NO, and there is 
 rejoicing in heaven over the honor and patriotism 
 of my countrymen." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle's voice faltered as he closed, 
 and he turned away and took out his handker 
 chief to blow his nose. Zach. thought the extract 
 rather neat himself, but he was somewhat sur 
 prised to see how it affected his new-found friend. 
 However, he felt pleased and flattered. 
 
 " I call that," said Barncastle, turning to him, 
 "a sentiment worthy of a Jackson, and expressed 
 in the sublime language of a Webster. We have 
 need of more such fearless advocates, sir more 
 of them! In these days, sir, we want men with 
 sediment in them." 
 
 " I fear you make too much of my little effort,"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 8 i 
 
 said Zach., "but I tell you frankly, I do intend, for 
 one, to speak plainly and, if possible, to the point." 
 
 " And that's what delights us, sir," responded 
 Barncastle. "We see too much of mediocrity in 
 the counsels of the nations. It delights us to be 
 able to say to one like you, 'Welcome among 
 us.'" 
 
 "You have been a great deal in public life, I 
 see, Colonel," said Zach. 
 
 "Always, my friend, always," returned the 
 Colonel, with a matter-of-fact air." 
 
 "Closely connected with the government, no 
 doubt?" inquired Zach. 
 
 "Intimately, intimately," responded Barncastle. 
 "As Senator Brookhaven was saying to me this 
 morning, 'Colonel,' says he, 'what you don't know 
 about public life ain't worth knowing,' but I always 
 pardon Brookhaven, he is such an old friend, you 
 know." 
 
 Zach. felt a sort of awe creep over him. So 
 here was an intimate friend of the great Brook- 
 haven, whom he had worshipped for years, and
 
 82 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Barncastle spoke of him as if his acquaintance 
 was the most ordinary thing imaginable. 
 
 "May I ask what position you now hold?" 
 inquired Zach., respectfully. 
 
 " Officially none," replied Barncastle, " unoffi 
 cially a dozen. I was half a mind to go into active 
 service again at the President's solicitation, but I 
 said to myself, ' Barncastle, you old dog, if you want 
 to serve the country, remain outside ; be untram- 
 meled but be vigilant.' ' Colonel,' said the Presi 
 dent to me, 'Will you never let me put you in a 
 place where your experience and knowledge can 
 be of service to the country?' ' Mr. President/ I 
 answered, ' Now, I am your friend ; socially and 
 politically your friend. No one accuses me of sel 
 fish or ulterior motives in visiting you; but were I 
 in your Cabinet all my acts would be misconstrued. 
 So,' says I, sliding off into verse, 
 
 * Let statesmen die and principles decay, 
 But give the gray-haired veteran his way.' 
 
 What I want, Mr. Martin, is the consciousness here
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 83 
 
 in this breast (Mr. Barncastle struck his stomach 
 by mistake) of doing my whole duty. I ask no 
 more. You understand?" 
 
 "I see," said Zach., "you are undoubtedly cor 
 rect." 
 
 " Of course," said Barncastle. " The party 
 wants advisers. I give it my counsel. The man 
 agers say: 'We want success. We must have 
 success. What shall we do to obtain it?' I 
 answer: 'Organize! organize,' Mr. Martin! The 
 Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the 
 top and the bottom sardine, I may say, of suc 
 cessful politics, is organization." 
 
 " Most true," said Zach., admiringly. 
 
 "Hey! That's it," said Barncastle, drawing back 
 and looking at Zach. and smiling triumphantly. 
 " But I must be going. The Secretary of State 
 gives a little supper to-night, and no amount of 
 begging would let me off. Mr. Martin, your hand." 
 Barncastle rose and extended his palm graciously. 
 
 "I am sorry," said Zach., "that you can not 
 keep me company a little longer, but of course I
 
 84 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 can not detain you under the circumstances. I am 
 very grateful to you and hope you will not forget 
 me." 
 
 " Forget you, Mr. Martin," exclaimed Barn- 
 castle. "Never! You have my confidence; know 
 me better. You will find us straightforward, gen 
 erous, whole-souled fellows to our friends, but the 
 very devil to our enemies. Good-night! and let 
 your motto be, Integrity, the keystone of the arch." 
 He shook Zach.'s hand once more warmly and was 
 gone. The latter turned back gratified, delighted. 
 
 "The high road to success seems open," said 
 he, "and a coach-and-four to drive me over it. 
 Here I am received by the intimate friend of the 
 President, from whom I have had words of praise 
 that make my cheeks burn. Was there ever so 
 lucky a mortal?" He had got thus far when there 
 was a knock at the door, and, opening it, there 
 stood Barncastle again, smiling, but looking 
 terribly perplexed. 
 
 "Pardon me, Mr. Martin," said he, "but a most 
 unlucky thing has occurred. Here I have just
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 85 
 
 fallen in with Admiral Griggs, who is suddenly 
 called to New York, and will likely be dashed 
 away on a cruise without a penny in his pocket. 
 Banks all closed. Train leaves in fifteen minutes. 
 Could you accommodate me with, say fifty dollars 
 in exchange for my check on the First National?" 
 
 The idea of a trick never so much as occurred 
 to Zach. It took almost every cent about him, 
 but he readily answered: "Certainly, with the 
 greatest pleasure. Never mind the check, Col 
 onel, your word is all that is necessary." 
 
 But Barncastle did mind. "Forgive me, Mr. 
 Martin," he said ; " but there you're wrong. Busi 
 ness is one thing, friendship another. I always do 
 these things by rule. There you are ! " he con 
 tinued, handing Zach. the check. " Many thanks." 
 
 " I believe you have the correct theory about 
 everything," said Zach. 
 
 "The result of experience," said Barncastle, 
 stuffing Zach.'s bills into his pocket. Then he 
 smiled and again extended his hand. "Once 
 more," said he, " I almost feel as if you were an
 
 86 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 old and valued friend. I shall not say good-bye to 
 you hereafter, but only au revoir" And once 
 more he was gone. 
 
 The next day Zach. presented his great friend's 
 check at the bank, and the teller chuckled and 
 handed it back. Zach. blushed and stammered. 
 The teller chuckled more than ever and winked at 
 the statesman. 
 
 " What's the matter? " whispered Zach. 
 
 " No funds," whispered the teller. 
 
 Zach. looked at the check and then at the 
 officer. 
 
 " Ain't it good? " he inquired. 
 
 " Oh ! " exclaimed the teller. " Why old Barn- 
 castle never had a cent in a bank in his life." 
 
 Zach. slipped the check into his pocket, pulled 
 his hat down over his eyes, and marched quietly 
 out of the building.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 87 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 BOBBIN GETS AN APPOINTMENT. 
 
 Zach. did not tell any one about his little 
 experience with Colonel Ebenezer Barncastle, 
 though to tell the truth it deeply mortified 
 and vexed him. He disliked to be taken in 
 so easily, and more, if possible, to lose the pride 
 and pleasure which the compliments of Barncastle 
 had given him. The result of his experience with 
 that gentleman was to make him unduly sus 
 picious, and the way he eyed strangers who sought 
 his acquaintance thereafter, and questioned them 
 as to their business pursuits, was very comical. 
 
 Zach. did not fail to improve his acquaintance 
 with the Marmalukes. He visited them the sec 
 ond day after his arrival, and found them even 
 more affable and gracious than ever. They were 
 nicely domiciled in the west end of the city, and
 
 88 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 though by no means gorgeous in their surround 
 ings, were elegant and extremely hospitable. They 
 had a circle of very fashionable friends, and it was 
 not many weeks before Zach. began to feel quite at 
 home in their house. In the meantime the ses 
 sion had opened and the young man had begun 
 his duties. He was surprised at the seeming dis 
 order which prevailed in the House, and found 
 that, though he might be a great man in Pine 
 County, he had small chance to make a reputation 
 here. Some one always seemed to be before him, 
 and it was months before he could get the floor 
 even for a dozen words. And he was equally 
 astonished at the kind of work which was 
 required of him. He had possessed a vague 
 sort of notion that the duty of a member of 
 Congress was to rise gracefully in his seat and 
 proceed to speak great words upon great ques 
 tions. He found instead that this was about the 
 last thing that such an official was called upon, 
 or even permitted, to do. And he had no more 
 than become fairly settled in his seat before letters
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 89 
 
 from his constituents, and it seemed from every 
 body else's constituents, began to pour in upon 
 him. These letters were upon every imaginable 
 subject. All creation appeared to have business 
 in Washington which Zach. was expected to do, 
 and do instanter. It would be wearisome to 
 recount even a part of the commissions intrusted 
 to him, but the young man soon found that the 
 position he had obtained was no sinecure. Then 
 came the demands for office. It seemed to Zach. 
 that every man who had voted for him wanted to 
 be appointed to a position of trust and profit. He 
 was besieged also by those from his State who 
 were already occupying situations in the govern 
 ment service at the Capitol. These all wanted 
 better places, and generally preferred appointments 
 in the States or Territories. It struck Zach. as 
 somewhat singular that his constituents at Wash 
 ington all wanted to get away from there, while 
 his constituents at home all wanted to come to 
 Washington. 
 
 He got along with it as best he could, but so
 
 90 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 far had only succeeded in getting Spiker and Bob 
 bin appointed, the former collector, the latter to a 
 one thousand two hundred dollar clerkship in the 
 Treasury. He sent out the latter appointment 
 three months after his arrival in the capital, and in 
 due time it was received at Martin's Corners. 
 
 Bobbin was not in the habit of receiving let 
 ters, and when he held in his hand a thick envelope 
 bearing his name, and just above it the words 
 "House of Representatives, U. S. A.," it someway 
 made the little man faint. He did not open the 
 letter then. He put it in his pocket and started 
 home, determined to read it first in the presence 
 of his wife. As he neared his house, however, he 
 suddenly felt that he ought to be prepared for its 
 contents before trusting himself in the presence 
 of his family, and so he turned off up the road. 
 He wanted to find a quiet, secluded place, but 
 somev:ay the whole country seemed alive. He 
 had a notion of getting over the fence into the 
 woods, but he wondered what people would think 
 if they saw him prowling in there without any
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 91 
 
 apparent reason, and he turned away. He got 
 into a field on his left, and went over a little knoll 
 into a ravine, but up on the other side he saw a 
 man at work, and he made a circle and came back 
 into the road. He was inclined then to read it 
 there, but he was afraid some one would come 
 along and see him and inquire about it; so he 
 turned his steps once more toward the house. This 
 time he passed round the dwelling to the stable 
 and threw the wild and frowsy looking cow there 
 an armful of hay. Then he looked out in various 
 directions, drew the door shut, and pulled the 
 letter from his pocket. He opened it and glanced 
 at the signature, as if to make sure that it was 
 really from Zach., then he read a sentence, and 
 finally the whole letter, which was short but 
 important. It informed him that he had been 
 appointed to a position in the Treasury Depart 
 ment, and directed him to come on at once. 
 
 For a moment Bobbin felt like kneeling down 
 and thanking heaven for his good fortune. It 
 seemed to him like a special interposition of
 
 92 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Divine Providence in his behalf. Then came 
 other thoughts. He was to leave home some 
 thing he had never done before. He was to 
 leave his family, temporarily at least, and this 
 struck him as a most terrible trial. All in all, he 
 felt that he had suddenly become of immense 
 importance to mankind, and while he gladly 
 assumed the honors and the burdens heaped 
 upon him he could not help feeling a regret, 
 after all, that the past was dead, and a new life 
 was opened to him. Bobbin secretly wondered 
 whether he would have a title in his new posi 
 tion, and whether he would be an Honorable as 
 well as Zach. 
 
 That night there was excitement in the house 
 of Bobbin. It extended and widened, too, until it 
 embraced all the near neighbors, and one by one 
 they dropped in to congratulate the little man, 
 and talk the thing over. Zach. had told him to 
 show the letter to Spiker, and Bobbin had visited 
 the former's house and had a long conversation 
 with that gentleman.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 93 
 
 " Now you are all right," said Spiker. " Now 
 go ahead. You've got a chance to make some 
 thing at last, and if you don't, it is your fault, 
 that's all." 
 
 Mrs. Bobbin was delighted. She was perfectly 
 willing to spare her husband for the promised 
 $1,200 a year (a sum that seemed absolutely 
 fabulous to her), especially until she could join 
 him in the great capital, as she expected to do. 
 
 The next morning preparations were made for 
 his departure. The village tailor was called upon 
 to fit out the little man in a- brand-new and 
 "fashionable" suit of clothes, and he informed 
 Bobbin and his wife confidentially that he had 
 been in Washington during the war, and knew 
 exactly the cut that was en vogue in that center 
 of civilization. Bobbin was measured, a proceed 
 ing entirely new to him, and before the next 
 morning the wonderful suit was cut and in pro 
 cess of being basted together. The whole village 
 lent their advice to Bobbin in the emergency. 
 He was trying to fit his little head into a felt hat,
 
 94 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 when one of his friends declared that this was 
 folly and little better than suicide. In Wash 
 ington no one that pretended to be anybody at 
 all ever wore anything- but a silk hat a "plug," 
 as the gentleman expressed it. 
 
 " Look at the President, when he came through 
 Hiltonville last Summer," said he. "You didn't 
 see him with a soft hat on his head." 
 
 Everybody remarked that that was so, and 
 although Bobbin modestly responded that he was 
 not exactly the President, "you know," " nor any 
 where near it," he finally resolved, by universal 
 advice, to order a "plug" from Hiltonville, and 
 did so. 
 
 Perhaps the astounding appearance of Mr. 
 Bobbin when he finally got into that new suit, 
 and surmounted it with that tall hat, was never 
 before presented to mortal man. Someway he 
 looked so raw and mismatched, so to speak. The 
 coat was too big, that was tolerably plain ; but it 
 was the trowsers that startled the beholder, and 
 seemed to stun Bobbin. Those garments seemed
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 95 
 
 determined to crawl all over his feet, and work 
 themselves up in the mud under his shoes. They 
 were doubled up in wrinkles, upheaved into great 
 billows, collapsed into frightful ravines, and when 
 the wind blew them out straight against Bobbin's 
 thin little legs, he resembled a small schooner cap 
 sized, but with the shrouds still clinging to the 
 masts. People remarked that they were too big, 
 but Sims the tailor only closed his lips in a sort of 
 pitying contempt at their ignorance. "Of course 
 they're too big for such a town as this," said he, 
 "but how are they for a large city? What do 
 you know about Washington styles ? Look here ! " 
 and Sims would point to a fashion-plate on his 
 smoky walls, aged and venerable, in which were a 
 pair of breeches that looked wonderfully like Bob 
 bin's in some respects, and silenced all cavil by this 
 conclusive demonstration of his artistic taste. 
 
 Bobbin bade his wife and children good - by 
 with a sob. It seemed as though his heart was 
 going to choke him, as he kissed them all round 
 and passed out of the little door. Spiker was
 
 96 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 going to town, and Bobbin was to ride with him, 
 and he got into the buggy with a feeling that this 
 was the last of earth. Then Spiker cracked his 
 whip, and the little fellow was whirled away, trying 
 to smile good-bys at the faces that witnessed his 
 departure. 
 
 An hour after, they were descending the wind 
 ing road that led into Hiltonville, and Bobbin was 
 actually smoking a cigar, and, in spite of his 
 trowsers, looking like a genuine man of the 
 world. 
 
 When Spiker bade Bobbin good - by at the 
 depot, his last words indicated a prior conversa 
 tion on some business between them, for he 
 said: 
 
 " Now, remember what I've told you. If every 
 thing goes right this ain't the last thing you'll get 
 through me, and if anything turns up let me know 
 at once. You just stand by me straight, and you 
 may be sure your bread will be always buttered, 
 and buttered right." And then he squeezed Bob 
 bin's hand and Bobbin squeezed back with all his
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 97 
 
 might the bell rung, the locomotive whistled 
 sharply, and he was off. 
 
 It was the gray dawn of morning when Bob 
 bin, tired, dirty, and fearfully mussed up, arrived 
 in Washington. The dust had settled in the 
 wrinkles of those wonderful trowsers and clung 
 
 o 
 
 there tenaciously. His new hat had received many 
 a rub the wrong way, and seemed obstinately 
 resolved to defy all efforts to smooth it out. 
 His beard had grown bristly and rough, and 
 altogether he presented a melancholy appear 
 ance. No one noticed him, however ; no one, 
 indeed, had noticed him since the time he left 
 home. He was absolutely hungry for a talk, and 
 gazed eagerly out the windows as the cars entered 
 the depot, hoping that by some lucky accident 
 Zach. would be on hand to meet him. But he 
 looked in vain. He knew no one, and he got out 
 and walked aimlessly along in the crowd of hurry 
 ing passengers to the depot entrance. Here a 
 great crowd of hackmen, expressmen, and hotel- 
 runners were assembled, yelling at the top of their
 
 98 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 voices, and grabbing every one they thought 
 it safe to seize upon. Bobbin was fortunately 
 secured by a very decent fellow who represented a 
 small hotel close by, and the two, taking hold of 
 the little man's trunk, carried it in a very sensible, 
 and, to Bobbin, very proper, way to the house 
 designated. Washed, brushed, and fed, our friend 
 began to feel like himself again. The house was 
 near the Capitol, and, having rested, he set out 
 about two o'clock in the afternoon to explore that 
 immense pile and find Zach. He had inquired at 
 the hotel for the latter, and was amazed to find 
 that the people there did not know, and had not 
 even heard of, the great statesman. Bobbin saun 
 tered along toward the west entrance to the Capi 
 tol Grounds, and when he reached the gate 
 stopped and looked timidly in. Groups of peo 
 ple were passing in and out, and finally he ventured 
 to walk up the broad way himself. He reached 
 the front of the Capitol and halted. He was not 
 sure that he had not committed trespass already 
 in entering the grounds, and he did not like to
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 99 
 
 offend further by going into the building. Seeing 
 a gentleman coming down the steps alone he 
 accosted him and inquired if he could go inside. 
 The man looked at him a minute, smiled, and said : 
 "Of course you can;" and so Bobbin went on. 
 Arriving in the rotunda he was lost again ; but 
 after a while was directed toward the hall of the 
 " House," and walked straight ahead until he was 
 stopped by a tall man, with full whiskers, who stood 
 before a couple of green doors. 
 
 " That way," said the official, jerking his head 
 back, and indicating the way to the gallery, "unless 
 you want to see somebody." 
 
 " I want to see Zach. Martin," said Mr. 
 Bobbin. 
 
 " Send in your card," replied the man. 
 
 Bobbin looked at him silently, not comprehend 
 ing exactly what he meant ; but seeing a man come 
 up, take a blank card, write something on it, and 
 tell the big-whiskered man to give it to " Collins," 
 Bobbin divined the state of things and asked for a 
 card himself. The official handed him one, and
 
 ioo The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 taking it to a window near by Bobbin wrote on it, 
 very plain : 
 
 For Mr. Zach. Martin. 
 
 Zach.. 1 want to see you. I'm out here in the hall. 
 
 TIMOTHY BOBBIN. 
 
 This he handed to the official, and that gentle 
 man disappeared with it. Presently he returned 
 and handed the card back. Mr. Martin was not 
 in. Bobbin felt disappointed, but he looked 
 around, and, seeing the crowd ascending a stair 
 way, he joined them, and presently found himself 
 in the gallery of the House, looking down upon 
 that buzzing, bustling, unruly assemblage known as 
 the House of Representatives. 
 
 For a while he forgot everything else in look 
 ing at the strange scene. Away off on the other 
 side a man was talking at the top of his voice, no 
 one appearing to pay the least attention to him, 
 while every now and then the presiding officer 
 would hammer away on his desk with a little 
 mallet and shout something that no one seemed
 
 Zackaridh, the Congressman. 101 
 
 to understand. Bobbin was sure the desk would 
 be broken into splinters by the terrific pounding-, 
 and, innocent soul that he was, concluded that this 
 was a sort of noon recess, and that the boys were 
 eating their dinner and having some fun. He 
 waited curiously, therefore, to see the House 
 called to order and business begin. 
 
 He was sitting close to the railing which 
 divided the ladies' from the gentlemen's gallery, 
 and all at once his attention was attracted by 
 hearing a voice close to him that sounded strangely 
 familiar. He looked, and almost within reach he 
 discovered Zach. bending over a seat in front of 
 him in which were two ladies. The ladies were 
 richly dressed, and were gayly chatting with Zach., 
 who appeared oblivious to every other sight or 
 sound. Bobbin's first impulse was to call out, but 
 he restrained himself, and watched anxiously for 
 his friend to recognize him. But the latter never 
 
 o 
 
 once glanced his way. It was a full hour before 
 the Martin's Corners statesman got up and started 
 out. He had ascended the gallery steps only part
 
 IO2 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 way when Bobbin coming close to the railing, 
 called out : 
 
 "Zach.! How d'ye do?" 
 
 Zach. turned and looked at Bobbin closely 
 before he recognized him, then walking up to the 
 railing, pleasantly held out his hand. Poor little 
 Bobbin seized it in both his own and fairly hugged 
 it, while almost bursting out crying. It seemed 
 that all home was there in the presence of Zach., 
 and for a moment he could say nothing, and made 
 no reply to the latter's question as to when he 
 arrived. 
 
 Calming down after a little, his companion took 
 him out into the hall, and accompanied him 
 through the Capitol. It was a comical sight to 
 see Bobbin, with those extraordinary trowsers 
 turned up at the bottom to keep them from get 
 ting under his heels, and- his silk hat, a size too 
 large, pulled down over his ears, treading along at 
 Zach.'s side, his face all smiles, and his eyes glis 
 tening with pleasure as they took in the many 
 wonders of that vast pile. Vulgar people stopped
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 103 
 
 now and then to stare at Bobbin, but he never sus 
 pected the cause of their attention. Once Zach. 
 stopped to speak to a gentleman whom he met in 
 the corridor, and after shaking hands introduced 
 Bobbin. The latter also shook hands with the 
 gentleman, and then stood by while he spoke a few 
 words to Zach. on political subjects. Finally the 
 gentleman passed on, nodding pleasantly as he 
 turned away, and saying " Good day, Mr. Bobbin, 
 glad to have met you." 
 
 "Does he look as you thought he did?" 
 inquired Zach., as the stranger disappeared. 
 
 "Well," said Bobbin,"! don't know as I ever 
 thought much about it. Who is he?" 
 
 
 
 "Who is that?" exclaimed Zach.; " why, that 
 is the great Marcus Aurelius Tompkins, of Massa 
 chusetts." 
 
 Bobbin liked to have fallen flat. He turned to 
 look at the back of the great man disappearing in 
 the far corridor, and faintly ejaculated: 
 
 " That! he Tompkins?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Zach.
 
 104 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Good Lord!" exclaimed Bobbin. 
 
 "Didn't you understand the name?* inquired 
 Zach. 
 
 "No," exclaimed Bobbin, with a long breath. 
 "And do you know him?" 
 
 "Certainly," responded Zach., "and so do 
 
 you." 
 
 "Zach.," said Bobbin, solemnly, "I never 
 
 thought I should shake hands with a man like 
 
 o 
 
 that." 
 
 Zach. smiled. 
 
 "And he spoke to me and called me by name 
 when he went away, just like anybody," said 
 Bobbin. 
 
 "Exactly," returned Zach., laughing. 
 
 Bobbin pulled his hat down a little lower, gave 
 his trowsers a hitch upward, and pursued his way 
 thoughtfully. As they returned toward the House 
 side, they met the two ladies to whom Bobbin had 
 seen Zach. speaking in the gallery. They smiled 
 very sweetly, and Zach. colored as he smiled in 
 return. They stopped him for a word or two
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 105 
 
 and Bobbin waited ; but Zach. did not intro 
 duce him. 
 
 Th night Bobbin wrote a long letter home, 
 in which he dwelt on his cordial reception by 
 Zach. and his meeting with the great Tompkins. 
 " I tell you what," he wrote, " my heart began to 
 bob when I found out who it was, but, upon my 
 soul, you wouldn't have been surprised if you had 
 seen him in front of the store at Martin's Corners; 
 so easy-like and natural." 
 
 After this Bobbin went to bed, and slept well 
 for the first time in nearly a week.
 
 io6 The D. G. & L. Series, 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ZACH. GOES INTO SOCIETY. 
 
 The Marmaluke mansion was ablaze with 
 lights, and servants in swallow-tailed coats and 
 ornamented with button-hole bouquets ushered 
 in the throng- of guests. The drawing-room was 
 pretty well filled, and in the rear-parlor a couple 
 were holding a very animated conversation. The 
 first was Mrs. Barker, a woman of forty, perhaps, 
 large and fine looking, but with a worldly, what 
 one might call a fleshly, look that was not alto 
 gether pleasing to the physiognomist. She was 
 elegantly dressed, and had that careless ease 
 which denotes one accustomed to fine apparel 
 and seemingly above it. She was waving a 
 fan, which she now and then closed to tap her 
 companion with, enforcing a remark in this way>
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 107 
 
 and then opening it again with that peculiar grace 
 which women know how to employ so well. The 
 person talking to her was a young man of perhaps 
 twenty-four, a small, slim, gentleman, with a little 
 tuft of blonde whiskers on his chin, a diamond 
 stud in his shirt-bosom, and a brilliant ring upon 
 his little finger. He had a very lamb-like face, 
 and his clothes seemed to have grown upon him 
 as a lamb's fleece covers that type of animal inno 
 cence. This was Mr. Henry Audley, or Mr. G. 
 Henry Audley, as he was wont to subscribe him 
 self, a very wealthy young gentleman, son of a 
 widow, devout and respectable, who divided her 
 time between New York, Washington, and her 
 son. Audley was the intimate friend of all the 
 ladies, especially the middle-aged ones, by whom 
 he was constantly made useful and to whom he 
 confided all his secrets. He had a weakness to 
 be considered a regular masher of female hearts 
 and a very wicked young man with the fair sex 
 generally, but there was not a well-authenticated 
 instance of his ever having broken a heart in his
 
 io8 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 life, nor likely to be one. Just now he was telling 
 Mrs. Barker a little bit of scandal. 
 
 " It was the strangest thing," said he. " Five 
 elopements and one marriage." 
 
 " Oh, no ! not five," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " Ton my honor," ejaculated Audley. " Now, 
 I'll tell you. First she ran away with her music- 
 teacher." 
 
 "That's one." 
 
 " She left him," said the young man, " because 
 he wouldn't play 'Ever of thee' on the flute. 
 Then she eloped with a tailor." 
 
 "That's two," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 "Then she ran off with her father's coachman." 
 
 "That's three." 
 
 " Then she left with a California gambler, and 
 now she's married a bank-teller. She tried to 
 elope with that little Japanese Minister, but some 
 friends put him on his guard. They say she has a 
 splendid figure." 
 
 "Oh, I warrant!" said Mrs. B. 
 
 "Wears one-and-a-half shoes."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 109 
 
 " Nonsense ! " said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " Fact ! " said Audley, energetically. " I know 
 her shoemaker. He told me so himself. I'm going 
 to get an introduction." 
 
 "For shame, Audley," said a voice behind them, 
 and a lady Mrs. Sampson, a woman with a pale- 
 faced husband who was rarely seen away from 
 home joined the group. "You are a very 
 naughty man isn't he, Mrs. Barker?" 
 
 " I hope after making her acquaintance he will 
 avoid us," replied Mrs. Barker. 
 
 "Oh, no, confound it!" said the young man, "I 
 wouldn't speak to her, you know, if you think I 
 had better not." 
 
 All this was about a rather fast and fascinating 
 young lady who was just then the talk of the 
 town. 
 
 " That's a good boy," said Mrs. Sampson, and 
 she playfully patted his head, while he smiled 
 like a child commended for not stealing fruit 
 cake. 
 
 The trio were here joined by Commodore
 
 no The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Grimshaw, a gruff, hearty old naval officer, who 
 had been placed on the retired list because of a 
 wound which disabled him from active service. 
 When told of the- proposition of Audley, and of 
 the manner in which it was received, Grimshaw 
 grunted out a decided " Humph." 
 
 "Why not make her acquaintance?" said he. 
 " What's the matter with her ? You women are so 
 easily horrified, and there ain't one in twenty of 
 you that wouldn't elope fifty times in fifty hours 
 if you had the opportunity." 
 
 "Ah," said Mrs. Marmaluke, who had joined the 
 group, " the Commodore will have his jokes, you 
 know." 
 
 Here Grimshaw turned around to grasp an old 
 gentleman by the hand, and Mrs. Marmaluke had 
 her attention called to a new arrival. 
 
 "The Commodore will have his jokes," said 
 Mrs. Barker, repeating the words of Mrs. Marma 
 luke. "Yes, and his sprees, too, I am informed. 
 Did you hear of his performance on the avenue 
 after the banquet last Tuesday at the Arlington ?
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. ' 1 1 1 
 
 It was too funny. They say the police actually had 
 to carry him home." 
 
 "Mrs. Marmaluke always apologizes for him," 
 replied Mrs. Sampson. " Of course I don't know 
 anything about it, but they say she and the Com 
 modore were a little too friendly for Mr. Marma- 
 luke's peace of mind a few years ago." 
 
 11 Good gracious ! " exclaimed Mrs. Barker. 
 "Well, I'd like to know what she found in him. 
 He looks like an inverted iron-clad." 
 
 "Hush!" exclaimed Mrs. Sampson, "here comes 
 that woman-killer of the capital, Mr. Hartwell." 
 
 The person named, a black-eyed, black-whis 
 kered, and rather distingue gentleman of thirty or 
 thereabouts, came forward with Miss Belle Mar 
 maluke and her mother, and joined the group. 
 
 " You know Mrs. Barker and Mrs. Sampson, of 
 course?" said Mrs. Marmaluke, turning to Hart- 
 well. 
 
 " It ought to make a man smile at every misfor 
 tune to be able to say that he has that pleasure," 
 returned the latter, bowing gracefully to the ladies.
 
 H2 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 11 Now, that's really fine," said Mrs. Barker, 
 "Where do you get all these beautiful compli 
 ments, Mr. Hartwell?" 
 
 "Ask yourself, madam," returned that gentle 
 man. "If I am inspired, the source lies hereabout. 
 I am as dumb as an oyster when out of your com 
 pany." 
 
 "You all know that Mr. Hartwell never flat 
 ters," said Belle. 
 
 "Oh, never!" chimed in Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 "I would, I confess," said he; "but where's the 
 necessity?" 
 
 "You didn't flatter that beautiful creature you 
 had at the opera Wednesday," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " With the curls ? " said Mrs. Sampsen. 
 
 "And the last year's bonnet," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " Do tell me who it was," put in Belle. 
 
 "Oh, a mere passing acquaintance," answered 
 Hartwell. 
 
 " A passing acquaintance, and have her at the 
 opera!" said Mrs, Sampson. "Now, Mr. Hart- 
 well!"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 1 1 3 
 
 "Oh, I did not take her!" said he. Then, as 
 looks of incredulity met him, he continued: "Ton 
 my honor, now. Saw her there with a friend, and 
 took his place by her for half hour." 
 
 Just here there was a little bustle at the 
 entrance, and Commodore Grimshaw appeared, 
 with a lady on one arm and Mr. Zach. Martin on 
 the other. Mrs. Marmaluke and Belle hastened 
 to meet them. 
 
 "There is the great statesman, the Hon. Zacha- 
 riah," said Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 " Mercy, what a name," exclaimed Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " The name is a Scriptural one," said Audley, 
 who had rejoined the group. 
 
 "Indeed!" returned Mrs. Barker. "Who was 
 the original or Scriptural Zachariah ? " 
 
 " I don't know exactly," said Audley, " but he 
 had something to do with cattle and chickens and 
 one thing and another." 
 
 " And our friend Mr. Martin was named Zacha 
 riah because he was old Zachariah's successor, I 
 suppose," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 H
 
 H4 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Yes ; fact," answered Audley ; " I heard them 
 say that Martin used to plow and drive oxen, and 
 do all that sort o' thing, you know." 
 
 Mrs. Sampson here nudged Mrs. Barker, and 
 directed her attention to the new comers. 
 
 " Do see Mrs. Gammill and the Commodore," 
 she exclaimed. " Did you ever see a more deceit 
 ful woman ? " 
 
 " She's working for an invitation to the naval 
 ball," answered Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " Wouldn't she and old Grimshaw cut a hand 
 some figure on the floor?" laughed Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 "She has a pretty necklace, there," observed 
 Hartwell. 
 
 " And nearly broke poor Gammill up getting 
 it," returned Mrs. Barker; "so I am informed." 
 
 Zach., Mrs. Marmaluke, Belle, Mrs. Gammill, 
 and the Commodore here approached and shook 
 hands. While Zach. was being introduced to one 
 or two of the party whom he had not met before, 
 Mrs. Barker kissed Mrs. Gammill very affec 
 tionately.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 115 
 
 " I never saw you looking so well, my dear," 
 she exclaimed. 
 
 "And Mrs. Gammill might return that compli 
 ment, I am sure," said Zach., extending his hand 
 to Mrs. Barker. "What an interesting party you 
 always draw around you ! What do you say to 
 make them so merry?" 
 
 " We were putting Mr. Audley through his 
 catechism just now," said Mrs. Barker. " It's won 
 derful the knowledge he has of Scripture and 
 ancient history." 
 
 "What was the question?" inquired Zach. 
 
 " Why, these were the questions propounded 
 by Mrs. Sampson and myself. She said: ' Audley, 
 give your attention, hold up your head, and take 
 your hands out of your pockets. Who is the first 
 person mentioned as having spoken in Scripture?' 
 
 "Audley ' The whale.' 
 
 '"To whom did the whale speak? 
 
 "Audley 'To Moses in the bulrushes.' 
 
 "'What did the whale say?' 
 
 "Audley 'Thou art the man.'
 
 1 1 6 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "'What did Moses reply?' 
 
 "Audley ' Almost thou persuaded me to be a 
 Christian.' 
 
 "'What did the whale then do?' 
 
 "Audley 'He rushed violently down a steep 
 hill into the sea, and perished in the waters.'" 
 
 A loud laugh greeted this rather old, rather 
 profane, but rather clever sally, and no one 
 appeared to enjoy the satire on Audley's pro 
 verbial stupidity more than that young gentleman 
 himself. " Bravo, bravo," cried the crowd that had 
 collected about Mrs. Barker, and there was a great 
 clapping of hands; but Commodore Grimshaw did 
 not appear to relish the joke. "Oh! these women!" 
 exclaimed that salty veteran. "That was done to 
 cover up some of her backbiting, but I almost 
 feel like forgiving the woman for her ready 
 tongue." 
 
 At this juncture music was heard in the grand 
 drawing-room, and the party made a movement 
 toward that point. 
 
 Zach. and Mr. Hartwell approached Belle at
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 117 
 
 the same moment, and each offered an arm. Belle 
 hesitated, and then placing her hand on Zach.'s 
 arm said, smiling to Hartwell : 
 
 " I believe Mr. Martin was first," and gracefully 
 sailed out of the room. 
 
 "First!" repeated Hartwell, gazing after them, 
 and smiling bitterly. " Yes. He is an Honorable. 
 Let him improve the time while he is, for his hon 
 ors may not last forever. They shall not, if I can 
 help it." 
 
 "Come, Mr. Hartwell," said Mrs Barker, appeal 
 ing to the young man, " I am dying for company." 
 
 "With all my heart," replied Hartwell, offering 
 his arm. 
 
 " Not all," said Mrs. Barker, looking up at him. 
 
 "Yes, all," said Hartwell, smilingly. 
 
 " Except that borne away by the Hon. Zacha- 
 riah," returned Mrs. Barker. Hartwell laughed, 
 showing his even white teeth close together, and 
 then bit his lip as he walked away. 
 
 Mr. Audley and Mrs. Sampson were the only 
 persons left behind. During the above conversa-
 
 1 1 8 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 tion Audley had been industriously offering his 
 arm to half a dozen ladies, each of whom had un 
 luckily provided herself with an escort just as he 
 came to hand. Not at all discouraged, the young 
 man turned to Mrs. Sampson, and, bowing very 
 low, said: "Mrs. Sampson, may I?" and Mrs. 
 Sampson returned the bow with a most graceful 
 inclination, and answered: "You may." 
 
 The dancing and the flirting and the gossip 
 were going on swimmingly in the drawing-room 
 when a couple of middle-aged gentlemen entered 
 the hall and stepped from there into the library at 
 the left. The younger of the gentlemen, who came 
 in as if at home, was, in truth, the master of the 
 house, Mr. Marmaluke, and his companion was a 
 local judge of some repute, named Spalding. They 
 took off their overcoats and threw them carelessly 
 over the chairs, while Mr. Marmaluke looked out 
 through the open doors at the scene in the parlors. 
 
 "There they go," said he, drawing off his 
 gloves. " The Commodore and my wife, Audley 
 and Mrs. Sampson, and "
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 1 1 9 
 
 "Martin and your daughter," put in the Judge. 
 "Fine fellow that Martin, Marmaluke. I'd encour 
 age him." 
 
 "Hez.y a rising young man," replied Marmaluke. 
 
 "Yes, yes," responded the Judge. "Got a fine 
 legal brain, too. When the bill was up last week 
 to encourage the judiciary by an increase of salary 
 he saw through it like a chief justice. ' If we want 
 fine legal ability,' said he, 'we must pay better 
 prices for it.' And so we must." 
 
 "Not that we haven't fine legal ability now, 
 Judge ? " 
 
 " By no means. But can we keep it ? That's 
 the question." 
 
 "You are not going to resign, I hope?" said 
 Marmaluke, solemnly. 
 
 " I ought to," returned Judge Spalding. 
 
 " But you won't," said Marmaluke. " You see 
 it's not so bad after all. We plain citizens may 
 make a little more money, but we run a good deal 
 more risk, and have no honors showered upon us. 
 If we get attention we have to pay for it, while
 
 I2O The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 you officials have cannons fired, and military drawn 
 up, and carnages furnished, and the hospitalities 
 of the city tendered every time you go out. You 
 ought to be willing to slice a little off on the sal 
 ary. But here," proceeded Marmaluke, going to a 
 side-board and bringing out a decanter and glasses, 
 " Robertson County. The best ; arrived last night. 
 If anything can soothe the ruffled spirit of the 
 judiciary, it's such whisky as this. Let's try it." 
 The Judge tasted it, lifted his eyes in mute appre 
 ciation, and then swallowed the remainder at a 
 gulp. 
 
 " Now for a smoke," said Marmaluke, and the 
 two gentlemen went up stairs, where the odor of 
 their cigars would not disturb the guests. 
 
 Zach. and Belle had danced twice, and then, a 
 little tired and heated, they stepped across the 
 hall, and entered the library. They were convers 
 ing very rapidly, and Belle seemed vastly pleased 
 and interested. Zach. had been telling her of his 
 home, and was much pleased at the apparent enjoy 
 ment she manifested.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 121 
 
 "And you lived there all your life?" she 
 inquired. 
 
 "All my life," returned Zach., " worked on the 
 farm summers and went to school a mile through 
 the snow in winter." 
 
 "Dear me!" exclaimed Belle. 
 
 " Oh, it was not so bad," said Zach. 
 
 " But had you no amusements?" she inquired. 
 
 " Nothing but spelling-schools," returned Zach., 
 " and occasional parties at a neighbor's, seven or 
 eight miles away. Then came the sleigh rides. 
 Ah, there was real enjoyment. You know nothing 
 about them here." 
 
 " I have had them in New York," replied Belle. 
 
 " Yes ; but those are poor affairs," said Zach. 
 ' Some way the snow looks tired, and there 
 is none of that roughness and abandon which 
 lends it such a charm in the country. You want a 
 sleigh twenty feet long, filled with boys and girls 
 and buffalo robes. Then four horses loaded down 
 with bells not flat, spiritless little tinkling bells, 
 but all kinds, from the deepest bass to the sharp-
 
 122 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 est treble. Away we go down the road and round 
 the turn, the old woods echoing the merry jingle, 
 the horses arching their necks and dashing 
 along 
 
 "Keeping time, time, time, 
 In a sort of runic rhyme, 
 
 To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells 
 From the mingling and the jingling of the bells." 
 
 Zach., growing interested in his description, 
 and remembering the many incidents that he had 
 enjoyed, was almost carried away, and stopped 
 short as he recovered himself and begged pardon. 
 
 "Pardon!" said Belle, with her eyes glowing. 
 " Why, it is excellent. I don't wonder you are 
 called an orator. I am sure you deserve to be." 
 
 "You flatter me," said Zach. 
 
 " Not a bit," returned Belle. " I am certain you 
 deserve it." 
 
 "And do you like the appellation?" said he, 
 placing his hand upon hers as it rested upon his 
 arm. 
 
 "Indeed I do," she returned. "If I were a
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 123 
 
 man it seems to me my highest ambition would be 
 to sway a crowd, and by the force of my eloquence 
 make them obedient." 
 
 " My father always ridiculed this power," said 
 Zach. " He never believed in it. He is always 
 talking of quiet and contentment and domestic 
 peace peace in a cottage, or rather in a farm 
 house, which amounts to the same thing." 
 
 " But how must domestic peace be sacrificed in 
 a palace more than a hovel ? " said Belle. 
 
 " The very question I asked him," responded 
 Zach., " but he is very old-fashioned and very sin 
 gular in some of his notions, and Peggy always 
 sided with him." 
 
 "Peggy?" exclaimed Miss Marmaluke, curi 
 ously. 
 
 Zach. blushed, and Belle noticed it, and this 
 made her twice as curious. 
 
 "Who is Peggy?" she inquired. 
 
 " Have I never told you ?" said Zach. 
 
 " No," replied Belle ; " is she your sister? " 
 
 " No."
 
 124 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Oh, your sweetheart? " said she. " Now, don't 
 deny it." 
 
 "Not now," said Zach., with an effort, and look 
 ing mean as he made the denial. "We used to be 
 rather tender with each other a long time ago." 
 
 Ah, was it then so long since that tender part 
 ing, and did Peggy indeed seem so far away to him? 
 
 " She is an orphan Peggy Clover, by name," 
 he resumed, " who was brought up in our family. 
 A noble girl," continued Zach., resolutely, and 
 determined to make some sort of amends for the 
 cowardice which made him deny her. "A noble 
 girl, honest, sincere, and one who, if she had only 
 had advantages, no man would be ashamed of; 
 but of course she is perfectly ignorant of the 
 world, and for that matter of accomplishments." 
 
 "And one with your discernment and tastes," 
 said Belle, artfully, "must have a companion as 
 well as a help-meet." 
 
 Someway these words seemed so true to Zach. 
 And again came up that mental contrast between 
 the eloquent girl at his side and plain Peggy, with
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 125 
 
 her simple, sober dress, her tanned face and hands, 
 and her hoydenish manners. 
 
 " I was mad to think of marrying her," he said 
 to himself; "mad to think of it. It is not too late 
 to save both Peggy and myself from the misery of 
 an unequal union." 
 
 Belle seemed to read his thoughts, and to 
 encourage him in putting that absurd first love 
 aside. 
 
 "No," said Zach, turning to her and resuming. 
 " My ideal is this. I would have the honor and 
 gratitude of my countrymen. I would have a 
 faithful, a beautiful, a loving, and an intellectual 
 wife. I would have wealth, of course, a house in 
 town, a cottage in the country, where quiet would 
 only be dearer for the contrast with the bustle 
 of fashionable life ; and then, Miss Marmaluke, it 
 strikes me my earthly happiness would be com 
 plete." 
 
 Zach. unconsciously drew Belle nearer to him 
 as he spoke, and she, nothing loth, hung more ten 
 derly on his arm.
 
 126 The D, G. & L. Series. 
 
 " And with such a man," said she quickly, and 
 then recovering "a man who could command 
 such miracles, I mean what woman would not 
 be happy ? " 
 
 "And you would?" said Zach. softly, bending 
 down to her. 
 
 "Yes," replied Belle, "with even far less than 
 this." 
 
 "With what less?" said he. 
 
 "All," she responded. "All, I think, save the 
 frank generous heart that could wish for such 
 things for my sake." 
 
 "And who would not wish for them and win 
 them, too, for one like you?" said Zach., passion 
 ately. "At least who would not be armed and 
 girded for the work with you to cheer and 
 strengthen him? What obstacle could prevent 
 our realizing the ideal if we went hand in hand 
 together? Miss Marmaluke! Belle !"- 
 
 A rustle was heard at the door, and they both 
 looked around. Hartwell was sauntering by and 
 looking in. His white teeth shone through his
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 127 
 
 black beard as he smiled cynically and passed 
 on. 
 
 The sight seemed to recall some thought to 
 Belle, for she straightened up and said hurriedly: 
 "Let us return. Our absence will be remarked. 
 I hear some one coming now." She turned as 
 she spoke, and Zach., rather disappointed, started 
 forward with her. At the door he paused and 
 said: "And when shall we continue the conver 
 sation?" 
 
 "To-morrow," said Belle, hastily, and they 
 passed into the drawing-room. 
 
 Hartwell was standing at the library door a 
 few minutes after, when Mr. Marmaluke and the 
 Judge, having finished their cigars, came down 
 stairs. 
 
 "Hello! Hartwell!" said Marmaluke. "Enjoy 
 ing yourself alone, eh? and you such a beau. For 
 shame! What has become of your gallantry?" 
 
 "Only a step out here for a breath of fresh 
 air," responded Hartwell. "I am just returning." 
 
 "That's right," responded Marmaluke. "Give
 
 128 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 the ladies the pleasure of your society while you 
 are young and good-looking. When you are as 
 old as the Judge and myself they won't notice 
 you." 
 
 " I shall endeavor to improve the time, sir," said 
 Hartwell, showing his white teeth again and pass 
 ing into the parlor. 
 
 "A nice young man enough," said Marmaluke, 
 looking after him. "Would be somebody, prob 
 ably, if he would leave this energy-destroying city 
 and go out into the world. By the way, Judge, a 
 young man ought never to hold office. It unfits 
 him for everything else and makes a sort of help 
 less imbecile of him. Offices, at least all the good 
 ones, ought to descend like incense on old codgers 
 like you and me." 
 
 "Now, Marmaluke," said Judge Spalding, "you 
 don't understand these matters. As I was saying 
 when you broke me off, the judiciary is the palla 
 dium of our liberties. Without an incorruptible 
 judiciary what is a country worth? How can it 
 be incorruptible when its stomach is continually
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 129 
 
 craving turkey and lobster salad, which it is too 
 poor to buy? What does Blackstone say? Gov 
 ernments are 
 
 "There, now, don't," interrupted Marmaluke. 
 "Don't get on to Blackstone. The prisoner pleads 
 guilty to every count. What is the sentence?" 
 
 The Judge glanced wishfully at the magic 
 side-board. "The court is silenced," said he, "and 
 assesses the fine at two more toddies, and it must 
 be paid without being replevied." 
 
 "Good," said Marmaluke, and he proceeded to 
 pay the fine. 
 
 At the other end of the hall at this instant a 
 curious scene was being enacted. Belle, accom 
 panied by Hartwell, was standing there, while he, 
 in low, but almost fierce tones, was addressing her. 
 
 " I heard it all," said he. " The fool would have 
 proposed and you would have accepted, for what I 
 know, if it had not been for the noise I made." 
 
 "And what can I do?" she replied. "You know 
 I am acting the part under instructions." 
 
 " You are of age, I believe," said he. 
 
 6* I
 
 130 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Yes, and my own mistress; but what then? 
 Shall I disobey my mother? What have you to 
 offer me? Show me a home where you can 
 take me." 
 
 "You know I can not do this now," he 
 responded; "but let us marry and trust to recon 
 ciliation." 
 
 "Oh, I have seen too many such cases," she 
 replied. "My mother is ambitious. She wants 
 position. She thinks she sees in Martin a lucky 
 genius, who will rise to the highest places. If I 
 were to marry you she would supply my place 
 here with some relative, and the house of Marma- 
 luke is not rich enough to support two such 
 luxuries." 
 
 "And what do you propose to do?" he said. 
 
 " I really do not know," she replied. 
 
 "You will not marry him?" 
 
 " No, I suppose not." 
 
 "But if he urges you?" 
 
 "I will accept him." 
 
 "Accept him!" Hartwell's face darkened, and
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 131 
 
 he clenched his hands nervously. " Take care, 
 Belle," said he. 
 
 "Oh, it is easy enough," said she, quickly, "ma 
 will not object to delay. It will give her time to 
 see if her predictions prove true, and to look out 
 for more eligible parties." 
 
 "And how long can this last?" 
 
 " How long do you want it to last?' said she. 
 
 "I want time to better my own condition and 
 to look after his," replied he. " One, two, three 
 years, if necessary." 
 
 "It can be done," said Belle. 
 
 " In that time," continued Hartwell, " I will put 
 obstacles in Mr. Martin's way that will dispel your 
 mother's fancy, -and you must help me." 
 
 " I ! " exclaimed Belle. " What can I do ?' 
 
 " Opportunities will offer. You must recom 
 mend me to him to his confidence." 
 
 " I don't see how this can help you," said 
 Belle. 
 
 " Never mind ; do it," he replied. " Put it 
 strong ; urge it as a special personal favor. If he
 
 132 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 cares for you, he will not refuse you anything. I 
 know them all." 
 
 " I will do what I can," said Belle, " trust me for 
 that. Now let us go in. and for mercy's sake 
 don't look like a volcano if I happen to speak to 
 the man again." 
 
 Hartwell, whose countenance had grown placid, 
 smiled once more and proved his recovery by 
 immediately going up to Zach., and entering into 
 a very pleasant conversation, in which Belle soon 
 joined. 
 
 "Where have you been, you wicked men, all 
 the evening?" said Mrs. Barker, a few moments 
 after, as Judge Spalding and Mr. Marmaluke 
 entered the room. 
 
 "There, you dear creature,' said Mr. Marma 
 luke, familiarly; "the Judge and I have had a 
 serious case to consider." 
 
 "Yes, madam," said the Judge, "an alleged vio 
 lation of the revenue laws." 
 
 "No doubt," responded Mrs. Barker; "from the
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 133 
 
 odor in the library I should say a brewery had 
 been seized and the contents confiscated." 
 
 "Your woman's instinct is right," replied Mr. 
 Marmaluke; "it was a brewery." 
 
 "But the man was innocent," said the Judge; 
 " I would have sworn that the moment I smelt his 
 handiwork." 
 
 "And on tasting it," continued Marmaluke, "the 
 man was triumphantly acquitted." 
 
 Audley, who had stood by hearing this raillery, 
 here broke into an immoderate fit of laughter. "I 
 see!" he exclaimed, "I see! By Jove! That's 
 good! That's rich!" 
 
 "Why, stop the man," exclaimed Mrs. Barker. 
 "He'll suffocate himself" 
 
 "Some one pound him on the back," suggested 
 Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 "Oh, give him time," said Marmaluke. "He's 
 not used to such wit ; he'll recover soon." 
 
 " It reminds me, you know," said Audley, catch 
 ing his breath and trying to speak distinctly, " it 
 reminds me of a story of a judge."
 
 134 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Certainly," said Mrs. Barker, solemnly. "It 
 reminds him of a story of a judge. How strange!" 
 
 "You are sure it was a judge, Audley?" said 
 Marmaluke. 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied the young man, tittering. " He 
 got drunk and stole six silver spoons." 
 
 "Oh, no!" exclaimed Mrs. Barker. 
 
 Come now, young man," said Judge Spalding, 
 " that won't do." 
 
 " Upon my honor," said Audley, looking serious; 
 "by mistake, you know." 
 
 "Oh!" said Mrs. Marmaluke; "Oh!" exclaimed 
 Marmaluke ; " Oh ! " echoed the rest. 
 
 "Yes," continued Audley ; "and he found them 
 in his pocket next morning just before a deuced 
 fellow was brought before him for stealing a pig. 
 ' Guilty or not guilty,' said the Judge, or the lawyer, 
 or some of them. ' Guilty, but drunk/ pleaded the 
 thief. ' Where did you get your liquor?' inquired 
 the Judge. 'At Miller's,' responded the man. 'Re 
 lease the prisoner,' roared the Judge. 'Let him 
 go! That whisky of Miller's would make a thief
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 135 
 
 of the Angel Gabriel,' and so the fellow got clear." 
 
 At the termination of his story, Audley burst 
 into an uncontrollable fit of laughter again, the 
 others remaining very solemn and serious. 
 
 11 Marmaluke," said Judge Spalding, " our young 
 friend can't have been meddling with your Robin 
 son County liquid, can he?" 
 
 "Impossible!" replied Marmaluke. 
 
 "Strange," continued the former, "that keen 
 ness like that should inhabit such tender youth. 
 He deserves something of his country. Let's re 
 move him to the jury room." 
 
 " Ladies, excuse us a moment," said Marmaluke ; 
 "we want to reward genius and invigorate inno 
 cence. Audley, this way," and taking the young 
 man by the arm the two gentlemen escorted him 
 to the library. 
 
 "Our friend, the Judge, has a little too much 
 this evening," remarked Mrs. Sampson, as the gen 
 tlemen disappeared. 
 
 " Never mind," responded Mrs. Barker, " he 
 can't drink more than Marmaluke."
 
 136 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 While this scene was transpiring at one end of 
 the room, Zach. and Belle were improving the time 
 at the other. It was quite late, and he was making 
 ready to go. 
 
 "I hope your evening has been pleasant," said 
 Belle. 
 
 " My evenings are always pleasant when I 
 spend them here," he replied. 
 
 "Oh, thank you," said Belle; "will you come 
 to-morrow?" 
 
 "With pleasure." 
 
 "I have a favor to ask of you," said Belle, 
 remembering her promise to Hartwell. 
 
 "You have only to name it," said Zach. 
 
 "You are so kind," returned Belle, looking up 
 at him gratefully. " I shall see you to-morrow." 
 
 "Yes, and, let me hope, alone," said Zach. 
 
 "Alone," echoed Belle, bowing; and then, press- 
 . ing her hand, Zach. took his leave. 
 
 That night he sat in his room until way into 
 the morning, thinking of his new life and the 
 strange change that had come over him. When
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 137 
 
 at last he fell asleep he dreamed that he was at the 
 farm again. Peggy had her arms about his neck, 
 and was saying, once more, beseechingly, "You 
 will not forget me, Zach.?" and he was responding, 
 while a new sun rose in the east and bewildered 
 and maddened him, "When I forget you, Peggy, 
 may Heaven forget me."
 
 138 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MR. BARNCASTLE AGAIN. 
 
 Zach. had seen Mr. Barncastle many times since 
 that gentleman so quietly relieved him of the fifty 
 dollars on the night of his arrival in Washington. 
 At first he felt like seizing the rascally dissembler 
 by the throat and compelling him to refund, but 
 he overcame this desire and permitted his polished 
 admirer to pursue his way in peace. Further than 
 that the surpassing assurance of the man rather 
 commanded his admiration. Unlike most debtors, 
 Barncastle was by no means disposed to shun those 
 he owed. Indeed, he took pains to seek them out, 
 and, after apologizing briefly for his shortcomings, 
 enter into a political discussion with the ease and 
 ardor of an old and accomplished statesman. So 
 fair were his promises, so seemingly sincere his 
 regret at his inability to refund the sum borrowed
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 139 
 
 of Zach., that the latter was at first very much mol 
 lified over his loss, and was inclined to believe that 
 the enemies of Barncastle had slandered him; but 
 the proof became so strong in a short time that he 
 was compelled to place that gentleman as first in 
 the list of all the chronic borrowers he had ever 
 known. 
 
 As before stated, it was the custom of Barn- 
 castle to seek out his creditors wherever he could 
 find them, and begin a well-worn and oft-repeated 
 apology. He seemed to delight in this almost as 
 much as in obtaining a loan in the first place; and 
 to those who had lent him, he became an absolute 
 terror. They would slide around back ways, slip 
 out at side doors, turn up cross streets, and take 
 roundabout cuts through alleys and unfrequented 
 places to avoid him. There was something exces 
 sively comic in this reversal of customary prac 
 tices, and Barncastle could truthfully proclaim 
 himself lord of the avenue. And it must be said 
 that he did not hesitate at times to make capital 
 out of this terrorism.
 
 140 The D, G. & L. Series. 
 
 "There comes Senator Touchstone," he would 
 say to a chance acquaintance, looking ahead of 
 him. "Now watch him and I will show you a 
 piece of ingratitude." A moment after, the unfor 
 tunate statesman, observing Barncastle approach 
 ing him with that smile of resolute complacency, 
 would dodge up a street, or in at a convenient 
 shop-door, and Barncastle would nudge his com 
 panion with an air of "I told you so." Before 
 they parted that companion would hold the im 
 pression that the honorable gentleman who had 
 displayed such trepidation was Barncastle's debtor, 
 ashamed or afraid to look the latter in the face. 
 He would likely learn to his cost the real truth 
 before many days, however, from practical ex 
 perience, and so no great harm was done to 
 senatorial reputation. 
 
 Barncastle's constant apologies and excuses to 
 Zach. at last grew excessively tiresome. Some way 
 that gentleman always took pains to introduce the 
 subject just at the time Zach. most desired to avoid 
 it. Meeting the latter in the crowded reading-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 141 
 
 room at the hotel, Barncastle would dart forward 
 with a glad smile of recognition, and, extending 
 his hand, remark: 
 
 "Why, Mr. Martin! This is a pleasure, a great 
 pleasure ; yet it is embarrassing. I really did not 
 expect to meet you to-night, and neglected to 
 bring that little amount with me. Will you please 
 say where you will be at 1:45 to-morrow, and let 
 me settle the matter? Ton my word, it worries 
 me ; " and Zach. time after time had replied that it 
 was of no consequence ; it could be handed in at Mr. 
 Barncastle's convenience, conscious at the time that 
 various persons in the room were winking and 
 smiling at the scene, and glad to stop Barncastle's 
 mouth at any price. The latter, however, turned 
 these interviews to profit. Comparative strangers 
 who were thrown into Zach.'s society, seeing him 
 recognize Barncastle, observing him conversing 
 with him, or going to one side with him, as he 
 frequently did to prevent the man from publishing 
 his greenness to the whole room, were led to 
 regard the former as a man of some importance,
 
 142 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 an opinion which Mr. Barncastle did not hesitate 
 to take advantage of at the very first opportunity. 
 He had a way, too, of sauntering through the 
 hotel, and seeing Zach. engaged in conversation 
 passing quite near, lifting his hat, bowing, and 
 making some appropriate remark, as much as to 
 say, " We great men must recognize each other." 
 There was none of your false humility or self- 
 abasement about Barncastle. He never spoke to 
 Zach. that he did not seem to say, " It was a lucky 
 thing for you, young man, when you made my 
 acquaintance." 
 
 Finally Zach. found himself, like the others we 
 have mentioned, dodging corners and slipping out 
 side doors to avoid Barncastle ; and at last this 
 persecution became unbearable. One day as he 
 was turning a street corner he came face to face 
 with his evil genius, and there was no way to 
 escape the meeting. Barncastle began as usual. 
 "Martin!" exclaimed he, grasping the latter with 
 one hand while he slapped him familiarly on the 
 back with the other, " I owe you fifty dollars."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 143 
 
 " Well," returned Zach. 
 
 "Well/ repeated Barncastle; "no, sir, it is not 
 well ; it is extremely ill, but I have just given the 
 last cent I had to the three infant daughters of a 
 deceased classmate." 
 
 "Yes," replied Zach., "the same story." 
 
 " No," said Barncastle, " I beg your pardon. 
 The last time, if I recollect right, it was the family 
 of an organ-grinder." 
 
 " It does not matter who it was," said Zach. ; 
 " you didn't have the money then, and you haven't 
 got it now." 
 
 "You've hit it exactly," said Barncastle. 
 
 "Then what are you stopping me for?" said 
 Zach. 
 
 "To express my sorrow, my mortification," 
 returned Barncastle, bowing very low. 
 
 " The devil take your sorrow and mortification," 
 said Zach. hotly. " I don't want to be stopped half 
 a dozen times a day by a debtor, and hounded to 
 death, to be informed that he can't pay me." 
 
 M Mr. Martin," said Barncastle, reproachfully,
 
 144 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " this is cruel it is, I may remark, ungrateful. 
 Suppose you have a friend; his name may be 
 Smith of Perkins it don't matter about that 
 but you dote on him, your heart yearns for him. 
 In an evil hour " 
 
 Zach. would hear no more. He brushed past 
 Mr. Barncastle and left that gentleman talking 
 wildly to the air, but when he got a quarter of a 
 block away he could hear the latter repeating the 
 names of "Smith or Perkins, as the case may be," 
 hurling them and the moral he wished to incul 
 cate at Zach.'s retreating form with great spirit 
 and persistency. After that, however, Barncastle 
 only troubled the young statesman at long inter 
 vals.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 145 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE. 
 
 Bobbin did not see much of Zach. for a few 
 days after his arrival, and time hung pretty heavily, 
 as he had not yet begun work. He had made 
 some acquaintances, however, of a rather peculiar 
 character, and these now and. then afforded him a 
 good deal of amusement. A circus and menagerie 
 was exhibiting a few blocks away, and the " dash 
 ing equestriennes," the " daring gymnast," the 
 " india-rubber man," the " old clown," the " East 
 India snake entrancer," and other wonderful men 
 and women were quartered at the hotel. Bobbin 
 listened to the talk of these persons, and heard 
 their astounding stories with great interest. He 
 could hardly believe, as he saw and heard them, 
 that they were the same persons he was accus 
 tomed to behold in the ring, and it took two
 
 146 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 or three visits to the circus before he was able to 
 convince himself of this fact. 
 
 The snake entrancer was a peculiar object of 
 wonder to Bobbin. 
 
 One night this personage, after eyeing Bobbin 
 very closely at intervals, came up to him and, tap 
 ping him mysteriously on the shoulder, said, in an 
 undertone: 
 
 "Coin' into the Treasury, eh?" 
 
 " Yes," returned Bobbin. 
 
 The snake charmer shook his head and looked 
 still more mysterious. 
 
 " Been examined yet?" inquired the man. 
 
 " No," said Bobbin. The fact is, the latter never 
 knew until his arrival that he was compelled to 
 undergo an examination, and, although not a bad 
 scholar, he felt considerable alarm over the fact. 
 
 " Humbug!" said the snake charmer. 
 
 Bobbin did not answer. 
 
 " Know what they're going to ask you?" queried 
 the man. 
 
 "No," said Bobbin.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 147 
 
 " Tricks," said he. 
 
 " How tricks ? " inquired Bobbin. 
 
 " Catches," said the snake charmer, and then he 
 went on to tell Bobbin how they fooled a friend 
 of his who went before them. He told the little 
 man so much that Bobbin resolved to be on his 
 guard, and so was not taken by surprise when the 
 following questions were propounded to him by 
 the Civil Service Board, before which he appeared 
 on the very next day: 
 
 1. Which is right: 
 
 " The house is being built," or "the house is building? " 
 "The ship is being sailed," or "the ship is sailing?" 
 "The horse is being eaten," or "the horse is eating?" 
 "The book is being read," or " the book is reading?" 
 "The fiddle is being played," or "the fiddle is playing?" 
 "The boy is going," or "the boy is being gone? " 
 
 2. How many Hessians did the British bring over here 
 during the Revolution ? 
 
 3. If it takes a cork one inch in diameter at the top, 
 three-quarters of an inch at the bottom, and three inches 
 long to fill the neck of a demijohn, how many corks of the 
 same size would it take to fill a chasm one and 63-1000 
 miles broad at the top, and sloping irregularly to the bot 
 tom, which is 4-10 of a mile in width, with a hole in the 
 center 100 feet deep?
 
 148 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Bobbin was given fifteen minutes to answer 
 these questions. At the end of that time he 
 replied to the first of the series without any 
 regard to the rule of their analogy, but according 
 to the dictates of common sense. In regard to 
 the Hessians he stumbled. This was one of the 
 things of which the snake charmer had not 
 warned him, but he submitted a reply so novel 
 that it took immensely with the patriotic board. 
 He said: 
 
 " I can not answer definitely as to how many 
 Hessians the British brought over, but they 
 brought over a good many more than they took 
 back." 
 
 In reply to the mathematical problem he boldly 
 took the advice of the snake entrancer, and 
 answered that it could not be solved. So Bobbin, 
 after being chafed and frowned upon, and made 
 the subject of grave nods and wise shakes of the 
 head, passed the examination, and was allowed to 
 enter upon his duties. 
 
 When the circus broke up, and struck its tents,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 149 
 
 and loaded its performers, Bobbin stood beside a 
 big wagon which had the snake entrancer and his 
 wonderful wife perched on top, and bade them 
 good-by with real regret. And he waved his hat 
 to them until they were out of sight, and he was 
 once more alone. 
 
 * * # * * * 
 
 And how was Peggy thriving all this time? 
 A peep into the home of the Martins will reveal 
 this. It was the first of March, and Zach. had 
 been gone between three or four months. At 
 first his letters had been frequent, and his descrip 
 tions of Washington life minute and interesting. 
 He had told them of the Marmalukes, and though 
 a twinge of jealousy seized Peggy at some of 
 Zach.'s enthusiastic praise of Belle, she never 
 doubted his loyalty, and dismissed her fears before 
 they had time to assume a definite shape. He 
 had sent her many books books of poems, 
 books of fashion, books of etiquette, books of 
 art, but, with the exception of the latter, she only 
 studied them because it was Zach.'s wish, this
 
 150 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 being law to her. On the day, or rather evening, 
 in question, Peggy was diligently engaged in read 
 ing a work on etiquette, which Zach. had particu 
 larly recommended to her. She sat by the lamp 
 in the "front room" at the Martins and read and 
 re-read the passages, which someway refused to 
 find a lodgment in her rebellious head. Finally 
 she came to the following passage : 
 
 " Every lady should cultivate her style of walk 
 ing. A graceful carriage is absolutely requisite to 
 a refined deportment. The walk should not be 
 too stiff, neither too careless. An elastic, gliding 
 movement is the most genteel, and can be easily 
 attained by a little practice." 
 
 "An elastic, gliding movement," repeated Peggy. 
 "That seems easy enough. It is something like 
 this, I suppose a kind of g-1-i-d-i-n-g movement," 
 and she skimmed across the floor with the book 
 in her hand. 
 
 She was practicing this new movement, greatly 
 to her satisfaction, when Mr. Martin entered. 
 
 " Why, what on earth is the matter with you
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 151 
 
 Peggy?" said he, looking at her in amazement 
 "What are you capering round in that way for?" 
 
 Peggy ran up to him, blushing and laughing, 
 and threw her arms round his neck. 
 
 " Oh, ho ! you watched me, did you ? " she 
 exclaimed. " Well, now, I'll tell you. I'm ' quali 
 fying I ' that's what Zach. calls it qualifying 
 myself for high life." 
 
 " Humph ! " grunted the old gentleman. 
 
 "See what the book says," continued she. "'An 
 elastic, gliding movement is the most genteel, and 
 can be easily attained with a little practice.' There, 
 didn't I tell you?" 
 
 Mr. Martin stroked his nose and looked at her 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 " I believe that boy has run mad, Peggy," he 
 said. " Now whoever saw a gracefuller curt'sy than 
 you can drop when you try ? As for style, there 
 never was a better one, and now that blockhead 
 wants you to change it, and go bending yourself 
 double and getting your back up and your spine 
 twisted by his new-fangled way of doing things.
 
 152 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 You've got to go and make yourself crooked 
 where nature made you straight, and straight 
 where she made you crooked. But I wouldn't do 
 it, not if twenty Zachs. wanted me to. I'd keep 
 my little body straight as an arrow and supple as 
 a sapling, in spite of all of 'em." 
 
 " Now, you old sweet thing," said Peggy, patting 
 his cheeks, "you are old fashioned, and I like you 
 for it; but then Zach. knows what they'll want 
 down there among the Chinese, and Rooshans, and 
 all the big folks, better than you do. So here I 
 go for the style." And Peggy spread her skirts 
 out and walked across the room in high glee. 
 
 " Now look at that," said the old gentleman. 
 " Why, I suppose they'll make you put yourself in 
 some kind of a horrid shape when you dance, too, 
 won't they ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied Peggy, " they're very particu 
 lar about that. Zach. says I must be just as stiff 
 as a mackerel. He says I must about half walk 
 and half dance, and be very careful not to hop up." 
 
 "Not to hop up!" exclaimed the old gentle-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 153 
 
 man. Why, what is dancing at all, but hopping 
 up ? " 
 
 " Well," said Peggy, slightly puzzled, " this is 
 slow dancing s-l-o-w, you know," and she dwelt 
 on the word as if to make its meaning perfectly 
 plain. 
 
 " Yes, I should say it was slow," responded he. 
 " Now, do you know, Peggy, if you was to go 
 before the President and dance natural, you would 
 charm his heart right out of him. Dance the 
 Opereel, for instance. Ah, there was a dance for 
 you!" 
 
 "The way we danced it at the big party when 
 Zach. first went away to school?" said Peggy, 
 brightening with the recollection. " Wasn't it 
 splendid ? " 
 
 " It's been a good while," said the old gentle 
 man, " since I danced, but it seems to me those old 
 tunes are the best of all. They make a fellow 
 dance whether he knows how or not. I remember 
 how the fiddler could make me jump when he 
 began that time I couldn't keep still a minute
 
 154 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Rum de doodle-doodle dum turn, doodle doodle," 
 and Mr. Martin began humming an old air with 
 great spirit, while Peggy, suiting the action to the 
 word, gayly balanced down the center of the room. 
 As she came back the temptation was too strong, 
 and the old gentleman joined in, the two cutting 
 about as lively a figure as could well be imagined. 
 While they were in the very midst of it, the door 
 opened and Mrs. Martin put her astounded head 
 into the room. 
 
 For a moment that lady seemed speechless with 
 amazement. Then she pressed her lips together, 
 walked in, and shutting the door, put her back 
 against it. 
 
 " Well," she exclaimed, witn a great breath, 
 looking severely at her husband, " if you ain't 
 a-getting lively in your old age then I don't know. 
 And you a deacon of the church. You oughter 
 be ashamed o' yourself. And to be leadin' Peggy 
 off into them old dances, too. I don't know what 
 Zachariah would say. There's the books that he 
 sent her and she don't know a word of 'em, but she
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 155 
 
 must go hazing around the room and tittering and 
 you a-leadin' off in it. I declare, Joe, I would be 
 ashamed." 
 
 "We just commenced as you came in," said 
 Peggy, appealingly, and it was those very books 
 of Zach.'s that brought us into it, wasn't it?" and 
 she looked toward her late partner. " Now, I'll 
 show you," continued Peggy, noting the look of 
 incredulity on Mrs. Martin's countenance. "There! 
 it was this," and Peggy got the book and read, "'A 
 graceful carriage is absolutely requisite to a refined 
 deportment.' " 
 
 "Carriage means your gait," interrupted Mr. 
 Martin from the corner, where he sat holding his 
 chin in his hands, and perspiring very freely. 
 
 The old lady only scowled at him contemptu 
 ously, and Peggy went on. 
 
 "'The walk should neither be too stiff nor too 
 careless. An elastic, gliding movement is the 
 most genteel, and can easily be attained by a little 
 practice.'" 
 
 "There!" said Peggy, "I was showing Father
 
 156 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Martin how well I could do it, and then we got to 
 talking about it, and then then 
 
 "Then you went to galloping round, you and 
 the old man, like a couple of spring calves," inter 
 rupted Mrs. Martin. "Let me see that book." 
 Peggy handed her the volume, and the old lady 
 read the passage marked out for her. " Let's see 
 you do it," said she. 
 
 "Walk?" inquired Peggy. 
 
 " Yes, walk," replied Mrs. M. 
 
 Peggy went across the floor in a very graceful 
 way, until she got close to the old gentleman, when 
 she caught his eye, and the two broke out in a loud 
 laugh, ending in a bound and a stumble by Peggy 
 which landed her on the floor at the old gentle 
 man's side. 
 
 " Oh, do giggle," said Mrs. Martin, testily. " You 
 care a good deal for what Zach. wants, don't you?" 
 
 "Well, don't I do it right?" said Peggy, wiping 
 her eyes. 
 
 "No," responded Mrs.' Martin; "you don't do it 
 at all. An e-e-e" ("elastic," suggested Peggy
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 157 
 
 "elastic, gliding moment," said Mrs. Martin, "is 
 something like this" and the old lady threw her 
 head on one side, elevated her chin, and walked 
 across the room, while old Mr. Martin indulged in 
 a loud guffaw. 
 
 "Well, laugh!" she exclaimed, "laugh as much 
 as you please, but I know that's about the way." 
 
 "It's a mighty poor way, then," said he. " Now, 
 Betty, don't you think this style o' dancing and 
 walking is thunderin' nonsense?" 
 
 " No, I don't," said Mrs. Martin. " If Zachariah 
 says it's right, it's right, that's all." 
 
 "Of course," he replied, "that's the way they do 
 down there, but our old way was much better. 
 Don't I remember how I used to see you tripping 
 along, as straight as a pine and as nimble as a 
 deer, jumping fences and running races like an 
 Indian princess? That was a sight for you; it 
 was worth a big sum to look at you." 
 
 Mr. Martin spoke enthusiastically, and his wife 
 grew mollified. 
 
 "And the dances we used to have," he went
 
 158 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 on ; " and the figure you used to cut, with half the 
 county crazy over you." 
 
 "Oh," interrupted Mrs. Martin. "You mean 
 those balls down at Smith's Corners?" 
 
 " Every-where, every-where," continued the old 
 gentleman, waxing eloquent; "every-where you 
 went, no matter where, let Joe Martin and 
 Betsy Kelly lead off/ said the fiddler; and away 
 we went in the Virginia reel, or the monnymusk, 
 the envy of the whole room." 
 
 " Or the French four," suggested Mrs. Martin, 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 "Yes, that was another good one," said Mr. 
 Martin. " Let me see, how did that go ? ' For 
 ward two?" 1 
 
 'No," said Mrs. Martin, now thoroughly inter 
 ested. " Let me see ; this was the tune." And 
 the old lady hummed the air of that ancient figure 
 in a sprightly manner. 
 
 "That's it," exclaimed Mr. Martin; "then came 
 the forward two !" He looked inquiring and 
 doubtful, and his wife stopped humming the tune
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 159 
 
 to explain. "You begin here," said she, extending 
 her hand, which he clasped, "then when the tune 
 struck up we went off in this style." 
 
 Mrs. Martin again began the tune, and, inspired 
 by old recollections, forgot her late explosion, and 
 for five minutes there was balancing, swinging, 
 capering down the center, approaches, retreats, and 
 some grand displays of genuine old-fashioned danc 
 ing, such as the home of the Martins had not wit 
 nessed for years. At last, out of breath, and 
 ashamed of having yielded in this manner, Mrs. 
 Martin dashed out of the room and off to her own 
 chamber. When Mr. Martin sought her, a half 
 hour later, she was in bed, and answered an in 
 quiry of his by saying, "Don't talk to me; you've 
 got me into a pretty scrape to-night." 
 
 And Mr. Martin, like all good husbands, obeyed 
 the injunction, and did not talk. 
 
 And so the days ran along until the last of the 
 month. Peggy was making headway with her 
 studies, and looking anxiously forward to the time 
 when Zach. would again be with them.
 
 160 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 It was a pleasant evening on the day named 
 when an incident occurred to Peggy that changes 
 the entire course of this story, as it changed the 
 entire course of her life. 
 
 The day's work was done, and the evening sun 
 was setting unusually bright and warm. The 
 waters of the little lake reflected the expiring 
 rays, which seemed to linger there, loath to bid the 
 world good-night. Peggy sat at her window in 
 tently engaged in fastening the pretty scene before 
 her on a bit of canvas, when John, a laborer about 
 the farm, came in and handed her a letter. It was 
 from Zach., and she clasped it close, while she laid 
 aside her brush and canvas. Then seating herself 
 by the window, she opened and read it. As she 
 did so a look of dead surprise came over her. 
 This gave place to pain, and then to a grief which 
 was pitiable in its extremity. When she finally 
 finished the letter she crumpled it in her hands, 
 bowed her head upon it, and flooded it with an 
 agony of tears. 
 
 But she never stirred. An hour passed, and
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 161 
 
 the twilight deepened into darkness, yet it found 
 her there. An hour later still, and they discov 
 ered the poor girl and asked her the cause of her 
 grief. She handed the letter to them without a 
 
 o 
 
 word, and only bowed her head again.
 
 1 62 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 IN WHICH PEGGY BECOMES A WANDERER. 
 
 "I tell you, don't talk to me," said old Mr. Mar 
 tin to his wife the morning after the receipt of the 
 unwelcome letter alluded to. " I say it's a scurvy, 
 disgraceful trick in any man, let him be my son or 
 anybody else." 
 
 " Now, Joe," responded Mrs. Martin, "you know 
 very well that Peggy was not a match for Zacha- 
 riah. Of course she'll do for our boys here, and 
 make a good wife for any of them, but it's natural 
 that Zach. should look higher." 
 
 " Look higher ! '' exclaimed Mr. Martin, with a 
 tone of utter contempt and impatience. "Why 
 didn't he think of that before ? Must he break 
 the poor child's heart before he thinks of looking 
 higher? The scoundrel!" 
 
 "Why, highty-tighty," responded Mrs. Martin;
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 163 
 
 "you act as if that girl was more to you than your 
 own son." 
 
 " My son is so much to me," replied the old 
 man, " that I hate to see him beaten in good 
 sense and manliness by a woman, and Peggy 
 does it." 
 
 " Why, what more could the boy do, I wonder?" 
 said she. " Don't he tell her he will always be her 
 friend, and try to show her that his position in life 
 ain't suited to hers?" 
 
 "You, a woman," replied the old gentleman, 
 "and talk like that? I've never been a woman, 
 but I know enough about the tribe to know that 
 the biggest insult any man can offer one is to 
 coolly tell her that, although from his exalted 
 position she can not be his wife, yet he will kindly 
 condescend to be her friend. Any girl with the 
 spirit of a mouse would die before she would 
 accept such an offer." 
 
 " Oh, you know a great deal about women!" 
 responded Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " I know a plaguey sight more than I used to,"
 
 164 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 said the old man, warmly. "You needn't throw my 
 ignorance in my face after profiting by it." 
 
 "Oh !" exclaimed Mrs. Martin, tossing her head. 
 
 "Well, 'Oh,'" repeated the old gentleman. "I 
 tell you Zach. Martin has done a disgraceful act, 
 and I shall take pains to speak my mind to him as 
 well as to you. A man that will have his head 
 turned and his soul puffed up by a little good luck 
 ain't fit to be the husband of an honest girl, that's 
 the truth. If you don't like that just put it in 
 your pipe and smoke it," and with this Mr. Martin 
 walked out of the room and slammed the door 
 behind him. 
 
 It will have been seen from the foregoing that 
 Zach. had at last broken his engagement with 
 Peggy, and the letter was the bearer of these tid 
 ings. It required a great effort on his part to 
 write it, but he had accomplished the task at last, 
 and was glad when it was over. He expected a 
 storm over it. He supposed that Peggy would 
 pout and his father scold, but he believed that ere 
 his return home the affair would blow over and
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 165 
 
 he could resume amicable relations with Peggy 
 without difficulty. Zach. was about as verdant in 
 matters of the heart as in knowledge of men, and 
 he was as much mistaken in his transaction with 
 Peggy as he was in that with Barncastle. 
 
 When Mr. Martin slammed the door behind 
 him and went out, after his tilt with his wife, he 
 passed around to the house toward the road, 
 intending to visit a neighbor. As he reached the 
 front gate, however, he saw Peggy seated on the 
 steps, and he stopped. Peggy was not crying. 
 She had passed beyond that now. She sat with 
 her elbows on her knees and her hands to her 
 face, looking away off across the fields to the blue 
 woods beyond, very thoughtful, very sad, She 
 smiled faintly when she saw Mr. Martin, and he 
 halted with the gate half open, closed it, and came 
 and sat down by her. 
 
 " I wouldn't mind it, Peggy," said he. " He's 
 not worth it." 
 
 She choked a little at this. " I don't care," said 
 she, "he wanted me to study, he wanted me to
 
 1 66 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 be quiet and dignified and ladylike, and I did try to 
 be. I didn't do anything I wanted to. And now!" 
 She stopped, afraid to trust herself further. 
 
 " I wouldn't mind it at all," repeated the old 
 gentleman, soothingly, " it will be all right yet." 
 
 " It's the great ladies who have done it," con 
 tinued Peggy. " Oh, that's what it is. He's fallen 
 in love with one of them, and will marry her, of 
 course. But to think, Father Martin, that he 
 could write that to me." Here Peggy took 
 Zach.'s letter from her pocket and read the fol 
 lowing passage : 
 
 " You know, Peggy, we'll be just as good friends 
 as ever, and if you should marry one of these days 
 I promise you a gift that shall make your eyes 
 sparkle." 
 
 " To think of that," said she ; " he thinks I have 
 no heart; that I have no feeling; that I can marry 
 any one." 
 
 " There my child," said Mr. Martin, stroking 
 her head with his broad palm, "you will be righted 
 one of these days, never fear."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 167 
 
 " It hurts my pride so, you know," said Peggy, 
 looking up to him mournfully. 
 
 " I know it ; I know all about," replied he. " It 
 hardly hurts you worse, Peggy, than it does me." 
 
 He said this so tenderly, that she felt like 
 throwing herself on her knees before him in grati 
 tude for all his kindness. 
 
 " You have always been so good to me," she 
 said, taking his hand in both hers, and holding it 
 tight : " so good." 
 
 " Do you know," she continued, after awhile, 
 "there was a paper in the letter which I did not 
 understand; I think he put it in by mistake. Look 
 at it," and Peggy took a small folded paper from 
 the envelope and handed it to Mr. Martin. The 
 latter took it and read it aloud. It was a receipt, 
 and ran thus : 
 
 THE NANTVCKET INSURANCE 
 $7,000. OFFICE OF 
 
 Washington, L 
 
 Received of Zachariah Martin seven thousand dollars, 
 being for seventy shares of stock in the Nantucket Insurance 
 Company, the same to be delivered to said Martin at this 
 office within thirty days from the date hereof. 
 
 [Signed.] RICHARD HARTWELL, Secretary. 
 
 RANGE COMPANY, ) 
 OF THE GENERAL AGENT, f 
 t, D. C., Feb. 12, 1 8 . )
 
 1 68 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Seven thousand dollars," mused Mr. Martin. 
 I think, Peggy, this has something to do with 
 money I sent Zach., but I told him to invest that 
 in government bonds. He's so crazy he has put 
 this in your letter without noticing it Never 
 mind, it's not important. Keep it, Peggy, and if 
 he ever wants it let him come to you for it." 
 
 She put it back in the letter and looked 
 thoughtfully on the ground. " He'll never come 
 to me for that or anything else," she said. " He's 
 given me up for good. It will be the last thing 
 between us." She did not say this bitterly, but 
 with a simple sadness, touching and full of pathos. 
 
 "And a pretty trick it was," exclaimed Mr. 
 Martin, growing excited once more. " But I knew 
 what it would all come to. Now, Peggy, what did 
 you do for that boy ? Didn't you read all them 
 books he sent you ?" 
 
 " Every one," replied Peggy. 
 
 "'The love of woman surpasseth knowledge,'" 
 said he ; " and what else, now ? " 
 
 " I learned music, and studied French, and then
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 169 
 
 you know I tried to paint!" She stopped abruptly, 
 and, laying her hand on his arm, said, " I've a 
 notion to show you something, though I thought I 
 would keep it secret till Zach. came home. I will ;" 
 and Peggy got up and went into the house. Pres 
 ently she returned with a piece of canvas, on which 
 was a portrait. Mr. Martin started when he looked 
 at it. 'Twas a picture of Zach., capitally executed, 
 as natural as life. 
 
 "Heavens and earth!" exclaimed Mr. Martin, 
 " I f it ain't Zach. ! Did you make this, you, Peggy ? " 
 
 "Yes," said she, her eyes filling with tears ; " but 
 I never could have done it if I hadn't loved him 
 so much." 
 
 "And this is the girl," said the old gentleman, 
 holding the picture to one side, and distributing 
 his attention between Peggy and the portrait, 
 " whom that numskull forsakes because she is 
 ignorant. He was ashamed of you, wasn't he, 
 Peggy ; ashamed of you ? " 
 
 "Yes," murmured Peggy. 
 
 "Why, confound my eyes," said he; "when I
 
 170 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 was in Philadelphia I saw likenesses not as good 
 as that which cost a good five hundred dollars. 
 The boy is a fool. He takes after his mother. 
 You're enough sight too good for him. He don't 
 deserve you, Peggy ; and mind, now, if I can ever 
 be of any service to you, ask me any day for 
 money, or friendship, or anything I have, and it is 
 yours and welcome. Dry your eyes and let me 
 see a smile on your face once more. It will do my 
 old heart good, indeed it will." 
 
 And Peggy put her arm 'round the neck of 
 that truest of all friends, and tried her best to 
 smile for his sake. 
 
 Peggy thought much after this of her future, 
 'and what she would do. One thing kept running 
 forever in her head. It was the statement of Mr. 
 Martin that portraits, no better than that of Zach., 
 were sold in Philadelphia. But, alas, Philadelphia 
 was the unknown country to her. She asked her 
 self how many thousand miles it was to that city, 
 and could not realize that modern improvements 
 in travel had almost placed it at the door.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 171 
 
 "What if I am somebody, after all?" she said 
 to herself one night, sitting in her old place by the 
 window. " What if it only needs thought and 
 work to make me the equal of those he admires. 
 What was it I read last night?" Peggy reached 
 and took up a book and turned over its pages 
 hastily. She stopped when she came to this pass 
 age: 
 
 ''HaL our great men and women have been 
 developed through some startling circumstance 
 that roused their best energies, but which was 
 looked upon at the time as a calamity." 
 
 Peggy re-read this passage, and then closed the 
 book and leaned back thoughtfully. " What if it 
 should be so with me ? " she said to herself. " But 
 I forget. What could there be in poor ignorant 
 Peggy. And yet the portrait ! Five hundred dol 
 lars, he said, for a poorer picture than that in 
 Philadelphia. But I ain't in Philadelphia, and 
 have no chance of being!" 
 
 She sat long and silent, turning the matter over 
 in her mind. When she finally moved it was with
 
 172 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 a sudden determination. She stood straight up, 
 full of resolution and courage. "I'll go," she said. 
 "I'll go to Philadelphia! I can work there as well 
 as here. If I stay the women will laugh at, and the 
 men will pity me. There, no one will know who 
 or what I am, or inquire what broke my heart. I 
 can not stay here. Anywhere, anywhere, but in 
 the place where I have lost his love and am so 
 miserable." 
 
 Before Peggy closed her eyes that night she 
 had matured her plans. She dared not tell Mr. 
 Martin of them, confident that he would interpose 
 objections that she could not overcome, and though 
 her heart rebelled against leaving one who had 
 shown her such kindness and sympathy without 
 asking his advice and receiving his blessing, she 
 dared not do it. She had a little money, enough 
 to carry her on her journey and support her 
 humbly for a time, and she knew she had but to 
 ask Mr. Martin for more to be very well provided 
 for such a trip, and to be in a condition to retrace 
 her steps if this should become necessary. She
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 173 
 
 learned that a train passed a little station five 
 miles away at an early hour in the morning, and 
 she resolved to prepare herself to take that train. 
 
 It was a week before her preparations were 
 completed. She had asked her old friend for a 
 small sum of money, and he had not only given 
 her the amount desired, but had insisted upon 
 doubling the sum. Peggy felt conscience-stricken 
 and ungrateful when she took it from his hand ; 
 but her face was set and she would not turn back. 
 She had managed during the week to send a box 
 of clothing to the little depot, with word to leave 
 it until called for, and she found herself at last 
 ready to go. 
 
 Oh! how inexpressibly sad seemed that last 
 night at home. She hung around Mr. Martin, and 
 his rather unsympathizing, but, after all, good- 
 hearted wife, as if she could not leave them. 
 Once she had got to the door, having bidden them 
 good-night, but she turned at the threshold and, 
 with a sudden impulse, threw her arms around the 
 neck of Mrs. Martin and kissed her, while she
 
 174 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 burst into a torrent of tears. From her she passed 
 to the old gentleman, who did his utmost to soothe 
 her, until, finally, with a great burst, she flew from 
 the room and shut the door upon them. She did 
 not sleep. All the past, the beautiful, happy past, 
 came back to her. All her petty trials and vexa 
 tions were as nothing. Every thought, every feel 
 ing, save that of gratitude and love for the bless 
 ings which that humble couple had showered upon 
 her, was buried innumerable fathoms deep as she 
 ran over her life. She sat down at her writing- 
 desk and literally poured out her heart to them. 
 She begged their forgiveness for the step she was 
 about to "take, and which she led them to believe 
 was inspired wholly by her indisposition to endure 
 the coming meeting with Zach. and the obtrusive 
 sympathy of her acquaintances. She promised to 
 keep them informed of her whereabouts, and hoped 
 the time would come when she could return to 
 them and beg their pardon for this seeming ill 
 return for all their kindness. She left the letter 
 on her table blotted with tears, and then, worn out
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 175 
 
 and miserable, she fell asleep in the chair. She 
 roused herself many times during the night, always 
 with a shudder, but never with irresolution, until, 
 finally, she saw the first faint brightening of dawn 
 in the east, and rose to go. She donned her hat 
 and shawl, fell upon her knees once more in the 
 old room where she had spent so many happy 
 hours, and then noiselessly slipped out the rear 
 door, and thence through the stable into the road. 
 The moon was yet shining brightly in the heavens, 
 and cast its gleams like molten silver on the waters 
 of the lake. She was moving on when the sound 
 of voices came from the water, and she turned to 
 listen. It was a song she heard, mellowed and 
 softened by the distance, and came from a party 
 of revelers who were returning from some ball or 
 gathering up the lake. She could hear the dip of 
 the oars keeping time to the measured air, and she 
 sat upon a bank and waited. 
 
 "It's so hard," she said, "so hard. I never 
 thought to leave you, dear old hills, and it is not 
 you that have grown hateful to me. No, no. The
 
 176 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 rocks are always faithful ; the trees are green 
 according to promise; the flowers blossom as of 
 old. The very cows in the stable blinked their 
 sleepy eyes lovingly and licked my hand as I 
 passed. All love Peggy save one, and he the one 
 in all whose love she prizes, and he forsakes her." 
 She bowed her head on her breast and the hot 
 tears coursed down her cheeks ; still the merry 
 party on the lake drew nearer and the words of 
 their song came more distinctly: 
 
 Spread the white sails to the favoring breeze, 
 While over the waters we glide, 
 Let the oars dip in the billows so blue, 
 Joyfully onward we ride. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Hail to the night, hail to the morn, 
 Hail to the beautiful sea, 
 Dip the oars lightly and merrily sing, 
 The bright rippling water for me. 
 
 It was a familiar song to Peggy, and it made 
 her task seem harder as she listened : 
 
 Banish all care in this happiest of hours, 
 Floating so gladly and free ;
 
 Zachariah) the Congressman. 177 
 
 Hail to the beautiful waves, silver tipped 
 By the moon that rides over the sea. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Hail to the night, hail to the morn, 
 Hail to the beautiful sea, 
 Dip the oars lightly and merrily sing, 
 The bright rippling water for me. 
 
 The party passed, and Peggy rose from her 
 seat and gazed after them. 
 
 " Farewell, happy friends," she said. " But for 
 him I might have been one among you to-night, 
 the promised wife, perhaps, of the best, and hap 
 piest of you all. It would have been better had 
 he left me in my ignorance, but now I am driven 
 on, an orphan, an outcast friendless and miser 
 able." 
 
 She took one more look at the scene about her, 
 and then turning, as if she feared her resolution 
 might forsake her, dashed almost wildly on her way. 
 
 Two hours later she entered a car, among half 
 a hundred drowsy passengers, and with her veil 
 drawn tightly over her face, took a seat in the 
 farthest corner of the close and ill- ventilated 
 
 8* M
 
 178 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 coach. When the conductor approached, shortly 
 after, she handed him her ticket. It was long, and 
 had a number of coupons attached ; but the last 
 bore the name she had so long dreamed about 
 and pondered over " Philadelphia."
 
 Zachariak % the Congressman. 179 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MR. BOBBIN LEARNS A NUMBER OF THINGS. 
 
 Mr. Timothy Bobbin was fated to two sur 
 prises in his experience of Washington life. The 
 first was the very small figure he cut as an official 
 of the government, and the second the ease with 
 which he managed to adapt himself to the duty 
 required of him. At first he was excessively awk 
 ward, and was laughed at somewhat, but there 
 were too many new-comers in those gray walls to 
 permit any one person to monopolize the ridicule 
 of even the few who saw him, and it was not two 
 weeks before he felt quite at home, and fully equal 
 to the rather simple tasks assigned him. The 
 month, however, seemed very long, and Bobbin 
 had spent his last cent before pay-day came 'round. 
 When he walked up and received his one hundred 
 dollars in crisp greenbacks, it seemed to him that
 
 180 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 he was on the highway to untold wealth. He 
 never knew of so much being paid for so little. 
 The whole thing seemed a sort of joke ; and as 
 he walked down the avenue with this vast sum in 
 his pocket he wondered how in the world he could 
 manage to spend it all before the next month 
 came 'round. Of course a goodly share had to be 
 sent home, and Bobbin prepared at once to do this. 
 He felt as if he must send a gift with it, and so he 
 began looking in the shop windows, endeavoring 
 to discover something suitable for the occasion. 
 He found nothing that pleased him until he came 
 to a jeweler's ; but here he stood entranced. After 
 a while he walked in. At first the prices fright 
 ened him, but the high figures, though they dis 
 mayed, only made the articles seem more desirable 
 to the little man. He ended it finally by purchas 
 ing a very gaudy, though not strictly pure, neck 
 lace, for which he paid twenty-five dollars. This 
 was for his wife. He then invested in rings for 
 the children, and his brain fairly throbbed and his 
 face flushed as he finally departed from the shop
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 181 
 
 bearing the precious gifts in his hands. What 
 would Martin's Corners think when it saw Mrs. 
 Bobbin with that necklace, and the four little Bob 
 bins with those glittering rings on their fingers? 
 He was almost wild when he thought of it. And 
 yet, had the delighted fellow reflected, there was 
 hardly anything in the whole range of purchasable 
 articles that would not have been more appropriate 
 for his purpose. The necklace, which would have 
 done very well for a city girl, full of display and 
 not very particular about quality, was entirely and 
 absurdly out of place on the neck of a thin, 
 pinched, and hungry middle-aged lady in the 
 society of Martin's Corners. Comparatively inex 
 pensive as it was, it so overshadowed and shamed 
 the rest of Mrs. Bobbin's wardrobe that to wear it 
 seemed wonderfully like putting diamond brace 
 lets on a skeleton. And still poor little Bobbin 
 was never so delighted as when he had carefully 
 sealed the packet containing these gifts and de 
 posited it in the 'express office. He counted the 
 days and hours it would take for the parcel to
 
 1 82 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 reach home, and could hardly wait for the time 
 when he would know that his family had received 
 the package and were gloating over the treasures 
 it contained. He had sent fifty dollars in money 
 besides to his wife, and after settling- his little bills 
 found himself in possession of nearly twenty 
 dollars as a fund to carry him through the month. 
 Mr. Bobbin did not see much of Zach. after 
 being installed in his position. Now and then, 
 when he felt particularly in need of a word about 
 home, he went down to Mr. Martin's hotel, and 
 tried to start a conversation, but such visits were 
 not satisfactory. Frequently Zach. was out, at 
 other times occupied, and even when he found 
 him alone there was a sort of air about the new 
 born statesman that was not encouraging or pleas 
 ant. He seemed to Bobbin to be always saying 
 mentally : " Well, this is one of the drawbacks of 
 position one must receive these persons whether 
 it suits him or not, and be bored, no matter 
 how unpleasant the infliction;" and Bobbin, 
 who with all his simplicity was a sensitive little
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 183 
 
 fellow, could not bear to feel that he was an 
 intruder. He never forgot either how he met 
 Zach. in the park shortly after his arrival, and 
 before he realized the truth of what he now 
 knew, and accosted him as of old, and that 
 Zach. smiled patronizingly and barely touched 
 his hand, turning immediately with a laugh to 
 a couple of fashionable ladies at his side, and 
 saying meaningly, in response to their look of 
 inquiry : " Oh, one of my constituents, such as 
 every member h?s." He did not intend it for the 
 ear of Bobbin, but the latter heard it, and went 
 away feeling excessively mean and as if he were 
 someway a burden to Zach. 
 
 It had been a good while now since Bobbin 
 had even seen his Member. He was getting along 
 well enough with his duties, began to feel quite at 
 home in Washington, and had in a great measure 
 worn off that look of excessive verdancy which he 
 wore when he first came. His clothes, mainly 
 through the little additions which he had made in 
 the way of shirt collars and ties, seemed to have
 
 184 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 been possibly designed for him. His hat and 
 shoes were brushed, his hair was cut, and he 
 actually wore gloves on Sundays and the more 
 important occasions. His family, too, were look 
 ing up at home, but what troubled Bobbin a little 
 was the fact that his wife seemed entering on a 
 sea of extravagance such as he would have deemed 
 impossible. The fact was, that necklace did the 
 business, though Bobbin hardly comprehended it. 
 It had to be worked up to, and necessitated a new 
 wardrobe throughout. And then the house looked 
 shabby by the side of good clothes, and new furni 
 ture was ordered. The latter necessity had seemed 
 so imperative that Mrs. Bobbin could not wait for 
 her usual monthly remittance to pay for it, but had 
 it "booked" until that expected arrival. And so it 
 went on, growing worse daily, until in a short time 
 Bobbin could look ahead and see his salary appro 
 priated for a month or two in advance. However, 
 he was not a person to worry, and, except for a 
 word or two of caution to his wife, never com 
 plained. Of course she replied that only such
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 185 
 
 things as were absolutely necessary were thought 
 of, and he believed it, wondering all the while how 
 in the world he managed to live before he came 
 into office. 
 
 Mr. Bobbin was seated in his modest little 
 room one evening in the early days of April think 
 ing of his coming vacation for a month, at which 
 time he expected to return home, when his land 
 lady entered with a flourish, and informed him that 
 a gentleman wished to speak with him. 
 
 "Mr. Martin, he said his name was," exclaimed 
 the woman. 
 
 Bobbin started as if he had been shot. The 
 idea of a visit from Zach. had never entered his 
 head. " Why, it's the member from our district," 
 he whispered, and then he rushed past the landlady 
 into the narrow hall. He was hastily hurrying 
 down stairs, when he met Zach. coming up. " I 
 thought I would walk up to your room, Bobbin," 
 said Zach. 
 
 Bobbin was of course delighted, but terribly 
 
 f 
 
 flustrated, and in his excitement caught his toe in
 
 1 86 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 a hole in the carpet and fell over on the landing. 
 He got up redder than ever, and encountered his 
 landlady, Mrs. Crispin, standing in the hall where 
 he had left her, rubbing her hands together and 
 bowing. 
 
 "Now, Mr. Bobbin," said that lady, "take the 
 parlor; do it's entirely at your service. I'll keep 
 everybody out ; it's too chilly up here." 
 
 Bobbin really thought favorably of this plan, 
 for his one room was inconveniently small and 
 rather cold ; but Zach. said he could not stay long, 
 and the two passed on. Mrs. Crispin wasn't con 
 tent, however. She wanted a word more, and she 
 had it. 
 
 "You must excuse me, Mr. Martin," said she, 
 smirking dreadfully, "for not a-knowing ye when 
 ye first came in 
 
 "Oh, certainly," interrupted Zach. 
 
 "Mr. Bobbin did not tell me you was coming," 
 she continued. "I s'pose, though, he didn't know 
 it himself." 
 
 Here Mrs. Crispin laughed loudly, as if this
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 187 
 
 fact were immensely funny. Bobbin, who was very 
 mindful of the feelings of anybody and everybody, 
 had paused with his hand on the door to give Mrs. 
 Crispin a chance to get through her speech, and 
 now made a movement to go in, but the lady made 
 another dart forward, saying : 
 
 "Next time you come we'll be better fixed, I 
 hope" and then, without a pause, "Do you know 
 Mr. Jackson, of the House?" 
 
 Zach. signified that he had that honor. 
 
 "Mr. Jackson used to board with me when I 
 lived on Ninth street," said she. "He's a nice 
 gentleman." 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied Zach. 
 
 "Give him my respects," said she, "when you 
 see him. He'll remember me. Crispin is the 
 name. Should be glad for you and him to call 
 'round some evening." 
 
 Mrs. C. was going on again, when Zach. made a 
 gesture of impatience, and Bobbin opened his 
 door and let him escape. 
 
 Mrs. Crispin was not a bad woman, but she had
 
 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 that weakness which is almost painful to witness, 
 and yet so common in Washington the worship 
 of position. Her judgment of a person was made 
 up from the sort of office he held, and this had 
 become so much a part of her that she never 
 seriously thought of any one as of any conse 
 quence whatever who was not in the employ of 
 the government at a good salary. 
 
 Bobbin was embarrassed, as we have said, over 
 Zach.'s visit, and he gave him the best chair with a 
 hurried nervousness that revealed the importance 
 which he attached to the call. Zach., however, did 
 not appear to notice it. His face was gloomy as 
 he sat down with a si^h. Bobbin tried to talk on 
 
 o 
 
 general subjects, but Zach. only looked at him 
 without seeming to understand. At last he moved 
 restlessly, and said: 
 
 " Bobbin, you know Miss Clover, who lives 
 with us?" 
 
 "Who, Peggy?" said Bobbin, his face bright 
 ening. 
 
 "Yes," returned Zach.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 189 
 
 "Oh, everybody knows her," said Bobbin. 
 
 "Well," continued Zach., hesitatingly, "I don't 
 suppose you are aware of it, but she's left our 
 house." 
 
 "Left!" exclaimed Bobbin. 
 
 "Yes," said Zach., "gone away in a very strange 
 manner. She wrote a note saying she was going 
 to Philadelphia. Now, what I want to know is, 
 did you ever happen to hear of any friends or 
 relatives she had in Philadelphia?" 
 
 "Never," replied Bobbin, " I supposed she was 
 an orphan." 
 
 "So she is," returned Zach., "but I thought it 
 barely possible that you had heard of some one 
 she had discovered in that region after I left. The 
 letter that I have got from home don't say anything 
 about that. There is no reason for her going 
 there that I can see, save the fact that she thought 
 to find relatives there." 
 
 "It's strange that she should leave your fath 
 er's," said Bobbin. 
 
 Zach. did not answer, but put his hand to his
 
 igo The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 head, and brought it down slowly over his 
 eyes. 
 
 "I think I shall go home pretty soon, Bobbin," 
 said he; "even before the session is over. If you 
 would like to send any word I will let you know 
 before I leave." 
 
 Bobbin thanked him. " I hope Peggy will come 
 back," said he, consolingly. 
 
 "Yes," responded Zach., "she will, probably. 
 Don't say anything about this matter," he added, 
 " I don't care to have it talked about." And Bob 
 bin promised, though he wondered who he would 
 find in Washington to talk over such, a matter as 
 the journeying of a girl from a Western State to 
 Philadelphia. Zach. took his leave soon after, his 
 face bearing the troubled look that it had worn 
 when he entered. The fact was he had been 
 astonished, as well as pained and grieved, to hear 
 of Peggy's mysterious departure. Someway it 
 seemed to show her to him in a new light, 
 and to endear her to him. He was alarmed, 
 however, as well as grieved, and feared that
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 191 
 
 she would fall into bad hands, inexperienced as 
 she was. 
 
 It was only a few days subsequent to this that 
 he took the cars for Philadelphia, intending if he 
 heard nothing of her there to go on home. A few 
 days after there appeared in the Philadelphia 
 papers the following advertisement: 
 
 PERSONAL IF PEGGY c., WHO LEFT HOME A 
 
 few weeks since to come to Philadelphia, will communi 
 cate with " Zach.," she will confer a great favor and relieve 
 her friends of much anxiety. Send letter to Continental 
 Hotel for three days. 
 
 Zach. waited anxiously, but no reply came. He 
 stayed one day more than he had intended, in 
 hopes of hearing something, but finally despaired 
 of finding her and went on his way. His arrival 
 home was unlocked for, and occasioned surprise. 
 His father received him coldly, and avoided all 
 possible reference to Peggy. Through his mother, 
 however, he learned the full particulars of her 
 going, and was able to judge something of what it 
 had cost her. 
 
 "You'd have thought the girl was crazy that
 
 192 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 night," said Mrs. Martin. " First a-huggin' me and 
 then a huggin' the old man, and nearly squeezin' 
 the breath out o' both of us. The next moraine 
 
 o 
 
 she was gone, leaving the letter. I never see your 
 father so worked up. He tore 'round as if he was 
 wild. He rid a horse barebacked and in a full run 
 down to the station, but the train had gone, and 
 Peggy with it. It wuz all I could do to live with 
 him for a week or so. He wrote, and telegraphed, 
 and went to see lawyers, and walked the house o' 
 nights, but finally the letter came from her, and he 
 quieted down." Zach. held the letter referred to 
 in his hand, having just read it, and felt much 
 relieved. It ran thus: 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, April 7. 
 
 DEAR, DEAR FATHER MARTIN : You must not blame me 
 nor worry about me. If you only knew what it cost me to 
 part with you, I know I would not have to ask you twice to 
 forgive me. I have found a good home here, and the 
 best and kindest family in the world, after your own. Give 
 my warmest love to everybody, and write me a good long 
 letter, addressed to the general Post-office here. I will write 
 you often, and tell you how I am getting along. Ever your 
 loving PEGGY.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 193 
 
 "The old man won't trust the letter out of his 
 hands for a minute, scarcely," said Mrs. Martin, 
 "and I had hard work to get it even for you to 
 look at. He seems to be perfectly dazed about 
 that girl, and she was good enough, though I never 
 did see the sense of making so much fuss over 
 her. She was none too polite to me, and used to 
 aggravate me, after you went away, awfully. Only 
 the day afore she got your letter she stuck her 
 head out of the garret winder, as I went into the 
 garden, and sung out: 
 
 Hi, Betty Martin, tiptoe, tiptoe, 
 
 and in the provokinist way, too, you ever heard. 
 Not that I cared," continued Mrs. M., "only it 
 looked very imperlite for a young lady to be con- 
 ductin' herself like that to one as good as her own 
 mother." 
 
 Zach. heard all this and more, and with a grow 
 ing conviction that he had under-estimated Peggy, 
 and with a return of something of his old love for 
 her which he could scarcely understand. Nothing 
 
 q N
 
 194 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 makes men or women value one of the opposite 
 sex, whom they have looked upon as exclusively 
 their own, so much as the proof that they are 
 not, after all, indispensable to such person. A 
 strange fact, but an indisputable one. If the 
 reader doubts it, he may easily convince himself by 
 a little shrewd practice. 
 
 The grave, almost sad, demeanor of Zach. had 
 its influence on his father, and before many days 
 the two were friendly again. It was a sort of sat 
 isfaction and atonement to Mr. Martin to see 
 Zach.'s apparent contrition, and he could not har 
 bor resentment toward his only child. So it came 
 about that when Zach. finally returned to his 
 duties, he left home at peace with both his father 
 and mother, and with a lighter heart. Another 
 letter had been received from Peggy, in answer to 
 that of Mr. Martin, in which, though firmly refus 
 ing to return at that time, she promised to come 
 back some day, "when perfectly cured," and 
 make her home with them. She also spoke of 
 taking a journey with the family in which she had
 
 Zachariah) the Congressman. 195 
 
 found a home, a long journey, she said, though 
 without giving the destination ; but she assured 
 them that her letters should be as frequent as ever. 
 
 And so Zach. went back to Washington. Of 
 course he called on Belle when he returned, and 
 gave her a partial history of the affair at home. 
 He would have told her all, but that young lady 
 turned up her pretty nose and professed to be 
 weary of hearing the wonderful performances of 
 a vulgar country girl constantly narrated, and 
 Zach., with a flush upon his face, not all caused by 
 shame at having dared to recount such a history in 
 her presence, was driven into silence. 
 
 But one other circumstance worth relating 
 occurred during the early period of Zach.'s and 
 Bobbin's life in Washington. It was such a reve 
 lation to Bobbin, however, that it requires to be 
 mentioned. 
 
 One morning Bobbin received a note from 
 Zach., saying that he would address the House 
 that day, and would like to have his constituent 
 present on the occasion. Bobbin was delighted,
 
 196 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 being perfectly sure that his friend would electrify 
 the country, and he at once applied for leave of 
 absence. This was readily granted, and at an 
 early hour Bobbin made his way to the Capitol to 
 make sure of a good seat. It had been announced 
 that the day would be given up to debate, and the 
 inexperienced little man believed there would be 
 some sharp sparring. He was somewhat surprised 
 upon reaching the House to see both the galleries 
 and the floor well-nigh deserted, and the least imag 
 inable signs of an intellectual contest. However, 
 he thought the people had not yet begun to arrive, 
 and he selected a very eligible seat and prepared 
 to listen attentively. It was Saturday, a day 
 known in House parlance as "buncombe day," 
 when members who desire to get their speeches 
 before their constituents, are permitted to repeat 
 them on the floor, and have them taken down by 
 the official reporters and printed in the official 
 "Record;" but Bobbin didn't know anything about 
 that. He glanced around from time to time, 
 expecting to behold a rush of visitors; but they
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 197 
 
 did not come. Away off in a corner of the gen 
 tleman's gallery a colored man was fast asleep, and 
 scattered here and there were four or five other 
 men, who appeared to fancy the genial warmth of 
 the chamber, There were no ladies present, the 
 diplomatic gallery was deserted, and but seven 
 members were in their seats when Zach. arose to 
 "address the House." Bobbin was surprised and 
 hurt. That there should be no more attention 
 than this shown Zach. was almost like a personal 
 affront. However, he determined there should be 
 one attentive listener, and he opened his ears wide 
 as Zach. began. The speaker's theme was "The 
 Perils of the Republic," and he dashed into the 
 subject manfully. Warming up as he progressed, 
 Zach.'s fine voice rang through the deserted hall, 
 and Bobbin was amazed that the few persons who 
 were present did not cheer him. But with the 
 exception of one other person beside himself, 
 those present seemed utterly oblivious of Zach.'s 
 existence. The gentleman in the Speaker's seat 
 (it was not the Speaker, which Bobbin looked
 
 198 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 upon as another insult) was hob-nobbing with a 
 member standing near the chair ; two of the mem 
 bers were writing at their desks, one was lying on 
 a sofa with a handkerchief over his head, and two 
 others were talking to each other, and laughing 
 and slapping their legs near the door of one of the 
 cloak rooms. The one other listener beside Bob 
 bin was a member who sat near and in front of 
 Zach., and who was leaning back in his seat with 
 his feet over a desk, and eating a very red apple. 
 This man watched and listened very closely. At 
 last Zach. paused for a moment, took a swallow of 
 water, and nodded to the man. At this the latter 
 arose and shouted 
 
 "Mr. Speaker!" 
 
 "The gentleman from Georgia," said the Chair 
 man. 
 
 "I would like to ask the gentleman a question," 
 shouted the stranger, growing very red. 
 
 "Does the gentleman consent to be inter 
 rupted?" inquired the Speaker. 
 
 "Certainly!" responded Zach.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 199 
 
 "Of course he does," thought Bobbin. "Just 
 let that fellow with the red head fire away now ; 
 Zach. will eat him up if he gets at him." 
 
 " I would like to ask the gentleman," pursued 
 the gentleman from Georgia, "whether, in his 
 opinion, the fathers of the Republic ever intended 
 this country to be ruled by thieves and brigands?" 
 
 "Certainly not," responded Zach.; "but neither, 
 let me say to my honorable friend, did they intend 
 it to be governed by murderers and banditti." 
 
 "Very well!" said the red-headed man, "then 
 why advocate a principle which turns the govern 
 ment over to such men?" 
 
 " I beg pardon of my honorable friend," replied 
 Zach., "but I advocate no such principle." 
 
 " That red-headed man's a fool," thought Bob 
 bin, "or he never would have dreamt of such a 
 thing." 
 
 " But I think different," said the gentleman 
 from Georgia. 
 
 "Who cares what you think?" thought Bobbin. 
 
 "I am very sorry," replied Zach, "but I am not
 
 2oo The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 responsible for the errors of my honorable friend. 
 He is simply assailing a monster of his own cre 
 ation." 
 
 "That finishes him," thought Bobbin ; and so it 
 did, for the man said no more. 
 
 Zach. went on with his speech. When he came 
 to the peroration the sentences grew very familiar 
 to Bobbin. He had heard them often in Zach's 
 campaign, and had cheered them to the echo time 
 and again. He grew enthusiastic once more as he 
 listened, and as Zach. with loud voice and animated 
 gesture appealed to the gallery, his constituent 
 responded as of old, and broke into a clapping of 
 hands and pounding of feet, which made that por 
 tion of the building ring. Immediately the Chair 
 man seized the gavel and began hammering the 
 desk. This brought Bobbin to a stop. The few 
 persons in the room were looking at him, most of 
 them with a broad grin on their faces. The acting 
 Speaker rose very gravely and requested Zach. to 
 suspend his remarks. Looking toward Bobbin 
 that official said:
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 201 
 
 "The rules of the House forbid any expres 
 sions of approval or disproval from the audience. 
 To violate this rule is a gross discourtesy to this 
 body. If there are any further manifestations of 
 this character the galleries will be cleared, and the 
 Sergeant-at-Arms will see this order enforced." 
 
 Then the Speaker sat down and hid his face in 
 his handkerchief. Bobbin felt very small and very 
 guilty after this. He had forgotten all about the 
 rule, even if he had ever heard it, and he didn't 
 know for a while but he had committed a peniten 
 tiary offense. However, he sat till Zach. closed his 
 remarks, and then was again amazed to see his 
 idol go off arm in arm with the red-headed mem 
 ber from Georgia who had interrupted him. It 
 could not be that the man had questioned Zach. 
 under a prior agreement, and to make the speech 
 appear natural, and like a genuine debate, in print; 
 and yet it did look suspicious, that's a fact. 
 
 When Bobbin met Zach. the latter seemed 
 pleased instead of mortified at the former's ap 
 plause, and Bobbin himself thought, when he be-
 
 202 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 held the speech in the " Record," that it looked 
 very well to see the sentence, " Loud applause in 
 the galleries," inserted just at the end of Zach.'s 
 most brilliant period. Some way it looked as 
 though the feeling had become so intense that it 
 had actually burst all bounds, and defied all efforts 
 at restraint. And so Zach.'s constituents thought 
 as they read the speech, never dreaming that poor, 
 humble little Bobbin had alone constituted the 
 "galleries" that had broken into such an uproar.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 203 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THREE YEARS AFTER 
 
 Three years had elapsed since the incidents 
 recounted in the last chapter. With few excep 
 tions, affairs remained about as they were then. 
 Bobbin's family were in Washington. Barncastle 
 still preyed up and down the avenue, and all the 
 other Washington characters exhibited that un- 
 changeability which seems such a part of society 
 habitues in the Capitol. Zach. had been re-elected, 
 but only after a severe contest in his party conven 
 tion, and, we are sorry to say, only after pledges 
 of a personal character to rival candidates, which 
 he found it extremely unpleasant to fulfill. Few 
 knew of the caucusing, the consulting, the dicker 
 ing, the trading, so to speak, that went on before 
 the meeting of the convention which renominated 
 Zach. for the second time. Even Zach. knew com-
 
 2O4 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 paratively little of it. And yet he was largely 
 responsible. His friends told him what assurances 
 he ought to give deserving workers, etc., and he 
 generally yielded to their advice. They assured 
 him that Snap, who was a dangerous competitor 
 should he conclude to try his chances, would be 
 satisfied if he could be reasonably sure of the 
 Collector's office held by Spiker, and really they 
 thought that a division was only fair play, and 
 that Snap should have it. Spiker had held it two 
 years, and why not give it to Snap ? 
 
 And Zach., yielding to them, said they could 
 settle that as they thought fair. And so on. The 
 result was that Zach. was renominated and re- 
 elected, Snap working with great zeal for him, and 
 gaining much credit for his devotion to the "cause" 
 after the "cause" i. e., the party had turned its 
 back upon him. 
 
 When it was determined to remove Spiker and 
 give the place to Snap, the former should have 
 been informed of the fact, but this course being 
 deemed impolitic he was kept entirely in the dark,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 205 
 
 and worked like a Trojan for the young man's 
 re-election. It seemed like the deepest ingrati 
 tude to remove him, but such a course was de 
 manded, and Zach. wrote a long apologetic and 
 rather gushing letter to Spiker, informing him of 
 the facts, and telling him that he could resign, and 
 thus save appearances. 
 
 The rage of Spiker at this knew no bounds. 
 He scorned secrecy. He trumpeted his wrongs to 
 the world. He seemed to want the very rocks to 
 understand the reason of his base betrayal, and he 
 swore eternal vengeance against the men who had 
 brought about his removal, and Zach. Martin in 
 particular. Henceforward there were two wings 
 to the party in that district, and Spiker, loud, bold, 
 and unscrupulous, led the disaffected. 
 
 Among those whom the irate ex -Collector 
 called in to help him at this juncture was Bobbin. 
 The latter received a letter recounting the form 
 er's wrongs, reminding him of the circumstances 
 of his appointment, and who brought it about, and 
 asking that a close watch be kept on " Mr. Mar-
 
 206 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 tin's" movements in Washington, and a report 
 made of the same. "You remember your prom 
 ise," said Spiker, "you stand by me and I'll stand 
 by you. I'm going to beat that muckle-head if it 
 takes every cent I've got in the world." 
 
 Bobbin was very much distressed at this. He 
 wanted to serve Spiker, but he could not become 
 a spy in such business. Finally he compromised 
 the matter by writing Spiker that he would do all 
 that he honorably could in the way of giving infor 
 mation. 
 
 Meantime, strangely enough, Bobbin received a 
 call from Hartwell. Ostensibly Hartwell called 
 on business connected with the insurance com 
 pany of which he was secretary, but he had a great 
 deal to say about Mr. Martin, and many inquiries 
 to make respecting that gentleman. Among other 
 things he inquired as to the feeling in the district 
 toward Zach., who of his party opposed him there, 
 who had been removed from office, and the name 
 of some of the newspapers of the opposite party. 
 Bobbin freely gave all the information desired, and
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 207 
 
 indeed was rather glad to talk about affairs with 
 which he was so familiar. Hartwell frequently met 
 him after that, and at one time questioned him 
 closely regarding his individual feelings toward 
 Zach., and went so far as to hint at there being a 
 little money in the latter's defeat to one who might 
 assist in compassing it ; but this idea was repelled 
 so earnestly, and yet so simply, that Hartwell 
 went no further. Indeed, after that his attentions 
 ceased altogether. 
 
 It was only a week or two subsequent that 
 Bobbin received a letter from Spiker upbraiding 
 him strongly, and informing him that he (Spiker) 
 had his eye upon him, and would pay him back. 
 From words used in the letter Bobbin made up 
 his mind that in some way Spiker and Hartwell 
 were corresponding, and both working toward the 
 same end. 
 
 Meantime Mr. Barncastle was, as we said, still 
 engaged at his old business. He was the same 
 bland, agreeable gentleman to strangers ; the same 
 abiding terror to acquaintances.
 
 208 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 It may not be amiss here to introduce the 
 reader to the home of Barncastle take down the 
 bars, as it were, and drive into his private grounds. 
 
 Mr. Barncastle was a boarder; not "perma 
 nent," in the special sense in which that term is 
 employed by landladies with yearning rooms to let, 
 for, truth to tell, that gentleman did not, as a rule, 
 tarry long at one place. But now, three years 
 after his introduction to the reader, he was living 
 in the house of a tender-hearted widow named 
 Dabster. 
 
 It was a morning in February, and Mrs. Dab 
 ster was busily engaged setting Mr. Barncastle's 
 room to rights. 
 
 The room contained a bed, a few chairs, a well- 
 worn carpet, a shaky-looking bookcase, a wash- 
 stand, mirror, and a table with a green cover. On 
 the latter was a model for a monument, made of 
 pasteboard, and looking something like the origi 
 nal design for that exhausted pile at the banks 
 of the Potomac, stunted and woe-begone, which 
 commemorates at the same time the services of
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 209 
 
 Washington and the disinclination of our people 
 to pay for them. Mrs. Dabster, as we said, was 
 setting the room to rights, and, as she did so, was 
 indulging in a little talk to herself. 
 
 "There!" she exclaimed, as she put the finish 
 ing touches on her work; "I've done it again. I 
 declare to mercy the pains I take with that man is 
 mor'n many a woman 'ud do for her own husband. 
 And not a 'thank you' do I get for it, to say noth 
 ing about money. He hasn't paid me a cent goin' 
 on four months, and seven dollars and twenty-five 
 cents of it borrowed money. But I'll not wait any 
 longer, Mr. Barncastle. Pay you must." 
 
 Mrs. Dabster was leaving the room when she 
 heard Mr. Barncastle's voice at the door. 
 
 "Come in, Judge!" said he to some one out 
 side. "You won't! Well, then, good-by. Keep 
 the reins taut ; mind the fluctuations in the mar 
 ket, and if anything occurs call on me." With 
 this, delivered in the most cheerful tones, Barn- 
 castle shut the door and ascended the stairs. 
 
 When Mrs. Dabster saw him coming she stepped 
 o
 
 2io The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 back into the room again and busied herself with 
 the curtains, so that her back was to her boarder 
 when he entered. Mr. Barncastle stopped as he 
 came in, and gazed around with satisfaction. 
 
 "There!" he exclaimed, "is what I call a snug 
 gery. There is true comfort and elegance. That 
 is what a female can do. That is what the magi 
 cal, transforming hand of woman can accomplish. 
 O love! banished from the heart of Barncastle, 
 but still interesting as a scientific curiosity, what 
 wonder that men seek you where alone you can be 
 found in the tender and sympathizing hearts of 
 the daughters of Eve! O! Cupid, cruel, heartless, 
 unrelenting Cupid, do not tempt me. Let me 
 escape ! " 
 
 Mr. Barncastle stepped into the center of the 
 room, and then appearing to recognize his land 
 lady for the first time, stopped short, striking his 
 favorite attitude. 
 
 "Mrs. Dabster," said he, "who would think it 
 of him?" 
 
 "Of who?" inquired Mrs. Dabster.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 211 
 
 "Of Cupid," responded Barncastle. "So fat, so 
 chubby, so rosy! Pink toes and double chin, and 
 yet what a bare-backed little rascal he is!" 
 
 Mrs. Dabster simpered. 
 
 "But that aside," continued Barncastle, "let me 
 here and now, Mrs. Dabster, on my knees, figura 
 tively speaking, beg your forgiveness. When I 
 see these attentions which are daily showered 
 upon me, and, above all, when I gaze upon that 
 face unruffled by impatience, undisfigured by avar 
 ice, and know at the same moment that beans are 
 sixpence a quart, and veal ribs seven cents a 
 pound, I crimson for my sex." 
 
 Barncastle stopped, brushed his handkerchief 
 across his eyes as if to clear away a mist, and 
 straightening up as if determined to immolate 
 himself upon an altar, said solemnly : 
 
 " I owe you, Mrs. Dabster thirteen weeks' 
 board " 
 
 " Fourteen," interrupted Mrs. Dabster. 
 
 "Fourteen?" responded Barncastle, as if ask 
 ing himself a question; "it is, it is, fourteen is the
 
 212 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 number. Fourteen weeks' board and seven dollars 
 borrowed money." 
 
 " And a quarter," put in Mrs. Dabster. 
 
 "And a quarter," repeated Barncastle "so it is 
 again seven and a quarter. Do I ever forget it? 
 Is it absent from my thoughts by night or by day? 
 The trouble with me, Mrs. Dabster, is that my 
 heart is made of too tender stuff. I wish it was 
 flint, a rock, a mountain of granite," said Barn- 
 castle, vehemently. 
 
 "Oh, no," said the landlady. 
 
 "I do," pursued Barncastle. "Then I should 
 please justice whatever became of mercy. Only 
 yesterday I had that money and was bringing it 
 home to you. I pictured the brightening of the 
 eye, the glad flush of the cheek with which you 
 would receive it, and which it is so charming to 
 behold. On my way I met five orphan children 
 of an old friend. Not a rag to their backs. That 
 is," said Mr. Barncastle, noting a look of incredulity 
 on the Dabster countenance, " not a rag, to speak 
 of. The sight was too much. They had hardly
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 213 
 
 had a glass of water for days. I said to myself, 
 Mrs. Dabster would not hesitate, why should I? 
 Mrs. Dabster would say, ' Have mercy, Barncastle. 
 on the unfortunate/ why should not I say it? 
 
 " Mercy," said Mr. Barncastle, striking an atti 
 tude and quoting Shakespeare from memory 
 
 " Mercy droppeth like the gentle dew from heaven 
 Upon the earth beneath. It is twice blessed : 
 It blesses him that gives and him that doth receive. 
 
 "I gave it. All I had I gave with your bene 
 diction. Their pretty eyes filled with tears. They 
 cried out: 'Heaven bless you for this act, Mr. 
 Barncastle.' I cried in return : ' Not me, it is not 
 to me, innocent babes, that you are indebted, but 
 to that tender-hearted and absolutely unmatchable 
 woman, Mrs. Dabster.'" 
 
 Mrs. D. was quite affected by this time, and 
 begun wiping her eyes with the corner of her 
 apron. 
 
 "Do not weep," said Barncastle, soothingly; 
 " they are happy now. They are blessed in receiv-
 
 214 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 ing; you in giving. But alas, my friend, where 
 am I?" Here Barncastle heaved a prodigious 
 sigh, and with a look of despair began walking the 
 floor. "Yes," said he, halting in front of -her; "if 
 it is not asking too much of your patience, I ask, 
 where am I ? " 
 
 "Why," said good' Mrs. Dabster, innocently, 
 "you are here where you ought to be." 
 
 Barncastle took another turn or two across the 
 room, and then halting again, said earnestly: 
 " Mrs. Dabster, why are men born, as it were, in 
 indigent circumstances? Why are we created to 
 endure the pangs of poverty, the pains of unre 
 quited affection, the embarrassments of undis 
 charged obligations, the agony of disordered 
 livers, when we might be playing leap-frog, so to 
 speak, in infinite space, the unfledged denizens 
 of a sphere where nobody is poor? Why am I not 
 a germ," said Barncastle, clasping his hands and 
 gazing longingly at the ceiling, "a germ nestling 
 in the bosom of the universe, instead of an unfor 
 tunate fellow being of yours (here his eyes rested
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 215 
 
 on the form of Mrs. Dabster) in want of a beg 
 garly five dollar note? Five dollars," said he, 
 snapping his fingers contemptuously. " Five dol 
 lars! I shall have a remittance to-morrow; but 
 for the want of a little five dollars to-day I lose a 
 hundred. Think of that, and then talk of misery! 
 If I were not immersed, as it were, in a whirlpool 
 of debt to you, I would ask the loan of a V until 
 a quarter before six to-morrow evening." 
 
 Barncastle watched the effect of this announce 
 ment on Mrs. Dabster, and was evidently encour 
 aged to proceed. 
 
 "There!" he exclaimed, "crushing my pride, 
 trampling my sensitiveness under my feet, I do 
 ask it I do, Mrs. Dabster." 
 
 The 1 idy looked at him for a moment with a 
 sort of anxious, puzzled expression before she 
 replied. Barncastle stood like another Essex, 
 proudly awaiting his doom. 
 
 "You'd be certain to pay it back to-morrow?" 
 she said, doubtingly. 
 
 " Certain ! " repeated Barncastle, looking hurt
 
 216 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 at the faintest doubt of the possibility of his fail 
 ure. "Madam! you do not know me. Absolutely 
 certain, Mrs. Dabster, absolutely." 
 
 " Because," said that lady, apologetically, "one 
 as tries to feed government clerks and fresh mem 
 bers at six dollars a week, including lunches, has 
 all she can possibly do to keep along, Mr. Barn- 
 castle." 
 
 " Alas, I know it," he replied. " There's the one 
 item of molasses. As I have watched the miracu 
 lous disappearance of that saccharine article, my 
 heart has overflowed with sympathy for you. I 
 have wondered how you endured it. I have asked 
 myself where in the wide world all this molasses 
 came from. Where it goes to is plain enough. If 
 there is one weakness worthy of study, one that 
 merits scientific examination, it is the weakness 
 among government clerks for molasses." 
 
 "There!" said Mrs. Dabster, handing him the 
 money. " I hope you will not fail, Mr. Barncastle, 
 knowing my circumstances." 
 
 "Fail!" exclaimed Barncastle, deftly transfer-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 217 
 
 ring the note to his vest pocket; "if you were as 
 sure of a husband, such as you deserve, as you are 
 of this five dollars " 
 
 "O,Mr. Barncastle," interrupted the lady, try 
 ing to look indignant, "how dare you?" 
 
 "Ah!" continued her boarder, noting her weak 
 spot and chucking her under the chin. "There 
 are days of bright connubial bliss before you yet, 
 Mrs. Dabster. Hoping they may come speedily 
 and remain forever, there!" and amazing as it 
 may seem, Barncastle absolutely kissed the widow. 
 Mrs. Dabster blushed and uttered the regulation 
 scream, and was about to scold her boarder for 
 taking such liberties, when the door-bell rang, and 
 she glided down stairs. In a moment she returned, 
 and informing Mr. Barncastle that a gentleman 
 wished to see him, ushered into his presence Rich 
 ard Hartwell. 
 
 10
 
 218 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 IN WHICH PEGGY APPEARS IN A NEW ROLE. 
 
 We leave Barncastle and his caller for a short 
 time to look elsewhere. 
 
 Seven days out from her European port of 
 departure, a Cunard steamship was plowing swiftly 
 through the Atlantic, her prow turned toward the 
 New World. It was a half hour after sunset, and 
 a hundred passengers were gathered on deck 
 enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scene. At 
 one side sat a party of three, one a tall, dark, 
 elderly lady, stately and dignified, and yet with a 
 wonderfully kind expression in her face. Another, 
 a young man very stylish and handsome, and a 
 third a young lady, lithe and graceful, and with 
 dark eyes that danced with merriment now and 
 then, but bore oftener a far-away look that seemed 
 to wander from the beautiful evening scene to
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 219 
 
 others, perhaps less pleasant though more fascin 
 ating. 
 
 " I wonder how far your thoughts have traveled 
 in the last five minutes, Miss Cristopher," said 
 the young man, after waiting all that time to hear 
 the young lady speak. 
 
 Miss Cristopher called back her wandering 
 gaze, and smiled half-reproachfully as she an 
 swered : 
 
 " Now, it really has not been five minutes, Mr. 
 Bruce." 
 
 "Nearer ten," he answered. "I appeal to 
 Madame Benedict if it has not." 
 
 The stately lady smiled and confirmed the 
 young man. 
 
 "Well, I am very sorry," said Miss Cristopher, 
 "but the evening seems designed for reflection." 
 
 "But not sad reflection," responded the young 
 gentleman. "Come, now, it is desecration to look 
 sad on such a night/' 
 
 " I hope I was not really looking disconsolate," 
 said the young lady.
 
 220 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Indeed you were, absolutely weary of life. 
 Come, now, confess where your thoughts were 
 running. Was it back to the old land or forward 
 to the new?" 
 
 "Forward," said she, "that much I will tell you. 
 The despair which you saw came from the Repub 
 lic, which is just ahead, and not from the Kingdom 
 which we have left behind," and she laughed pleas 
 antly. 
 
 " But it ought to be a happy and expectant 
 look," continued Mr. Bruce, the name of the young 
 gentleman. " You, above all others, ought to be 
 jubilant, and yet you are moping dreadfully." 
 
 "Now, shame," said Miss Cristopher; "you 
 know I have been excessively animated ever since 
 we left Liverpool. If you do not stop slandering 
 me in such a way I shall conceal myself like the 
 veiled prophet, and you shall see only my hand. 
 That won't look mournful, I am sure." 
 
 "It will," replied the young man, "it does 
 already. It seems to be tinged by your eyes, and 
 looks as sad as your face. You must wear gloves
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 221 
 
 when you disguise yourself, or I shall detect your 
 despair just as easily as now." 
 
 The banter, which was largely in earnest, went 
 on for some time, until finally the two ladies went 
 below. 
 
 " Margaret," said the elder, addressing the girl, 
 ''what are you going to do with Mr. Bruce?" 
 
 The young lady threw her arms about the neck 
 of Mrs. Benedict, and said, softly, "I do not know." 
 
 "He will declare himself," said the lady, " unless 
 you restrain him." 
 
 "I think so," said Margaret. "Indeed,! fear 
 so." 
 
 " He is a young man of excellent family," con 
 tinued Mrs. Benedict, " wealthy, educated, irre 
 proachable." 
 
 "Yes," answered Margaret. 
 
 "What will you do then, my dear?" said the 
 former, supporting the head of the young lady 
 and smoothing her brown hair tenderly. 
 
 "I do not wish to marry," said Margaret. 
 
 "Then you will refuse him?" said her compan-
 
 222 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 ion. " My dear, have you ever reflected that you 
 are declining a great many brilliant offers?" 
 
 "Yes," said Margaret, demurely; "I have 
 thought of it." 
 
 "And resolved to do no better?" pursued Mrs. 
 Benedict, smiling, half-reproachfully. 
 
 "What can I do?" said the girl, appealingly. 
 "You with your good heart and wise head, tell 
 me." 
 
 "You do not love Mr. Bruce?" inquired Mrs. 
 Benedict. 
 
 "Oh, no!" said Margaret. 
 
 "Not even a little?" 
 
 " I should say not a particle," replied the young 
 lady, frankly. 
 
 " He is a man that most women would greatly 
 admire," said her companion. 
 
 "Oh, yes," responded Miss Cristopher, ''and I 
 admire him and respect him." 
 
 " But can not love him?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "That old affection clings to you yet, driving
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 223 
 
 out all others ; I see, I see," said Mrs. Benedict, 
 sadly. 
 
 "No, not that," replied the girl; "all that is 
 dead, but, someway, nothing comes in its 
 place." 
 
 "Well, well, my dear," said Mrs. Benedict, smil 
 ing ; " you must do the best you can, and, above 
 all, you must save Mr. Bruce the pain of a refusal. 
 Do that in some manner ; your own heart and 
 good sense will tell you how." And here the con 
 versation terminated. 
 
 The next evening Miss Cristopher and Mr. 
 Bruce were slowly walking back and forth on deck. 
 Now and then they stopped to gaze down into the 
 waves that dashed their phosphorescent light 
 against the plunging prow of the vessel, and 
 again at the starlit heavens that sparkled above 
 them. 
 
 "To-morrow," said the young man, "one day 
 more and this trip will come to an end." 
 
 " And we shall be there," said Miss Cristopher, 
 beckoning with her head toward the great Conti-
 
 224 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 nent. " At home once more. O ! how nervous I 
 get over it." 
 
 "And you are glad," said he. "You do not feel 
 a pang at terminating the voyage ? I had hoped 
 you would." 
 
 "Oh, you mistake me there," responded Miss 
 Cristopher, ashamed of her thoughtlessness. "Of 
 course I shall deeply regret parting from all pur 
 friends on the ship." 
 
 "And may I hope that I do not occupy the 
 least place among them?" said he. 
 
 " Oh, you know you are the very first," said 
 Miss Cristopher, frankly. "We never could have 
 done at all without you." 
 
 She was sorry a moment after that she had 
 been so outspoken, for the young man grew very 
 serious, and finally, taking her hand, began the 
 long-feared declaration. The young lady was 
 frightened, and blamed herself for it all ; but she 
 resolved to stop him at every hazard. He had 
 barely got the preliminary sentence out of his 
 mouth before she deliberately put both her hands
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 225 
 
 over that organ of speech, and threatened to stifle 
 him if he said another word. It was a novel way 
 of preventing an offer, but it was very effective. 
 
 " Now stop," said she ; " you mustn't, and that's 
 the end of it."* 
 
 " I won't," said he, with a voice that sounded 
 very much muffled as it came from behind the 
 palm that had been placed upon his mouth. " I 
 won't, if you will keep your hands just where they 
 are for ever." 
 
 " But, really, now," pursued the young lady, 
 "you must say no more upon that subject." 
 
 " How do you know what I was going to say?" 
 said he. 
 
 "Well, I have a premonition," she answered. 
 
 "You are used to it," he said. 
 
 "Shame upon you for that," returned Miss Cris- 
 topher. 
 
 "Well, then, you are engaged," said the young 
 man. 
 
 " Please, now, do not allude to it any further," 
 she replied. 
 
 10* P
 
 226 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "I will not, except this," he said. "If you are 
 not engaged, you shall say no. If you are, remain 
 silent. Come, now that's only fair. So I ask the 
 question, 'Are you engaged?'" 
 
 Miss Cristopher saw no better way of escap 
 ing, so she adopted this plan and said nothing. 
 Mr. Bruce thereupon congratulated her, though 
 sadly, and only asked that they might continue 
 to meet as friends. Then there were good- 
 nights, and the young lady went below. Once 
 there she fell to telling her stately companion of 
 the interview, and while they regretted the occur 
 rence and sympathized with the disappointed 
 lover, they could not resist laughing over the odd 
 means employed by the young lady to prevent a 
 declaration. 
 
 It was ten o'clock the next morning when the 
 great ship with her decks swarming with the 
 aroused passengers slowly made her way through 
 the innumerable water craft up to the great docks. 
 The latter were thronged with expectant faces, 
 eagerly turned upward to the crowded decks of
 
 aht the Congressman. 227 
 
 the incoming ship. Close by the railing stood 
 Mrs. Benedict, Miss Cristopher, and Mr. Bruce. 
 The young lady's eyes were anxiously turned on 
 the faces looking up to her. All at once she gave 
 a glad start, and waved her hand and handkerchief 
 at some one^on the docks, while the tears sprung 
 to her eyes. At the same moment a hat went up 
 from the crowd, and the person that she had recog 
 nized seemed trying to clamber over everybody 
 else and make his way toward the gangway. Cer 
 tainly at a distance the enthusiastic individual 
 looked strangely like old Mr. Martin, and well 
 could it be possible was the young lady on the 
 great ship, with her mouth all smiles and her eyes 
 all tears, actually Peggy 1
 
 228 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PLOTS. 
 
 "Mr. Barncastle, I believe," said Hartwell, 
 advancing. 
 
 Barncastle did not know the young man before 
 him, but it occurred to him at once that it must be 
 some one of his numerous creditors. He knew of 
 no one else who would be likely to have business 
 with him, and he answered accordingly. 
 
 "Yes, certainly; by the way this is a most un 
 fortunate thing, Mr. , Mr. 
 
 "Hartwell," interrupted the young man, pre 
 senting a card. 
 
 " Hartwell," repeated Barncastle. "As I was 
 saying, this is most unfortunate. Do you know 
 that not an hour ago I was chasing for you up and 
 down, in and out the hotels, through the restau 
 rants and clubs, with the money in my hand to pay
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 229 
 
 you. High nor low nowhere could I find you, 
 and now, not five minutes ago, I lent the money, 
 every cent, to my good landlady who is in great 
 trouble lost a son blowed up on the railroad 
 all that sort of thing horrible affair so you 
 see I'm down, so to speak flat." 
 
 While Barncastle had been speaking, Mr. Hart- 
 well had been looking at him puzzled and bewil 
 dered, not knowing what he was driving at. 
 
 " Come," said Barncastle, noting what he thought 
 a disappointed expression "don't let it trouble 
 you. It's a sure thing, you know. Just name the 
 spot you will be in at eighteen minutes to three 
 to-morrow afternoon, and all you will have to do is 
 to reach out your hand and take the money. Let 
 me see, what is the amount?" 
 
 Hartwell, who began to see the point, now 
 interrupted. "You mistake, Mr. Barncastle," said 
 he. "You certainly do not owe me anything." 
 
 "What!" exclaimed Barncastle, "is it possible 
 that in this dim light I have been misled by the 
 facial expression and the similarity of names?
 
 230 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Why, so I have. My dear sir, let me apologize," 
 and Barncastle seized the hand of Hartwell and 
 wrung it with great fervor. "I took you," he con 
 tinued, "for a member, an old friend to whom I 
 promised a subscription for the orphan asylum. A 
 thousand pardons." 
 
 " Do not make any apologies," said Hartwell. 
 "I came here on a little business, and may as well 
 get at it at once. I know something- of your in 
 fluence with members of Congress, Mr. Barncastle, 
 and that, frankly, is why I came." 
 
 Barncastle was flattered, as Hartwell intended 
 he should be. 
 
 " My dear sir," said Barncastle, " I never boast 
 of these things. They are matters that require 
 reticence and diplomacy." 
 
 " Multiplication, division, and silence, eh," said 
 Hartwell. 
 
 " My dear sir, you have spoken it," responded 
 Barncastle. 
 
 "You seem to be very comfortable here," said 
 Hartwell, looking around the room.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 231 
 
 "Neat, neat," replied Barncastle ; "but by no 
 means extravagant. I scorn pomp, Mr. Hartwell. 
 My library, not large but select, is all the luxury 
 that I indulge in ; but without books, without 
 these companions of my quiet hours, life would be 
 dreary indeed." 
 
 It was well that Mr. Barncastle's book-case was 
 closed, otherwise he would never have ventured to 
 speak so grandly of his library. The fact was that 
 the ancient case, rickety and dingy, contained at 
 that moment a shaving-mug, a box of pills, three or 
 four half-empty bottles of patent medicines, and a 
 variety of old traps, but not even the faintest sign 
 of a book of any description. His enthusiasm on 
 the subject of his library was therefore purely 
 fictitious. 
 
 Hartwell glanced at the book-case as if he 
 could see through the doors the treasures within, 
 and then turned to the table. 
 
 "What have you here? he said, pointing to 
 Barncastle's model for a monument. 
 
 The latter threw himself back with an air of
 
 232 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 pride as he answered. "Ah," said he, "there you 
 touch me, Mr. Hartwell. Now you hit upon my 
 weakness. That," said Mr. Barncastle, taking the 
 model by the top and turning it round, "is the 
 fruit of well, you may call it eccentricity, if you 
 will. Who knows a man so well as himself; who 
 knows the secrets of his heart, the purity of his 
 intentions, the loftiness of his aspirations, as he 
 knows them? You answer, nobody! So say I. 
 If, then, a man be honest, none can tell so well as 
 he what he deserves of his country. I feel here, 
 for instance, a heart throbbing with compassion. I 
 have here a brain bursting with patriotic fire. I 
 have here a form ready to be sacrificed on the altar 
 of liberty. What, then, do I do? I design with 
 the utmost impartiality a monument for posterity. 
 It will be a flat shaft, one hundred feet in height. 
 On one side will be a phcenix rising from its ashes, 
 typical of what may be expected of Ebenezer 
 Barncastle. On the reverse, the inscription you 
 see here in German text :
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 233 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF 
 
 EBENEZER BARNCASTLE, F. R. S., 
 
 A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER, 
 
 WHOSE EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF CURRENT EVENTS WAS ONLY 
 
 EQUALED BY HIS SURPASSING FACULTY OF 
 
 MASSING FACTS AND FIGURES 
 
 FOR THE 
 BENEFIT OF HIS COUNTRYMEN. 
 
 AN ADEPT AT THE TARIFF, AT HOME ON THE FINANCES, 
 HE LIVED TO ADORN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, 
 
 AND DIED REGRETTED BY A MOURNING WORLD. 
 
 HIS MOTTO HE TRANSMITS TO HIS DESCENDANTS, 
 " ORGANIZE." 
 
 For a while Mr. Hartwell stared at this epi 
 taph, lost in amazement. The curious thing 
 about the matter was the utter seriousness with 
 which Barncastle regarded it. He did not seem to 
 see the least impropriety in the idea, but to look 
 upon it as a great discover^ he had wrought and 
 was soon to bestow upon a suffering world, no 
 matter how ungrateful that world might be. It 
 was some time before Hartwell could overcome his 
 astonishment and enter upon the real object of his 
 visit. Finally he composed himself, and began :
 
 234 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "You know the Hon. Zachariah Martin?" he 
 said, at length. 
 
 "Know him!" responded Barncastle; "inti 
 mately. Indebted to me for his position, for the 
 clothes on his back, for the money in his pocket ; 
 borrows of me this is confidential, of course?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " Borrows of me largely. Too largely, I fear ; 
 still, Zach. is a very clever young man, and I can 
 not be hard upon him." 
 
 " Then you are the very man I have been 
 looking for," responded Hartwell. " To come 
 right down to business, we want to get a favor of 
 Martin." 
 
 " I see." 
 
 " We want him to do us a favor, and we are 
 ready to pay for it." 
 
 " Exactly." 
 
 " In this package," pursued Hartwell, taking 
 out a large envelope, " is a letter addressed to him 
 by a friend of his, a lady, asking the favor alluded 
 to. In this other package are five thousand
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 235 
 
 dollars of bonds in the Nantucket Insurance Com 
 pany. We propose to give him these bonds for 
 doing our work; but of course this is not to be inti 
 mated by the person presenting the package." 
 
 "Of course not," echoed Barncastle. 
 
 14 We want him to get these bonds through one 
 who can testify to the fact should Mr. Martin 
 desire, for any reason, to play us falsely hereafter. 
 Now, Mr. Barncastle, we have thought you the 
 man to hand them to him. For doing this, a very 
 great favor to us, we will pay you one hundred 
 dollars now and one hundred dollars more when 
 you testify to that fact, if such time ever arrives. 
 You can say that the package was sent to him by 
 the lady who sent the note, with a request that he 
 retain them for her. The rest he will understand. 
 Now, Mr. Barncastle, what do you say? " 
 
 " My dear sir," responded the latter, " consider 
 it done for a friend. He can refuse me nothing. 
 He's too deep in, you see, too deep in," and Barn 
 castle put his finger to his nose significantly. 
 
 44 1 see," said Hartwell.
 
 236 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Money is nothing to me " continued Barn- 
 castle. " Consider it done, as I said before, for a 
 friend." 
 
 Hartwell was puzzled at this. He had esti 
 mated Barncastle pretty fairly, and besides he had 
 heard enough of him to know that he was a very 
 impecunious old vagabond, and yet here he 
 was declining money for his services. Without 
 attempting to fathom the mystery, and glad to 
 save the one hundred dollars if he could accom 
 plish his object as well, he rose to go. He shook 
 Barncastle warmly by the hand. He had reached 
 the door and was about turning the knob when 
 a thought seemed to strike the latter. 
 
 "One moment," said Mr. Barncastle; "I am 
 not ordinarily in this business. My sphere is gen 
 erally broader and my terms higher. Money, as I 
 said before, is no object to me but as a a 
 guaranty of good faith, you know, hey?" And 
 Barncastle smiled his blandest. Hartwell smiled 
 also, showing his white teeth, but his smile was 
 not so genial as that of Barncastle.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 237 
 
 " Oh, of course," said he. " I shall gladly pay 
 you. I only thought " 
 
 " Not that," said Barncastle, moving the palm of 
 his hand deprecatingly. " It is not the money, you 
 know, but but the indefinable pledge of sin 
 cerity, you know between ah gentlemen, as 
 it were. Hay, right ? " 
 
 "Exactly," said Hartwell, and without further 
 ado he placed one hundred dollars in Mr. Barn- 
 castle's extended hand. 
 
 " I will call to hear the result," said he, and once 
 more moved toward the door. With many a 
 wave of the hand Barncastle bowed his visitor 
 out, not satisfied until the outer door had closed 
 upon him. Then he returned to his room, with an 
 expression of wonderful exultation on his face. 
 
 He held the money and the bonds in his hand 
 and gazed at them. "What's their game?" said he, 
 musingly. " A letter, too ; a mysterious letter. I 
 ought to know, as the confidential agent of these 
 parties, what said letter contains. I will know. It's 
 unprofessional, but prudent," and with that Barn-
 
 238 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 castle broke the seal and read the following 
 note: 
 
 DEAR MR. MARTIN: I want the young man of whom I 
 spoke appointed sure to some good place in the revenue 
 service. You said any thing in your keeping was at my dis 
 posal. All I have to offer in return I give. Is the considera 
 tion sufficient ? Reply by the bearer. Your loving 
 
 BELLE. 
 
 Barncastle folded the letter thoughtfully. 
 
 "His loving Belle," he echoed. "This ought 
 to be sufficient without the bonds. I wonder if it 
 wouldn't be. Five thousand dollars ! " Barncastle 
 was gazing thoughtfully at the papers when there 
 was a knock at the door. " Come in," said he, 
 turning his face to the entrance and putting his 
 bonds behind him. At his summons Mrs. Dabster 
 entered. Barncastle looked at her majestically. 
 "Come here," he exclaimed, and Mrs. Dabster 
 approached. 
 
 "I owe you divers sums," said he, loftily; "I 
 know nothing about the total. How much is it?" 
 
 Mrs. Dabster was astonished, but she quickly 
 gave him the amount
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 239 
 
 ' Here's ten dollars," said Barncastle, handing 
 her a bill. " Of the balance we will speak at 
 another time." 
 
 ' Now, look here," he continued, and he opened 
 the rich-looking bonds and exhibited them to her 
 astounded vision, holding them at a safe distance. 
 
 "Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Dabster, "what are 
 they?" 
 
 " Governments," said Barncastle. " Govern 
 ment bonds bearing six per cent, in gold, payable 
 semi-annually. Every dollar of 'em worth a dollar 
 and twenty cents." 
 
 "My gracious!" returned Mrs. Dabster. " How 
 many of them are there?" 
 
 "Thousands, millions perhaps," said Barn 
 castle. "Don't touch them. Ah ha! it scorches 
 your boarding-house eyelids to look at 'em, don't 
 it?" 
 
 " Please don't speak to me that way," pleaded 
 the landlady. 
 
 " Speak that way ? I'll speak any way. I 
 owe you money, you" said Barncastle. "Why
 
 240 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 then take it and leave me. ! Ha, ha, begone, 
 woman ! " 
 
 "Oh, I would rather you would never pay me 
 than to talk so to me," said she, whimpering. 
 
 " Talk," said he. " Here, by the soul of Napo 
 leon, I'll act as well as talk. What's your wheezy 
 furniture worth; make out your bill and consider 
 it smashed." 
 
 "Don't," begged Mrs. Dabster, as Barncastle 
 tipped over a chair. " Don't please, kind, good 
 Mr. Barncastle. Oh, dear, I believe you've gone 
 mad. I'm going to faint, I am I am " 
 
 " Well, faint," said he, " and thank your stars 
 that you can fall into the arms of a Barncastle." 
 
 Mrs. Dabster would have carried her threat 
 into execution, but suddenly a thought seemed to 
 strike her boarder, and jamming his hat on his 
 head he rushed out into the street.
 
 Zackariah) the Congressman. 241 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 IN WHICH CLOUDS APPEAR ON ZACHARIAH MAR- 
 
 TIN'S HORIZON. 
 
 It was quite early in the Spring, and Congress 
 was still in session, when there appeared in the 
 Hiltonville " Banner " the following notice. 
 
 INDIGNATION MEETING! 
 
 CITIZENS, ATTEND. 
 
 All citizens, without regard to party, are requested 
 to meet at the Court House this evening to ex 
 press their indignation at the course of our 
 Representative in Congress. Those who wish to 
 frown down the notorious attempt of our mem 
 ber to peddle official patronage and sell the 
 people's offices to the highest bidder are earn 
 estly requested to attend. 
 
 This notice was unsigned, but it originated with 
 Spiker, who was actuated quite as much by per- 
 
 II Q
 
 242 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 sonal spite, it may well be supposed, as by anxiety 
 for the purity of the public morals, During the day 
 a number of gentlemen who had reasons more or 
 less important for giving Zach. a blow were busy 
 drumming up an audience. It was queer under 
 what curious and diverse influences they worked. 
 Of course Spiker wanted revenge. So did five 
 candidates for postmaster, whose claims had been 
 disregarded in favor of the sixth appointee. So 
 did several unsuccessful applicants for other places 
 who were sure they failed to receive certain offices 
 in Zach.'s gift because he was either an idiot, a 
 corruptionist, or was unmindful of his duty. The 
 ranks of these were augmented by a dozen people 
 who personally disliked the young man. One 
 thought him proud. Another many years previ 
 ously had had a disagreement with his father. 
 Another had always said he was not the right man 
 for Congress, and still another was jealous of 
 Zach., and always had been, and was ready to fly 
 at anything as an excuse for denouncing him. 
 
 A man had better be a digger and delver
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 243 
 
 among men than to struggle an inch only above 
 those who have always known him. He must 
 reach an ell, rise clear and unmistakably above 
 them, or his life is that of a slave and a martyr 
 combined. 
 
 Of course joined to all these we have named 
 were the political enemies of Martin, the " men 
 on the other side," who always esteem it the 
 first duty they owe the country to cry down 
 every one and everything having any connec 
 tion with the opposing party. These came out 
 with a relish. Then there was a class of staid 
 citizens who rarely took much part in active poli 
 tics, whose presence it was deemed necessary to 
 secure. This was done to a degree through per 
 sonal solicitation, by appeals to them to turn their 
 faces against alleged corruption, and by that flat 
 tery which old stagers know so well how to use 
 when occasion requires. The result was that there 
 was really a formidable gathering, representing to 
 a great extent the best element of Hiltonville and 
 
 o 
 
 the surrounding country. By what seemed a spon-
 
 244 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 taneous movement one of the oldest and most 
 respectable merchants of the town was chosen to 
 preside. The truth was that he had been visited 
 the day before and urged to attend, being informed 
 that he would be chosen. He was flattered to be 
 deemed the one man most fit to grace the seat of 
 the president of such a gathering, and finally con 
 sented. When, therefore, a voice in the audience 
 called the assemblage to order, and nominated 
 Madison Goldstone for chairman, a loud aye went 
 up from the meeting, which really seemed aston 
 ished when that gentleman came promptly forward 
 and took the chair. 
 
 Mr. Goldstone, prior to being waited upon as 
 aforesaid, had heard little and cared less about 
 Zach/s alleged shortcomings ; but suddenly he was 
 filled with the deepest concern for the country and 
 the honor of her public servants. This was com 
 mendable, but abrupt. However, he made an 
 excellent speech, pointing out the absolute neces 
 sity of integrity and exalted virtue in public life, 
 and sat down amid loud applause. Another
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 245 
 
 prominent citizen, who had been spoken to in like 
 manner, was called upon, and made a similar 
 speech. Seeing such men,, persons unaccustomed 
 to " meddling with politics," active and interested, 
 the lesser lights sprang up, and the meeting really 
 waxed indignant. One gentleman explained the 
 nature of the charges against Zach., and the proof. 
 The principal one was that he had secured the 
 appointment of a non-resident of the district in a 
 manner that smacked strongly of bribery. A 
 committee on resolutions was appointed, and re 
 tired to an ante-room. Here the chairman, who 
 had been selected days beforehand, and had been 
 furnished with a set of resolutions ready made 
 from the hands of the editor of the Hilton ville 
 " Banner," drew those resolutions from his pocket 
 and submitted them to the committee. One act 
 ive member moved to strike out "a" in the second 
 line of the fourth resolution and substitute " the," 
 which motion was carried. Another suggested 
 that "reported" charges would be better than 
 "alleged" charges, but after considerable debate
 
 246 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 the sentence was allowed to remain as it was. 
 After much discussion, but no more changes, the 
 committee returned, looking like a jury in whose 
 hands hung life or death, and marched solemnly 
 into the assemblage. Their appearance was greet 
 ed with applause. Each resolution, as it was read, 
 was greeted with more applause, and the full set 
 was adopted with a loud aye. It is needless to 
 recount them. They were like the resolutions of 
 every other like meeting, very long, very heavy, 
 and very unjust. But the object was accomplished. 
 The next issue of the " Banner" had a full account 
 of the gathering, with the proceedings and resolu 
 tions in full. It gave the names of the officers, 
 speakers, and prominent persons present, and sin 
 gularly enough scarcely one of the real instigators 
 and manipulators of the affair was mentioned. 
 The meeting appeared to be a spontaneous assem 
 blage of indignant citizens who, scandalized and 
 outraged, had at last aroused from their lethargy 
 and asserted their rights. It was a great success. 
 Zach. had been warned of these impending
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 247 
 
 troubles. He had been told that if he expected 
 to secure a renomination he must send explana 
 tions of his conduct, and must prepare himself for 
 a furious fight. But to all these warnings he 
 turned a deaf ear. To explain the appointment 
 which he had made at the request of Belle, would 
 be embarrassing. To pursue and fight down every 
 other slander that was put in circulation against 
 him required too much time and patience, and he 
 resolved to let matters take their course. " I have 
 lived among these people for nearly thirty years," 
 he wrote. "If, without proof, they can believe me 
 guilty of such crimes as they charge upon me, I 
 shall not attempt to undeceive them. It simply 
 
 shows for how little an honest life counts, after all." 
 ******** 
 
 Bobbin never would have believed it cost so 
 much to live in Washington. His family were 
 with him now, and he occupied a very pleasant 
 little house on " O " street, " Northwest." The old 
 neighbors of Mrs. Bobbin would never have rec 
 ognized in the rather trim and neat appearing mis-
 
 248 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 tress of that little house their old acquaintance at 
 Martin's Corners. The playmates of the younger 
 Bobbins would have been overwhelmed by the 
 appearance of these youthful aristocrats now, in 
 their starched pinafores and their top boots. It 
 was Mrs. Bobbin's darling dream to put Johnnie 
 into a blue suit with dazzling brass buttons, set 
 off by a cap with gold lace around the brim ; but 
 do what she would, and "skimp " as much as she 
 might, she could never reach the fruition of that 
 lofty hope. The fact of it was Bobbin's purse 
 was always empty long before pay-day, and his 
 debts were still accumulating. Every month left 
 a little larger balance at the butcher's and the 
 grocer's, and he saw only one hope of getting 
 even, to wit: promotion that dream of the 
 government clerk. When Mrs. Bobbin came on 
 with the family she brought with her five hundred 
 dollars, the proceeds of the sale of her little home 
 at Martin's Corners. She felt almost a million 
 aire, and seriously thought of buying a home in 
 Washington suited to her advanced condition in
 
 Zackariak, the Congressman. 249 
 
 life. But when she arrived in that city she found 
 she could hardly do this. The little bit of furniture 
 she brought with her seemed very shabby and out 
 of place in her new house, and before she had the 
 rooms arranged to her fancy she had expended 
 her five hundred dollars and had a pretty little 
 balance still to pay at the furniture store. And 
 so, though the good woman would never have 
 believed it possible that she could be anything but 
 content in such a house and with such surround 
 ings, she really found herself very unhappy and 
 very envious, and very impatient with poor little 
 Bobbin, who, in spite of all, maintained his cheer 
 fulness, and was immensely pleased and compara 
 tively happy. 
 
 Mrs. Bobbin kept a servant, too. Gracious ! 
 how the people at home would have stared at 
 that. This servant was nothing to speak of; that 
 is, she was very little and very cheap ; but then 
 she had a prodigious appetite, and as provisions 
 were dear the Bobbins found her a rather expen 
 sive luxury. But Mrs. Bobbin got the most out 
 ii*
 
 250 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 of her not so much in work as in appearance. 
 If anybody called, that lady would under no cir 
 cumstances consent that any of the family should 
 go to the door. Angelica for this was the small 
 servant's name was called upon for such duty. 
 She was not exactly adapted to this service, for 
 she always presented a sort of wet appearance, as 
 if she had just been washed but not wiped, and as 
 she opened the door she would invariably look 
 straight past the visitor at the crowds of children 
 gamboling in the streets. When the sight was 
 particularly animating, Angelica would give a 
 bound or two on her own account, much like a 
 high-fed carriage horse excited by the antics of a 
 drove of colts in a neighboring field. After 
 prancing awhile in this manner, she could be 
 brought by degrees to comprehend the questions 
 of the caller, and after a time generally managed 
 to answer them. To Bobbin, Angelica was one of 
 the enigmas of the universe. Whenever she was 
 present he seemed lost in the contemplation of 
 her. She had a queer way of always addressing
 
 Zachariak, the Congressman. 251 
 
 her master as Afester, with a spiteful explosion 
 on the first syllable that sounded a good deal like 
 pulling the cork out of a bottle of pop. At first 
 the little man did not like this. It startled him, 
 and some way made him feel as though he was 
 being called into court by a bailiff. But gradually 
 he became reconciled. 
 
 "She's an orphan, poor thing," said he, " and if 
 she gets a minute's happiness from firirig my name 
 off in that style, why let her do it. Though, to 
 tell the truth," he added in an undertone to one of 
 the children, ""it is unpleasant, that's a fact/'
 
 252 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 . CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 BARNCASTLE AGAIN. 
 
 It was the last month of Spring, and Zach. 
 was waiting to know the result of the convention 
 in his district which was to nominate a candidate 
 for his place. He was pretty confident that his 
 friends would carry him through, but he was anx 
 ious and uncomfortable. It was arranged that his 
 marriage with Belle should take place in July, 
 though no public announcement had been made of 
 the fact. Through his father, Zach. had heard 
 three or four times from Peggy, but only to the 
 effect that she was getting along comfortably. All 
 his efforts to learn her whereabouts failed, for if 
 his father knew he would not tell. Many a time 
 Zach., wearied with care and disappointment, felt 
 as if he would fly to Peggy if he only knew where 
 she was, and give up all even Belle for a little
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 253 
 
 of the old-time peace and affection. But this was 
 not to be, and when his low spirits would depart, 
 and he would see Belle, radiant and beautiful, 
 admired and courted, he turned to her, for the 
 time being, content again. 
 
 It was a very bright morning in the latter part 
 of May, and Zach. was seated in his room at the 
 Arlington looking over his newspaper mail. He 
 opened the Hiltonville "Banner," and in great, 
 black head-lines on the first page saw the follow 
 ing: 
 
 OUR MISREPRESENTATIVE. 
 
 A CHEAT AND A SNEAK. HE IS AFTER SPOILS. 
 
 The Janus-faced upstart who misrepresents this district 
 in Congress is again called upon to explain. Let him answer 
 if he dare the following plain inquiries : 
 
 Who voted millions of the people's money away in that 
 stupendous swindle, the deepening of Duck Creek. 
 
 Who put through the outrageous private land swindle of 
 Peter McDoosen, by which $300,000 of the public funds were 
 worse than squandered ? 
 
 Who was BRIBED to secure the appointment of an entire 
 stranger and non-resident in the revenue service of this dis 
 trict ?
 
 254 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Who was drunk on last Thanksgiving-day in Washington, 
 and was carried home in a scavenger's cart by the police? 
 Let the sovereign people rise and demand an answer 
 
 Zach. read all this and much more with a 
 flushed and angry face. "And this," he said to 
 himself, " is the reward of patient and honest 
 labor. Will the people credit such slanders ? Can 
 they be so unjust to one who has served them 
 faithfully? Ah, well, we shall see." 
 
 He put down the " Banner " and took up a 
 Washington newspaper. He glanced carelessly 
 over the columns until his eye finally lighted upon 
 the following paragraph : 
 
 The great portrait of the late President, by Miss Mar 
 garet Cristopher, which the government has purchased at a 
 high figure, and which has been so warmly praised by Euro 
 pean critics, will be exhibited to a few invited guests at the 
 Arlington House parlors, this evening at 8 o'clock. There is 
 much curiosity manifested so see a lady who has suddenly 
 dawned on the world of art like a meteor, and when we say 
 she is young and beautiful, as well as rich and famous, this 
 interest will certainly not be decreased. 
 
 "Humph!" said Zach. "I remember that I
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 255 
 
 \ 
 promised Belle to attend. They are certainly 
 
 making a great deal of ado over this artist." 
 
 Zach. fell to reflecting again, when he was 
 roused by a knock. In response to his summons 
 to enter, the door opened and Mr. Ebenezer Barn- 
 castle appeared. Zach. looked up but turned 
 away with impatience, and taking up a newspaper 
 buried himself in the telegraphic dispatches. Mr. 
 Barncastle entered, removed his hat with the grace 
 of a Chesterfield, and, looking about him with a 
 smile, proceeded to pull off his brown cotton 
 gloves. 
 
 " Mr. Martin," said he gaily, looking about the 
 room, " Here you are, cradled, as it were, in the 
 lap of luxury. Fine hotel, elegant appointments, 
 matchless cuisine. Humph, gad! what do they 
 charge you here by the month? Lucky dog, lucky 
 dog. There's nothing like genius, especially when 
 united to wealth. Martin," continued Barn- 
 castle, taking a seat with great freedom, " I am 
 very glad to see you. I want to have a confi 
 dential talk with you. Do you know," here Barn-
 
 256 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 castle drew his seat nearer and spoke slowly and 
 impressively, "it's my opinion that the country is 
 going straight to the devil in a coach and six. 
 Hey?" 
 
 Zach. still remained buried in his newspaper, 
 and Barncastle went on : 
 
 "You do not answer," said he. "Ah, well, 
 public men do not like to express opinions, but 
 they feel for the country as we feel for it , their 
 hearts are wrung, as ours are wrung; they see the 
 danger as we see it. Mister Martin" here Barn- 
 castle grew earnest and vehement "how shall 
 the honest men of this country save the republic ?" 
 
 Barncastle dropped his chin deep down in his 
 shirt-collar and looked out from under his eye 
 brows at Zach. as he asked this question. 
 
 "How shall they save it? There is but one 
 way, organize! bring out the voters! watch the 
 polls ! Let every man devote one day to the 
 service of his country. Organize the wards, the 
 townships, the counties. Rouse the people to 
 action. Appoint committees, form clubs; bring in
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 257 
 
 the sick, the halt, the lame, the blind, the indigent; 
 spur up the indifferent, labor with the hesitating, 
 cleave to the irresolute, stiffen up the backbone of 
 the workers, and give the men of sediment a 
 chance at glory. By action, ceaseless united 
 action, this fabric of ours may yet be preserved. 
 You understand me, hey? Right !" 
 
 Zach. was growing intensely disgusted. 
 
 " Barncastle," said he, finally, " I wish you 
 wouldn't bother me." 
 
 "What!" exclaimed that patriot, drawing back 
 with astonishment. ''Are you, too, lukewarm in 
 the cause? " 
 
 " Oh, you are such a prodigious fraud ! " said 
 Zach., gazing wearily at him. 
 
 Barncastle drew back again with offended 
 dignity. 
 
 "Mr. Martin," said he, "I am your debtor. I 
 am, sir; I admit it. I have had the sum about 
 me a dozen times within the past twenty-four 
 hours, but, unfortunately, at such times I was 
 
 unable to discover you. It's annoying, but it's 
 R
 
 258 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 perfectly true, and might happen to any one. 
 Now, when I have parted with the money, I 
 stumble upon you. Will you be kind enough to 
 name a place where you will be at fifteen minutes 
 before two to-morrow afternoon? If you will, sir, 
 we will cancel this claim." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle said this with great dignity, 
 and drew his coat about him with an air of injured 
 innocence, 
 
 " Again," said Zach. as if speaking to himself, 
 "for the five hundredth time the man comes to lie 
 to me about that money." 
 
 " I will not," said Mr. Barncastle, "presume to 
 lecture you on your duty at such a time. I will 
 not enlarge on the impropriety, I might say, 
 cruelty, of permitting the public good to yield to 
 private greed. But I will say, Mr. Martin, that 
 it is your duty to look loftier. Drown sordid 
 Thought in the butt of patriotism, and rise to the 
 level of a statesman." 
 
 Barncastle's face glowed with such exaltation 
 as he said this that Zach. was fairly lost in wonder,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 259 
 
 but his indignation soon revived. Turning- round 
 and facing that eminent man, Zach. thus addressed 
 him : 
 
 "When 1 first came to Washington you took 
 me in. You swindled me; you humbugged me; 
 You got fifty dollars for doing it, and I am 
 willing to pay you that much for teaching me 
 the price of being duped by a great rascal. But I 
 can't see that I have any further use for you, and 
 I shall be infinitely obliged if you will take your 
 leave as speedily as possible." 
 
 Barncastle rose with pride. 
 
 " Mr. Martin," said he, " I would call you my 
 friend, but it might .be disagreeable there is a 
 chord in the human breast that needs but one 
 touch to vibrate painfully. If you have touched 
 that chord in this bosom " 
 
 " Now that will do, Barncastle," interrupted 
 Zach. "Will you be kind enough to get out? " 
 
 "Get out!" repeated Barncastle; "get out, 
 sir! If my presence is offensive, you have but to 
 
 mention it."
 
 260 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " But I have mentioned it," said Zach. 
 
 "Ingratitude," continued Barncastle, taking his 
 hat, "is a sentiment unknown to the family of 
 which I happen to be an unworthy scion. I can 
 not, therefore, understand it. I shall take my 
 leave, sir." 
 
 "Well, take it," said Zach., "and have done 
 with it." 
 
 " It is probably useless," said Barncastle, paus 
 ing, "to appeal to you, but at this moment I am 
 financially low. I confess it, and necessity, Mr. 
 Martin, knows no law; it humbles the proudest 
 spirit Might I, sir, ask the loan of an X until 
 morning? " 
 
 Barncastle struck a stage attitude as he said 
 this, and placed his right hand in his bosom. 
 
 "No," exclaimed Zach., very positively. 
 
 "A V, then," said Barncastle. "I reduce 
 myself to the ranks. A paltry V." 
 
 " No ! " reiterated Zach. 
 
 " No ! " exclaimed Barncastle. " You said 
 no!"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 261 
 
 " I said no," returned Zach, "and I meant no." 
 
 " Mr. Martin," said Barncastle sadly, but still 
 with dignity, " good morning." He advanced to 
 the door, but turned before opening it, and con 
 tinued . " I would say, because hunger is even 
 more potent than pride, I would say, and I will 
 say, two dollars." 
 
 " I told you no" returned Zach., again. 
 
 " I know it," said Barncastle ; " I heard the 
 sharp reply, but a heart shrouded in misery does 
 not heed, with that natural indignation which 
 would otherwise be aroused, these rebuffs of proud 
 men." 
 
 " Well,jj/<?^ may heed them," said Zach. "Once 
 more I tell you no" 
 
 "Mr. Martin," said Barncastle. "I bid you 
 good morning, and may you never know the pangs 
 of a proud heart touched by the icy hand of indi 
 gence. Would it be too much to say one dollar. A 
 hundred cents." 
 
 "Not a cent," said Zach. resolutely. 
 
 " Mr. Martin," said Barncastle with his hand
 
 262 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 upon the door, "good morning," and at last he 
 was gone. 
 
 Zach. drew a sigh of relief. "The scoundrel/-' 
 said he. " To think, now, of the intimate friend of 
 the President being reduced to such a strait ! " 
 He was settling himself in his chair once more, 
 when the door opened slightly and Barncastle 
 stuck his head through the aperture. 
 
 "Fifty cents!" he ejaculated. 
 
 " No, sir," exclaimed Zach., turning round 
 quickly, "I have told you a dozen times, no." 
 
 Barncastle drew the door partly together, and 
 said, with a look and tone that was really 
 pathetic 
 
 "A dime, Martin. Ten cents." 
 
 There was something in his face that some 
 way made Zach. at last hesitate. His resolution 
 deserted him. With that sudden impulse which 
 frequently overcomes men of warm hearts, he told 
 Barncastle to come in. The latter obeyed, look 
 ing exceedingly downcast and humble. 
 
 "There never was anything like it," said Zach.,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 263 
 
 and he put his hand in his pocket and took out a 
 roll of bills. Thoroughly angry with himself and 
 with Barncastle, he selected a ten dollar note and 
 handed it to the latter. "There, you incorrigible 
 bore/' said he, " take that, and now I tell you 
 plainly if you ever ask me for another cent I will 
 cane you within an inch of your life. Now, get 
 out." 
 
 As Barncastle clutched the note his eye bright 
 ened, and his form grew erect and elastic. The 
 humility was gone in an instant, and the old 
 grandiloquent air returned. 
 
 "Noble philanthropist, generous-hearted states 
 man," he exclaimed. 
 
 "Go," thundered Zach. "before I kick you out." 
 
 Barncastle started toward the door, but as he 
 turned the knob he waved his hand majestically. 
 "Friend of stricken genius," said he, "consider this 
 
 loaned for a day; I shall ." But Zach. made 
 
 a threatening movement, and Barncastle disap 
 peared through the door, throwing back a last 
 "good morning!"
 
 264 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 MISS CRISTOPHER GIVES ZACH. A SURPRISE. 
 
 That night there was a distinguished gather 
 ing at the Arlington House parlors. The portrait 
 that was to be exhibited was hung at one end, 
 carefully concealed by red drapery, where it 
 awaited unveiling. Zach. had called at an early 
 hour for Belle, and not finding her ready had 
 strolled out for half an hour. While he was 
 absent a singular scene was being enacted in the 
 house of the Marmalukes. Belle stood with her 
 hat and shawl on awaiting Zach.'s appearance, while 
 Hartwell was leaning over the back of a chair 
 speaking earnestly to her. 
 
 "So you really think he will be defeated?" said 
 Belle. 
 
 "As certain as the sun shines," replied Hart-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 265 
 
 well. "You asked him to make that appointment 
 and he did it." 
 
 " Well." 
 
 " He had no business to do it, but that is not 
 all. He is accused in his district of being bribed 
 to do it. I have attended to that, and with the 
 other charges against him he can not be renomi- 
 nated." 
 
 " It was a pity to defeat him so soon," said 
 Belle, musingly, 
 
 "So soon!" repeated Hartwell. 
 
 "Yes," returned Belle; "it's delightful having 
 these men spending their money so freely on one." 
 
 "I suppose so," said Hartwell; "but I am tired 
 of waiting." 
 
 "Well, what better are you off?" she returned. 
 " Ma will never consent to my marrying you. You 
 have no money, and I must have money. You 
 have no position, and ma insists upon position." 
 
 "I am not so poor as you think," said Hart- 
 well. " You asked him to assist me, and he did it 
 better than he thought."
 
 266 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "With his eyes shut, like the fool he is. I 
 never told you the particulars for reasons of my 
 own. But his father sent him seven thousand 
 dollars to invest in government bonds. He 
 thought the stock of our insurance company 
 better, and so he invested in it." 
 
 "Yes, I knew all that." 
 
 " So you did; but the company is worth noth 
 ing ; it is about to suspend. The money, however, 
 will be safe enough." Hartwell said this with a 
 knowing smile that Belle understood. 
 
 " Shame on you !" said she, playfully. 
 
 " That's not all," continued Hartwell, triumph 
 antly. " He indorsed a note for a friend of mine 
 for ten thousand dollars. The note was dis 
 counted at the bank, and unfortunately the friend 
 has failed Martin will have to pay it." 
 
 "Oh, you wicked man," said Belle, striking him 
 with her fan. 
 
 "And last," continued Hartwell, "he has f?ve 
 thousand dollars in the bonds of our company n
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 267 
 
 his possession which were delivered to him by one 
 who will swear, if necessary, that he took them as 
 a bribe for making that appointment of yours." 
 
 "I never heard anything about that," said 
 Belle, " and you know he had no such inducement." 
 
 "What is the difference if appearances are 
 against him," responded Hartwell, eagerly. " Any 
 how, I can tell you that I have fifteen thousand 
 dollars as the result of my last few years' specula 
 tion, and now I want this thing broken off and 
 Martin given to understand that his visits are no 
 longer acceptable." 
 
 " Why, fifteen thousand dollars will not be 
 enough for us," said Belle. 
 
 Hartwell looked displeased. 
 
 "You are trifling," said he. 
 
 " Well," exclaimed Belle, shrugging her shoul 
 ders, "we will wait awhile, and if it all comes out 
 as you say, perhaps ma will consent, but let us go 
 on for a while and see what will happen." 
 
 Hartwell was about to reply, when the door 
 bell rang.
 
 268 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " There he is," said Belle. " He must not see 
 you here. Go down the back stairs, and come 
 again and we will talk it over." The hall door 
 opened to admit Zach. as Hartwell hurriedly 
 kissed Belle and passed out as directed. 
 
 "Ah!" said she to Zach. as he entered the 
 parlor, " I thought you would never come." 
 
 " I have been here before," said Zach ; " but it 
 is not late. A little while, Belle, and we will not 
 be waiting for each other in this manner, for we 
 shall be always together." 
 
 " Like two doves in a cote by themselves," 
 responded Belle. " Oh, that will be delightful ! " 
 
 Something in her tones grated upon Zach. 
 " What is it about the girl I can not fathom," he 
 thought. "She is very beautiful, and that she 
 loves me I do not doubt, and yet I can not under 
 stand her." 
 
 " Belle, you love me, do you not ? " he said, 
 taking her hand in his.- 
 
 "Why, what a question!" said Belle. "Of 
 course I do."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 269 
 
 "And are willing to go through life with me, 
 for better or for worse?" 
 
 " Ah," said she, turning her lustrous eyes upon 
 him. "You do not know a true woman's heart if 
 you imagine that she who leans fondly upon the 
 man she loves in prosperity will not cling to him 
 closer than a brother in adversity." 
 
 She said this very tenderly, and placed her 
 hands confidingly on his arm. 
 
 " Thank you for that," said Zach., and he 
 pressed a kiss on the upturned face, where the kiss 
 of another was hardly dry. Then the two went 
 out together. 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 The company at the Arlington, as before 
 stated, was a distinguished one, though it num 
 bered among it a number who could lay no claim 
 to eminence. Among them were Mrs. Barker, 
 Mr. Audley, Mrs. Sampson, and others whom we 
 have met before. 
 
 They were chatting gayly, waiting for the cere-
 
 270 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 mony to take place, the conversation as usual 
 being very light and unimportant. 
 
 "Now you can see what it is," said Judge 
 Spalding, " to be born lucky. Why, there isn't a 
 statesman in the land who would not exchange 
 places with this girl-artist; and, as for money, 
 why, her pockets are full, while theirs are gener 
 ally empty." 
 
 " Not if half the stories are true," replied Mr. 
 Marmaluke, who, as usual, was close to the Judge. 
 " If we can believe the papers, we haven't a half- 
 dozen honest public men in the country." 
 
 " Stuff and nonsense !" cried the Judge. "The 
 papers once represented, that I had run away with 
 Tom Finch's wife, and Tom, who was in New 
 York, chartered a special train to bring him home. 
 He found that his wife was laid up with the bilious 
 fever, and hadn't been out of bed for a week, 
 while I was pursuing my virtuous duties as usual. 
 By the way, speaking of the papers have you 
 seen those furious articles against Martin ? They 
 tell me he will be defeated."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 271 
 
 " Defeated !" exclaimed Mrs. Marmaluke; " Mr. 
 Martin defeated ?" 
 
 "Yes," returned the Judge, "they say there is 
 no doubt of it. Oh, they charge him with all 
 manner of rascality, and they say he dare not 
 deny it." 
 
 " I saw some of the charges," said Marmaluke^ 
 " but I did not believe them. They can't be true." 
 
 "And what if they are not?" said Mrs. Mar 
 maluke, tartly. " They might as well be if he is 
 defeated on account of them." 
 
 " Marmaluke has got a fiety one," said the 
 Judge, in an undertone to a friend, as he turned 
 away. " I knew what she was and barely escaped 
 marriage with her myself. Lord, how she would 
 have warped my judgment." 
 
 While the above was going on, another conver 
 sation was taking place between Audley, Mrs. 
 Barker, and others. Mrs. B. had seen the artist 
 and was dilating on her extraordinary beauty and 
 character. 
 
 "So beautiful and charming," said she; "such
 
 272 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 artlessness ! Why, in the few moments I saw hei 
 I felt hopelessly in love with her." 
 
 " Well, deuce take it," exclaimed Audley, 
 "introduce a fellow." 
 
 "You!" said Mrs. Barker, looking at him. 
 "Why, bless you, she has a thousand admirers 
 already. Senators, judges, foreign ministers, and 
 half the nobility of England and the continent 
 are ready to fall at her feet. What could you do?" 
 
 " There may be that in my figure," said Audley, 
 "in my eye, in my nose, that all the dukes and 
 earls in this world do not possess. It's not an 
 unusual thing. I've made many a conquest by the 
 knot in my neck-tie." 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Gammill, "if she falls in love 
 with you now mark!" 
 
 "Yes," exclaimed Audley, eagerly. 
 
 "If she falls in love with you she will observe 
 you closely, in order that she may paint your por 
 trait. That's the way these artists always do." 
 
 "I'll watch her closely," said Audley, chuckling. 
 
 " But don't speak," put in Mrs. Sampson. " Let
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 273 
 
 your figure give evidence of the colossal mind that 
 inhabits it." 
 
 " Not a word," said Audley. " Leave her in 
 suspense, you know." 
 
 "Precisely," said Mrs. Barker. 
 
 "She's very beautiful, you say ?" inquired Aud 
 ley, anxiously. 
 
 "Oh, she has every virtue," replied Mrs. Samp 
 son. 
 
 Grimshaw had stood by and heard this conver 
 sation, and muttered to himself, " Well, this artist 
 is a fool or a paragon, that's certain. These 
 women haven't accused her of a single crime." A 
 few minutes later Zach. and Belle arrived. 
 
 " Mercy! what a crowd," said the latter as they 
 entered the room. They managed, however, to 
 move up in good view of the veiled portrait that 
 stood on a raised platform at the end of the 
 parlors. They saluted the acquaintances about 
 them, and waited for the ceremony to begin. 
 
 " Are we not going to see the artist ? " said 
 Zach. to a friend. 
 
 12* S
 
 274 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "I believe so," he replied; "but see; they are 
 uncovering the picture." 
 
 The drapery that hid the portrait was removed, 
 and the company stood silent for a few moments. 
 Then a low murmur of admiration arose, which 
 soon deepened into loud and continued applause. 
 Commodore Grimshaw stood near Zach., eyeing 
 the picture through his glass. At last he said, 
 enthusiastically: "As perfect as life!" 
 
 " The expression is a little too sad, it strikes 
 me," said a gentleman at his side. 
 
 " Not a bit," said another. " The President's 
 face in repose bore almost a look of suffering." 
 
 "By Jove!" exclaimed the Commodore again, 
 "the girl deserves her reputation. I would con 
 sent to marry her myself without seeing her." 
 
 "How do you like it?" inquired Belle, turning 
 to Zach. 
 
 " Very much," he returned. " It seems to me 
 perfection." 
 
 " Hush ! " said some one at his side, " here she 
 comes."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 275 
 
 A prominent Senator, now no more, entered at 
 this juncture with a lady on his arm. They came 
 in by a door near the picture, and turned their 
 backs to the audience as they ascended the plat 
 form. The lady was exquisitely dressed, her 
 slender figure being set off to great advantage by 
 a heavy dress of white. 
 
 They turned on the platform and her com 
 panion spoke: 
 
 "Ladies and gentlemen," said he, "it gives me 
 great pleasure to present to you one whom we 
 all delight to honor, and one whose signal genius 
 is destined to add so much to our world of art, 
 Miss Margaret Cristopher." 
 
 The assemblage broke into a loud clapping of 
 hands, and the artist for the first time raised her 
 head. As she did so Zach. started as if struck by 
 a blow. 
 
 "Good heavens!" he exclaimed, staggering 
 back and rubbing his eyes. 
 
 "What is the matter?" inquired Belle, stepping 
 hastily to his side.
 
 276 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Zach. looked again at the stage, but the lady 
 had descended and was lost in the gathering. 
 Before they could make their way through the 
 dense crowd that surrounded the artist she had 
 left the room, pleading indisposition. Zach. stood, 
 puzzled and irresolute. " It can not be," he said, 
 "and yet the resemblance is perfectly astounding. 
 I must see that girl again."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 277 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 IN WHICH ZACH. MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF 
 MISFORTUNE. 
 
 Audley was charmed. He had seen the artist, 
 and she surpassed all the praise that had been 
 bestowed upon her. He recounted to the ladies 
 his experience, his impressions, and his hopes. 
 
 " I was standing right in front of her," he said. 
 " As she raised her eyes she glanced full upon me. 
 I remained in my position immovable, but with 
 my eyes speaking volumes. I'd lay a hundred to 
 one she's struck." 
 
 "Oh, impossible!" said Mrs. Barker. "So 
 sudden?" 
 
 "Why impossible?" responded Audley. "Have 
 not thousands of people fallen in love at first 
 sight?"
 
 278 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Certainly," said Mrs. Sampson. " Who could 
 gaze unmoved upon that figure?" 
 
 Audley simpered. 
 
 " Look at his boots," pursued Mrs. Sampson, 
 "his gloves, his neck-tie his whole appearance, 
 in fact." 
 
 The ladies all turned their eyes upon him in 
 silent admiration. 
 
 " Now, really," said Audley, deprecatingly, but 
 well pleased; "now really, ladies, don't." 
 
 "Oh, you needn't deny it, Audley," said Mrs. 
 Barker. " The more I think of it the more I am 
 convinced the artist is done for. We who are 
 accustomed to seeing you can not realize the effect 
 you must have upon a stranger." 
 
 "Now, really, ladies," exclaimed Audley, putting 
 up his hands, "I can't permit it positively now." 
 
 " You never saw her before ? " inquired Mrs. 
 Sampson. 
 
 " Never," said Audley. 
 
 "Oh that settles it!" continued Mrs. Barker. 
 " It's all over with her."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 279 
 
 " Unhappy creature ! sighed Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 " Don't be hard on her, Audley," pleaded Mrs. 
 Barker. 
 
 " For the sake of the rest of the sex," pursued 
 Mrs. Sampson. " Promise us now." 
 
 "Ladies," said Audley, solemnly, "I swear 
 that is, I don't mean to swear, you know ; but I 
 assure you most positively the girl shall not be 
 harmed. I am devilish wicked, and all that, you 
 know, but this is a holy affection. I don't say that 
 I will marry her, but, upon my honor, she shall be 
 none the worse for knowing me." With this he 
 gave an arm each to the two ladies, whose eyes 
 were twinkling with merriment. 
 
 " Now remember, you wicked man," said Mrs. 
 Barker ; and again pledging his honor for his 
 good behavior, Audley walked away with them. 
 
 It was rather a singular fact that of all that 
 city full of admirers Miss Cristopher became, 
 before the week was out, best acquainted with Mr. 
 Audley. Why, we shall see hereafter. 
 
 The very next morning after the scenes nar-
 
 280 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 rated in the last chapter, Zach. received a letter 
 from his father informing him that the latter had 
 just heard from Peggy, who was living in an 
 interior city of Pennsylvania She wrote, he said, 
 that she should visit them during the coming 
 Summer, and hoped once more to meet Zach. To 
 relieve him of all embarrassment she wrote that 
 all the old feeling was dead ; that she freely 
 forgave him, and wished most heartily to be 
 friendly, convinced that that was the wisest course. 
 Zach. read this with a twinge. It was not so 
 pleasant to have her adopting his advice so liter 
 ally, and he almost felt resentment toward Peggy 
 for feeling this indifference. He jumped at the 
 thought of seeing her, however, and determined, 
 he hardly knew why, to go home before his coming 
 marriage and meet her once more while he was 
 
 o 
 
 yet free. For the rest, he became so absorbed in 
 the contemplation of the coming convention, now 
 close at hand, that he gave no more thought to 
 the beautiful artist whose resemblance to Peggy 
 had so startled him.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 281 
 
 The day of this important convention at last 
 came and slo .vly passed. Zach. paced his room 
 with nervous strides. A year before he would 
 hardly have turned his hand to receive a renom- 
 ination. Even now he would have retired volun 
 tarily with hardly a regret, but to be forced out 
 under charges that was the rub. He felt sorry 
 that he had not returned home and made a per 
 sonal defense to these attacks, but it was too late 
 to think of that now. He could only wait impa 
 tiently for the expected dispatches. It was nine 
 o'clock in the evening, and still there was nothing. 
 A number of persons had called and sent up their 
 cards, but Zach. was out to all visitors. He dreaded 
 to show his anxiety before people, and dreaded 
 still more the effort at concealment which their 
 presence would necessitate. It was nearly 10 P.M. 
 when a servant knocked, and entered his room. 
 He bore a dispatch, and Zach. took it with an air 
 of pretended indifference. The servant lingered, 
 and Zach. turned to him testily and told him he 
 could go. Then he opened the envelope with
 
 282 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 trembling fingers. He dreaded to commence at 
 the top, so he began at the signature and read it 
 backwards. It was from his warmest supporter, 
 and in a moment Zach. had mastered its contents 
 and dropped his hands upon the table. 
 
 You were defeated on the first ballot in spite of all we 
 could do. Those charges did the work. 
 
 That was the telegram. 
 
 He read it and re-read it. He was perfectly 
 calm now. He felt disgraced, humiliated, insulted, 
 but nervous no longer. He sat quietly, looking 
 vacantly at the grate for an hour. Then he rose 
 and paced the room, still thinking. At a very late 
 hour he undressed and went to bed, and finally to 
 sleep. When he awoke the sun was shining in 
 through his windows. He felt oppressed, as if by 
 some calamity, but for a moment he could not 
 think what it was. Then it came to him, and he 
 turned over and faced the wall. " It is the first 
 blow that has come upon me, and it is hard," said 
 he to himself, "for I did not expect or deserve it." 
 
 It might have been the first, but it surely was
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 283 
 
 not the last, as he was soon to find to his 
 sorrow. When he arose and dressed he had a 
 yearning to see Belle. She would cheer him and 
 sympathize with him, and he needed some one 
 to talk to. 
 
 "It's not all lost," thought he, with a sudden 
 thrill of pleasure. " Belle yet remains to me. She 
 has been my comfort in my success. She shall be 
 my reliance in my disappointment. I remember 
 her words bless her for uttering them 'She 
 who leans fondly upon you in prosperity will cling 
 closer than a brother in adversity.' I will go to 
 her. She will give me strength and courage to 
 retrieve this misfortune." And taking his hat 
 Zach. walked swiftly away toward the house of the 
 Marmalukes. 
 
 While he was on his way there, another queer 
 scene was occurring in the parlors of that familiar 
 abode. Mr. Hartwell was there once more, and 
 Mr. Audley accompanied him. It was not yet ten 
 o'clock, but Belle and her mother were seated 
 listening gravely to what the gentlemen were com-
 
 284 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 municating. Hartwell held a morning paper in 
 his hand, from which he had been reading. 
 
 "We rather thought it might be interesting 
 news," said he, with a meaning glance at Belle, 
 "and so we dropped in to let you see it." 
 
 "It's the strangest thing," said Audley, "but 
 there's no mistake. Martin is confoundedly 
 beaten." 
 
 " There's nothing so strange about it," said 
 Hartwell ; " others have been beaten before 
 him." 
 
 "Yes; but Martin was so honest, you see," said 
 Audley. " I don't know why the stupid people 
 should want to defeat a man that's honest." 
 
 " I am sorry to speak a word against one who 
 has been a friend to us all," said Hartwell; "but 
 serious charges, and I understand, proofs, have 
 been made that Martin is a dishonest speculator." 
 
 "I heard as much," said Mrs. Marmaluke, 
 "some days ago." 
 
 "Oh, is that so?" responded Audley. "Of 
 course he ought to be defeated then. But Miss
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 285 
 
 Belle there needn't look down-hearted; he'll come 
 up again, I warrant." 
 
 "What has Belle to do with it, pray?" asked 
 Mrs. Marmaluke, with some asperity. 
 
 "Oh, nothing, of course," replied Audley, "only 
 I supposed they were well, that is to say, 
 engaged, as it were." 
 
 " Nothing of the kind, I assure you," responded 
 Mrs. Marmaluke. "We have only received Mr. 
 Martin as any other friend." 
 
 "Oh, that makes a difference," said Audley. 
 
 The paper that Hartwell had been reading 
 from had an unusually lengthy " special " about the 
 convention, and it set out the defeat of Martin in 
 all its completeness. Zach. had not been simply 
 beaten, he had been overwhelmed, and a person 
 had been nominated absolutely unknown, even in 
 the district, save to a very few. Hartwell and 
 Spiker, with whom he co-operated, had looked to 
 the matter of the dispatch, and had the charges set 
 forth as the cause of his defeat with a great deal 
 of flourish and detail. Mrs. Marmaluke's resolu-
 
 286 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 tion was soon formed. She expected a call from 
 Zach., and she prepared for it. Belle was instruct 
 ed to write a letter breaking off the engagement, 
 which she did then and there. Mrs. Marmaluke 
 was about to send the note to the hotel, hoping 
 thereby to avoid the embarrassment of a personal 
 explanation, when the door-bell rang, and a peep 
 through the blinds revealed Zach. on the steps. 
 Belle thereupon hurried to her chamber. Hart- 
 well stepped into the back parlor and closed the 
 folding doors, while Audley and Mrs. Marmaluke 
 prepared to face the enemy. 
 
 Zach. came in, and looking around while he 
 bowed to them, asked for Belle. 
 
 Mrs. Marmaluke drew herself up rather stiffly. 
 "Mr. Martin," said she, "we are extremely sorry 
 for you, and, believe me, no one can feel this blow 
 more keenly than my daughter. The poor child 
 suffers with her friends always, such is her sensi 
 tiveness. But you will see at once that in the face 
 of such plain and uncontradicted charges, it would 
 be improper for her to continue her acquaintance
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 287 
 
 with you. Circumstances have rendered it neces 
 sary that all relations between you should be 
 broken off, and it is best that this should be 
 understood at once." 
 
 Mrs. Marmaluke thought this rather neat, 
 putting the charges and not the defeat as the 
 reason for breaking off the match. 
 
 o 
 
 Hartwell heard the words from the other 
 room, and rubbed his hands and showed his white 
 teeth with infinite satisfaction. 
 
 Audley thought this rather queer talk to a 
 mere acquaintance. 
 
 Zach. was dumbfounded; he could hardly be 
 lieve his senses. He felt, however, that this was 
 the mother's resolution, a resolution that Belle 
 would never share, and turning to Mrs. Marmaluke 
 somewhat stiffly, he said: 
 
 " I prefer, madam, to hear this from Belle 
 alone." 
 
 Mrs. Marmaluke smiled compassionately. 
 
 "Here," said she, "is a note which my daughter 
 has already written and was about sending you.
 
 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 You will see from its contents that I only speak 
 her wishes." 
 
 Zach. opened the note nervously and read. It 
 was a cool and calm dismissal, with only the com 
 monest expressions of regret ; as heartless a piece 
 of writing as could well be imagined. He crushed 
 the letter in his hand and dropped it to the floor. 
 
 " And this is her constancy," he said bitterly. 
 " O blind fool that I have been ! The world turns 
 its back upon me, and she of all others to be 
 among the first!" 
 
 Audley, who had been standing silently lean 
 ing against the mantel, was touched at Zach.'s 
 manner. He would really have liked to do some 
 thing, but he had no judgment, no discretion, no 
 sense, in fact, and so his effort at comfort simply 
 amounted to an insult. 
 
 *' It's devilish hard, Martin/ said he ; " but 
 politicians must expect these things. I ain't a 
 benevolent society or anything of that kind, you 
 know, but if fifty or a hundred dollars would help 
 you any, why here it is." Audley put his hand in
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 289 
 
 his pocket, but Zach. never noticed him. Taking 
 his hat, and turning to Mrs. Marmaluke, he said : 
 
 " I have no reply to make to this note, madam. 
 It is perhaps just that this humiliation, should 
 come upon me, and I accept it. Neither you nor 
 your daughter need fear any further annoyance 
 from me. The road that leads by you and around 
 you I shall travel hereafter, and as best I can, 
 alone." 
 
 Saying this Zach. stalked out the door, his face 
 flushed and excited. Belle had heard the conver 
 sation from the hall landing above, and she gazed 
 down upon Zach. as he came out, hot and indig 
 nant. She thought she never saw him look so 
 well before, and she felt an impulse to call to him 
 and throw her arms about his neck and deny the 
 cruel letter ; but the feeling was merely a roman 
 tic one, growing out of the situation and not 
 originating in her heart, and so she stood still, 
 with a half-smile upon her face, and saw him go 
 out from that house forever.
 
 290 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 BOBBIN ATTENDS A PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION. 
 
 Mr. Bobbin had been a good while in the 
 capital, but had never yet attended a Presidential 
 reception. He had often been importuned to do 
 so, but there was something awful to him in the 
 thought of standing in the presence of the repub 
 lican court, and he had so far managed to escape 
 the trial. But Mrs. Bobbin finally became impor 
 tunate, and her husband was forced, much against 
 his will, to consent to go. 
 
 Mrs. B. got herself up for this occasion in a 
 style of magnificence rare to behold, and Bobbin 
 gazed upon her with something akin to amaze 
 ment. She attired herself in a thin white dress, 
 upon which there appeared to have descended a 
 perfect shower of pink ribbons. There was a 
 brilliant pink sash around her waist, pink bows
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 291 
 
 sprinkled plentifully up and down the skirt, pink 
 bands around her wrists, and pink streamers in her 
 hair. The latter was also set off with a wreath 
 of flowers in which conspicuously appeared two 
 enormous pink roses. Looking upon her, in what 
 he flattered himself was a cool and dispassionate 
 state of mind, Bobbin set her down as one of the 
 most gorgeously attired females it had ever been 
 his fortune to behold, and he looked to see the 
 room hushed into silence when she put in an 
 appearance. 
 
 " I ain't fit to be seen with her, that's the 
 truth," said he to himself, as he sat gazing at her. 
 " Such a woman ought to have a Major General, 
 at the very least, to wait upon her." 
 
 However, there was no help for it, and Bobbin, 
 in his best clothes, and wearing a very stiff collar 
 that, being a size smaller than his shirt, gouged his 
 neck in a very uncomfortable manner, prepared to 
 attend her. 
 
 As luck would have it, Angelica, the small 
 servant, had what she called a " 'gagement " that
 
 292 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 very evening herself, so that the children had to 
 be left with another girl, who was hired for the 
 occasion at the moderate stipend of twenty-five 
 cents. 
 
 "It's always so," said Mrs. Bobbin, who did not 
 like the extra expense ; " I never want to leave 
 the house but that girl has to go out at the same 
 time;" but she became tranquil as she surveyed 
 herself in the glass, and finally departed with a 
 smile of satisfaction. 
 
 The Presidential receptions are open to 
 respectable people of all conditions in life, and the 
 crowds that flock to them embrace the humblest 
 as well as the highest. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin took the street-cars and 
 arrived at the gates in the very midst of the 
 crowd. The drive leading in from the street and 
 up to the portico of the White House was literally 
 jammed with carriages, requiring the united efforts 
 of a half-dozen policemen to maintain anything 
 like order. A perfect stream of humanity on foot 
 also poured into the inclosure, and Bobbin soon
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 293 
 
 found himself in one vast procession that marched 
 toward the entrance to the Executive mansion like 
 a conquering army. 
 
 Entering the spacious doorway at last, he was 
 directed to the right, while his wife was bounced 
 off in another direction to remove her wraps. 
 Bobbin soon found that he was expected to give 
 his hat to a servant in the cloak-room, and to this 
 feat he applied himself with great assiduity. It 
 seemed to him that about a thousand men were 
 intently engaged in trying to accomplish the same 
 purpose at the same time, and after a quarter of 
 an hour he was no nearer the object of his ambi 
 tion than when he began. Suddenly he got into 
 a human current that set straight for the opening 
 of the cloak-room, and without any effort on his 
 part, save to lean back like a horse conducting a 
 load down a steep declivity, he was hustled on 
 toward the door. The pressure was so great that 
 the crowd on either side of him parted like the 
 sea before the sharp prow of a ship, and in a few 
 moments Bobbin was clinging to the little counter
 
 294 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 in front of the opening and handing his hat to 
 one of the colored men in swallow-tailed coats 
 who stood behind it. Having obtained his check, 
 the next thing was to get around to the door 
 
 o o 
 
 where the ladies came out to meet their escorts. 
 This required full as much time and patience as 
 the former. Finally Bobbin resorted to a bit of 
 strategy, and succeeded. Taking advantage of his 
 thin figure and diminutive size, he dived down 
 amid a few hundred pairs of legs and came up at 
 last, very red and nearly suffocated, at the spot 
 where Mrs. Bobbin was waiting. Joined together 
 once more, the two then fell into the line and 
 moved step by step toward the door that led to 
 the President. Soon this line became so com 
 pletely jammed and wedged as to make even & 
 long breath almost impossible. It seemed that no 
 sooner did the front of the line advance an inch 
 than the rear pressed forward two inches and in 
 this way the crowd became packed to a solid mass 
 " If I was out of this," said a fat man, whose 
 face resembled a boiled lobster, and whose eyes
 
 Zackariah) the Congressman. 295 
 
 were almost starting from their sockets, " they 
 might take their reception and be hanged." 
 
 But there was no getting out. 
 
 " It's dreadful !" said a clerical-looking gentle 
 man, who was pressed so closely to the fat man 
 that he looked almost like a part of him. 
 
 " Dreadful !" gasped the stout individual. " It's 
 horrible ! positively villainous. What in the name 
 of heaven do they mean by pressing so there 
 behind?" 
 
 Just then a lady with a white satin train turned 
 her head and said to the fat man: "I'd thank 
 you, sir, to keep off my dress." 
 
 " It's not my fault," returned the latter. " They 
 are positively pressing me through people." 
 
 " If I was a man," said the lady with a little 
 temper, " I think I'd press back." 
 
 " Suppose we do give a heave back," said the 
 stout gentlemen, and at the suggestion a number 
 of persons attempted that feat. The result was 
 that a lady just behind them, and who was imme 
 diately in front of Bobbin, uttered a cry, and in an
 
 296 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 instant more was leaning in a dead faint on Bob 
 bin's shoulder. This brought temporary relief to 
 the others, for a policeman shouted to the crowd 
 to fall back, and after considerable excitement the 
 lady was extricated and taken away. The gap 
 was immediately closed again, however, and the 
 pressure soon became as great as before. 
 
 "What the people expect to see, that they 
 should go through this torture to witness it," said 
 the stout man, " is a mystery to me. They can't 
 all be as green as I am, and yet they come here to 
 be murdered." 
 
 Still the vast crowd, some in silks, some in 
 homespun, some in glittering diamonds, and some 
 in gaudy pinchbeck, swayed inch by inch ahead. 
 Bobbin never fully appreciated the luxury of room 
 until that night, and as for Mrs. Bobbin, her tem 
 per, like her wreath of flowers, was terribly mussed 
 and torn before she gained the inside of the first 
 room. Here it was a trifle easier, and the throng 
 went on slowly, until suddenly, so suddenly that 
 they never noticed the fact until they were there
 
 Zackariah, the Congressman. 297 
 
 the Presidential party stood before them, and the 
 great pressure ceased ceased so quickly that it 
 seemed rather odd and awkward to have so much 
 room. The lady whose dress had been trodden 
 on, and whose face had been clouded and angry a 
 few moments before, was being presented with a 
 countenance wreathed in smiles, and looked as if 
 the evening had been in all respects the happiest of 
 her existence. Then came the fat man, and his 
 visaq-e also thawed out under the Presidential sun- 
 
 o 
 
 shine, and he remarked that if the crowd was an 
 index of popularity the President stood higher in 
 public esteem than any other man on the globe, 
 for which he was rewarded by a smile and an 
 extra shake of the hand. 
 
 There was one gentleman ahead of Bobbin 
 who had suffered all the tortures of the occasion 
 without a murmur or a look of dissatisfaction. He 
 was evidently a stranger, and as he approached 
 and the official at the side of the President asked 
 his name the gentleman responded with a confi 
 dent smile, "Green ! my name is Green. I guess 
 13*
 
 298 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 the President will remember me." And he glanced 
 toward the Chief Magistrate as if he expected the 
 latter to fly into his arms with a wild cry of joy. 
 
 "Mr. Green!" called out the master of cere 
 monies, presenting the gentleman. Green grasped 
 the Presidential hand warmly, and looked into the 
 Presidential face archly. 
 
 "Don't you remember me?" he inquired, with 
 just a shade of disappointment. 
 
 " I can't say that I do," responded the President. 
 
 "What!" exclaimed Green. "Think, now. 
 New Liverpool cars two years ago Green!" 
 
 The President looked at the gentleman doubt- 
 ingly, and the crowd behind pressed forward. 
 
 " Please pass on, gentlemen, as rapidly as pos 
 sible," said the master of ceremonies. 
 
 The President partially withdrew his hand, but 
 Green persisted. 
 
 " I introduced you to the crowd when you 
 passed through," said he. "Don't you remember? 
 Sent you my speech in the ' Eagle' afterward, don't 
 you know?"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 299 
 
 " Ah, yes," said the President. " Very glad to 
 meet you again." 
 
 "How've you been?" said Green, turning com 
 fortably to the side of the President and resting 
 himself on one leg. 
 
 Green had evidently settled himself for a long 
 talk, but just then, by some means, he was caught 
 in a kind of human whirlwind which began spin 
 ning him round, and when he finally came to a 
 halt he found himself in the East Room, and the 
 path behind him blocked by the tide that poured 
 through. So he subsided and began looking 
 rather sadly at the portraits of the Presidents 
 which adorned the walls. And thus were the 
 hopes of Green, cherished for so many months, 
 rudely dissipated. His services, his eloquence, his 
 very name, had been forgotten. He bought his 
 railway ticket the next day, and shook the dust of 
 the capital from his feet. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin did not trouble the Exe 
 cutive long. The official herald caught the name 
 imperfectly, and presented them as "Mr. and Mrs.
 
 300 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Pophim," and with a momentary clasp of hands 
 they passed on and were presented with like irrev 
 erence for their patronymic to Mrs. President and 
 other distinguished people. Bobbin only had time 
 to notice that the Chief Magistrate was supported 
 by a formidable company of ladies and gentlemen, 
 the former in a bewildering array of blue and red, 
 and white and orange, and the latter in swallow- 
 tailed coats and white neckties, when he, too, was 
 swept -into the great East Room. 
 
 Here the crowd was quite dense, but there was 
 still room to move. Seeing a good part of those 
 present marching around in a sort of elongated 
 circle, Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin fell into the current 
 and were swept around also. Bobbin was wholly 
 unused to affairs of this kind, but he could not 
 help marking the composition of the present gath 
 ering. All classes seemed represented. There was 
 the "shoddv" man with his wife and daughters, all 
 
 f O 
 
 of them awkward and ill at ease, and yet brusque 
 and independent, showing their ill-breeding by 
 meaning smiles and smirks, and anxious to impress
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 301 
 
 people with their great importance. But, alas, 
 wealth was unknown and unrecognized there. 
 Then came the faded belle, dressed with faultless 
 taste, but showing the dreaded march of time in 
 her features. She tried to smile in the old fashion 
 that had won so many, but alas, the expression had 
 lost its freshness, its charm had departed, and men 
 turned from it with pain or indifference. 
 
 There, too, was the old dowager, bony, hollow- 
 cheeked, and with wrinkles filled with powder and 
 paste. When she smiled, the beholder looked for 
 the ; 'aster on the surface to crack like dried clay, 
 and yet she tried to maintain her place with dia 
 monds glittering at her skinny throat, with bright 
 apparel, and, worst and most sickening of all, with 
 . corsage cut low, as if the shrunken and wrinkled 
 form might still challenge admiration instead of 
 
 Pity- 
 Then there were bright and radiant girls, all 
 
 happiness and vivacity, stately and elegant ladies 
 in the heyday of life, round-cheeked and matronly 
 dames, knowing their years and meeting them
 
 302 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 appropriately and cheerfully. There were high 
 dignitaries, low officials, foreign ambassadors, dash 
 ing officers, handsome clerks, country visitors, and 
 a great lot of bashful people, who slipped into 
 corners and were contented to gaze at and not 
 mingle in the moving spectacle. Many of the 
 ladies had evidently come prepared, like Mrs. Bob 
 bin, to excite the envy of their sisters by the style 
 or quality of their apparel. But a large propor 
 tion of them were soon content to stand aside and 
 envy others who far outshone them. Mrs. Bobbin 
 really did attract attention, for her head, resplend 
 ent in roses and ribbons, shone like an oriflamme 
 in battle, and her dress excited wonder, if not jeal 
 ousy. Detecting a number of ladies smiling quiz 
 zically at her, however, Mrs. Bobbin subsided and 
 drew Bobbin into a corner, where she could see 
 and not be seen. Standing thus apart from the 
 promenaders, Bobbin suddenly felt his coat-tai! 
 pulled, and looking around beheld Angelica, the 
 small servant, standing before him. 
 
 "Why, Mr. Bob-iN!" exclaimed that hopeful
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 303 
 
 young lady, grasping his hand, and placing the 
 acute accent on the last syllable of his name as if 
 to do special honor to this important occasion. 
 " When did you come ? " 
 
 Bobbin shook her hand with real pleasure. It 
 was about time, he thought, that he was meeting 
 somebody he had seen before. 
 
 " And Mrs. Eob-m" continued Angelica, hold 
 ing her hand out to that lady. " How do you do?" 
 
 " Here's Angelica," said Bobbin, gleefully call 
 ing his wife's attention to the small servant. " Ain't 
 that queer?" 
 
 Mrs. Bobbin curled her lips somewhat disdain 
 fully. 
 
 "What are you doing here, Angelica?" said 
 she, rather severely. 
 
 "Me and my sister this is my sister, mum," 
 said Angelica, introducing a perspiring young lady 
 in a bombazine dress ; "me and my sister, we come 
 together with Mr. te-he Mr. Phillips." An 
 gelica turned around as she spoke, and introduced 
 a very slim young man, with the lower part of his
 
 304 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 coat buttoned so tight that it looked like a sur 
 geon's compress to keep him from bleeding to 
 death. 
 
 Phillips bowed with great dignity, and would 
 probably have contented himself with this, but 
 Bobbin extended his hand and warmly shook that 
 of his new acquaintance. The two fell into an 
 animated conversation, in which Bobbin discov 
 ered that Phillips was in the hair-dressing line, but 
 had an ambition to get into one of the depart 
 ments, a project which Bobbin promised to assist 
 him in to the extent of his power. 
 
 Mrs. Bobbin held very little discourse with 
 Angelica and her sister, and the latter regarded 
 her with considerable awe. She pretended, while 
 they were near, to be looking for some friends, and 
 once or twice turned to Bobbin and remarked that 
 she didn't see any of the "Members" that she 
 knew, and it was so strange that none of them 
 were there. 
 
 "I so much expected to meet Judge Crasher 
 and his wife," said she, "and Mr. Martin is such a
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 305 
 
 friend, too. I wish they would come. We might 
 go in, then, and have a little chat with the Presi 
 dent." 
 
 This had its desired effect on young Phillips, 
 as well as the sister of Angelica, who were plainly 
 impressed with the social eminence of their new 
 acquaintances ; but the small servant did not seem 
 to be affected in the least, and kept wishing they 
 would begin to dance, while she balanced herself 
 on her heels and toes, and now and then whirled 
 herself about with an hilarious swing. After being 
 assured that they did not dance at these receptions, 
 she grew impatient, and talked about ice-cream and 
 chocolate-cake till Phillips tore himself away from 
 Bobbin and prepared to squander a part of his 
 hair-dressing earnings on this wayward sister of 
 his fiancee. He therefore wrung Bobbin's hand, 
 bowed low to Mrs. B., and the trio departed. 
 Angelica came running back to tell them, with 
 many a snort and giggle, that Phillips was her 
 sister's " young man," and that she, Angelica, would 
 
 make him buy cake and cream till he "couldn't 
 u
 
 306 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 rest," and then, when Bobbin was nearly suffocated 
 with laughing at her "cuteness," she hopped 
 away again, Mrs. Bobbin still proudly ignoring 
 her, and gazing far over her head in search of 
 "Judge Crasher and his wife." 
 
 A little later, and the scarlet-coated marine 
 band began playing "Home, Sweet Home," and 
 this being the signal that the reception was over, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin departed, the former feeling 
 that he had passed an exceedingly pleasant even 
 ing, and the latter disgusted with the whole affair.
 
 Zackariak) the Congressman. 307 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 TROUBLE THICKENS. 
 
 " It never rains but it pours." There is no 
 proverb so universally accepted as this. It was 
 so in Zach.'s case. When he returned to his 
 hotel from his interview with Mrs. Marmaluke 
 he was handed a letter. He took it to his room, 
 and, seating himself, opened it mechanically, his 
 thoughts on other subjects. He glanced at it, and 
 his face grew graver. He read it, and leaned 
 back in his chair with a look of weary disgust. It 
 was a notice from the bank that had discounted 
 the note which he had signed with Hartwell's 
 friend, informing him that there was a default in 
 payment, and that the payees looked to him for 
 the amount. It was a pressing case, and his first 
 impulse was to see Hartwell. Fortunately, at that
 
 308 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 moment a servant entered with Mr. Hartwell's 
 card, and Zach. told the messenger to show the 
 gentleman up. 
 
 "The very man I wanted to see," said he as 
 Hartwell entered the room. "This is very unfor 
 tunate," and he handed the letter to his visitor. 
 There was a look of infinite satisfaction on Hart- 
 well's face as he took the letter and read it. 
 
 " The very thing I wanted to see you about," 
 said he. " I would not have believed it possible, 
 but that man has decamped, leaving all his friends 
 in the lurch. It will come near ruining me." 
 
 "And me, too," said Zach. " I know of no 
 way to raise this money except by the sale of 
 those insurance bonds. They are the property of 
 my father, but I might replace them. What are 
 they worth ? " 
 
 A look of well dissembled pain and astonish 
 ment came over the face of Hartwell at this ques 
 tion. "Is it possible, Mr. Martin," he said, "that 
 you are ignorant of the fact that those bonds are 
 worthless ? "
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 309 
 
 Zach. had risen, but at these words he sank 
 into his seat again, very pale. 
 
 "Worthless!" he whispered. "And yet you 
 prevailed upon me to invest in them." 
 
 " Believing them to be perfectly safe, I assure 
 you," said Hartwell, "and regretting extremely 
 that I was mistaken." 
 
 " There, go ! " said Zach., placing his hand to 
 his forehead and turning away. " I wish to be 
 alone. If you are innocent, well and good; if 
 guilty, may heaven forgive you." 
 
 "I hope," said Hartwell, preparing to retire, 
 "that things will look better yet. I understand 
 that you were defeated in the convention also ?" 
 He said this with a cruel smile, and with his white 
 teeth glittering through the jet-black beard. 
 
 " Leave me," said Zach., not looking toward 
 him. " I know the full extent of my misfortune." 
 
 " Perhaps not all yet," muttered Hartwell, as 
 he disappeared through the door " Not all." 
 
 Zach. told the truth when he said that this was 
 the first serious misfortune that had come upon
 
 310 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 him. But it was certainly enough to have pulled 
 down a braver man he. The money invested in the 
 bonds, as we have before stated, was his father's, 
 and it represented the savings of a lifetime. This 
 was swept entirely away in an instant. The note 
 which he had signed as a favor was left totally 
 unprovided for, all the money at his disposal 
 amounting- to only a few hundred dollars. He 
 thought of proceeding against the insurance com 
 pany, and called on a lawyer for that purpose, but 
 was answered that the result would be doubtful at 
 best, and that the suit, should he commence one, 
 would be long and tedious. When he paid the 
 money out to Hartwell for the bonds purchased 
 for his father, he had received a receipt, which he 
 had mislaid soon after and never could find. He 
 told Hartwell, and asked for a duplicate, and Hart- 
 well promised one, though he assured Zach. that, 
 having the bonds a receipt was of little conse 
 quence, and so it appeared. The matter had there 
 fore gone along and he had never obtained a copy. 
 Pondering all these things, Zach. finally strolled
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 311 
 
 into his seat in the House. The busy hum went 
 on the same as ever. A large number of gentle 
 men came to him and expressed their sympathy, 
 but Zach. noticed that this feeling soon died out, 
 and that from the day of his defeat he failed to be 
 of much consequence to the members, to the offi 
 cers, or, in fact, to anybody in Washington official 
 life. The people in office from his district, and who 
 had been kept there many times by his personal 
 efforts, no longer regarded him the same. They 
 bowed to him distantly, and letters began to 
 appear from them in the local papers, signed 
 "Fifth District," and describing the wonderful tal 
 ents of his successor. There was one exception to 
 all this. Bobbin stood true. He came to Zach. 
 with the same great reverence as ever, but with a 
 look of compassionate sympathy on his honest 
 little face that touched the latter keenly. "It's 
 not for me to say anything," said Bobbin ; "but I 
 believe you will come up again, sir, strong and 
 poplar as ever." 
 
 But Bobbin soon had trouble of his own to
 
 312 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 attend to. The new clerk in Washington who has 
 political support withdrawn from him is in a bad 
 way. If only the setting and not the rising sun 
 shines upon him he may as well lay down his 
 office. The ascending luminary has too many to 
 reward with its rays, and a shadow soon settles 
 upon the man without influence. Bobbin had 
 offended Spiker by refusing to become a spy upon 
 Zach. The official who presided over Bobbin's 
 department had been given to understand rather 
 earlier than usual in such cases, that the discharge 
 of Mr. B. would be regarded with equanimity by 
 the new member from the Fifth, and Bobbin was 
 therefore overwhelmed one morning by finding a 
 note on his desk informing him that his services 
 were no longer required. He was stupefied over 
 it, and kept opening it and refolding it, and rub- 
 bing his eyes and looking it over like a man in a 
 dream. 
 
 "Pretty tough, ain't it?" said a clerk, biting off 
 a sandwich, and wiping his mouth with a napkin. 
 
 Bobbin looked up from his chair and smiled.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 313 
 
 " Why, you see, I ain't nothing to live on," said 
 Bobbin, innocently. 
 
 "Nothing?" inquired the clerk. 
 
 "Nothing," repeated Bobbin. " If he would 
 give me a month or two." 
 
 "It's no use," said the clerk, "I've seen lots of 
 such cases. Comes like a flash of lightning." 
 
 Bobbin turned his eyes downward, and com 
 menced re-reading his letter. 
 
 What occurred to him when he went home, it 
 is needless to recount. But there soon came to 
 him, as to thousands of others, the searching for 
 employment, the tour of the government offices 
 one by one, the inquiry, the petition, the denial. 
 Alas, who can appreciate the meaning of this save 
 the men or women who have themselves figured 
 at one time or another as discharged government 
 clerks? What a fortune the salary he had been 
 receiving seemed to Bobbin. How he wondered 
 why he had not managed to save up some part of 
 that against this, his day of extremity. He had 
 
 been so long a part of that great building, coming 
 14
 
 3 1 4 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 in with its throngs in the morning, and going out 
 at night, that he instinctively wended his way 
 thither as usual, and when pay-day came around 
 and he saw the faces made glad by the receipt of 
 the monthly installment to which he himself had 
 grown so accustomed he stood almost like a 
 grieved and wondering child, whose brothers and 
 sisters have been rewarded while he has been 
 passed by. If merit had governed the action of 
 the officials, Bobbin would not have lost his place, 
 no matter how the Fifth District had gone ; for he 
 was faithful and honest, and had grown by his 
 experience to be a faithful and valuable clerk. If 
 consideration for his condition had actuated the 
 authorities, he would have been given time to pre 
 pare for the blow, for such preparation was sadly 
 required. But Bobbin was only an unimportant 
 figure on the chess-board, who could be sacrificed 
 without inconvenience, and so the blow fell. The 
 very fact that he was so humble and non-combative 
 made it all the easier to get rid of him. The 
 order came from the chief official down through
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 315 
 
 lesser officials, until it reached the person imme 
 diately over Bobbin. Every one of these gentle 
 men was anxious to obey the command promptly. 
 The chief had political aspirations, and the incom 
 ing member might promote them. He desired to 
 placate all those having the ear of the President, 
 and this was one opportunity to do so without 
 cost to himself. He knew nothing of Bobbin per 
 sonally; didn't even know he had such a man in 
 his department until asked to discharge him. It 
 was a very easy thing to do, and 'twas done, and 
 the member-elect notified that he could designate 
 another person to fill his place. 
 
 Bobbin did venture to speak to the chief of 
 his division about the matter, but the gentleman 
 smiled with such lofty compassion, and shook his 
 head so decidedly, that the former gave up all 
 hope before his request had been fairly preferred. 
 
 "It's no use, Mr. Bobbin," said that distin 
 guished personage ; " no use, I assure you." 
 
 " Oh, I suppose not," responded Bobbin. 
 
 " Not a bit," continued the former. " The fact
 
 316 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 is, hundreds of members are clamoring for places, 
 and it's more than we can do to get positions for 
 those with the strongest influence back of them. 
 I'd advise you not to think of it. Good morn 
 ing!" And he turned to his desk as if his con- 
 
 O 
 
 versation had not plunged the humble applicant 
 into despair. 
 
 Bobbin tried other departments, but was 
 received in such a manner that he grew utterly 
 discouraged at the very outset, though he kept on 
 until he had made the rounds. It was a singular 
 fact that the worst treatment came from depen 
 dents like himself, and the lower the grade of the 
 official the more insulting and overbearing his 
 conduct. Going up to the door of a great secre 
 tary, he was intercepted by the messenger who 
 stood guard on the outside. The latter was a 
 fussy, important little chap with side-whiskers, a 
 bald-head, and a very red face. Ordinarily he 
 rose from his chair when visitors approached, but 
 he had been mentally weighing and measuring 
 Bobbin during the latter's progress toward him
 
 Zackariah, the Congressman. 317 
 
 from the other end of the corridor, and he had 
 made up his mind long before the visitor reached 
 him that rising would be an unnecessary exertion. 
 Leaning back and stroking his whiskers with his 
 left hand as Bobbin drew near, the messenger 
 looked very sternly at him, and as he approached 
 closer held up his right hand with the palm out 
 ward, and beckoned to him to halt. 
 
 " Good morning," said Bobbin. 
 
 The dignitary in the chair did not deign to 
 reply to this salutation, but said: 
 
 "What do you want, my friend? " 
 
 " I would like to see Mr. Heavysetter," replied 
 Bobbin. 
 
 The dignitary looked at him very critically 
 before answering. 
 
 " What's your business? " he said, finally. 
 
 "Well," replied Bobbin, blushing, "I thought I 
 would see if there were any places " 
 
 "There!" exclaimed the messenger, waving his 
 hand, " that's enough. I know all about it. Dang 
 me, if I don't think the hull country is a-huntin'
 
 318 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 fur places. What makes you think, now, we have 
 enny vacancies here?" 
 
 " I didn't know but there might possibly be 
 something," said Bobbin, meekly. 
 
 "Of course," said the messenger, "of course. 
 That's the way with all on 'em. They think we's 
 full of offices jest bustin' with 'em. Wall, now, it's 
 none o' my business, but I ken tell you that you'll 
 run a mighty slim chance here. But you can step 
 in that other room there and see the chief clerk, if 
 you want to." 
 
 The man pointed to another door, and Bobbin 
 timidly turned the knob and went in. There were 
 four persons in the room the chief clerk, who 
 was sitting at his desk, laughing and chatting with 
 a big, bold-looking gentleman near him, and two 
 other gentlemen, one of whom was sitting on a 
 lounge looking over a newspaper and the other 
 writing at a desk in the corner. 
 
 The visitor who was entertaining the chief 
 clerk was a well-dressed man, with short, black 
 whiskers and a very full face. He wore diamonds,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 319 
 
 and was evidently on the most confidential terms 
 with the official. The occupants of the room 
 merely glanced up as Bobbin entered, and then 
 resumed their conversation without further notic 
 ing him. 
 
 The big-faced man was telling the clerk about 
 the delights of his country seat outside of New 
 York, and asking the latter to spend a part of the 
 Summer with him. He dwelt at length on the 
 boating and fishing, and from that they fell to the 
 discussion of other matters, and' finally to those of 
 a confidential nature apparently, for they put their 
 heads together very close and spoke very low. So 
 it went on for an hour, Bobbin standing and wait 
 ing patiently for an opportunity to speak. Finally 
 the big-faced man went out, then the gentleman 
 on the sofa rose and presented some papers to 
 the clerk. The consideration of these occupied a 
 half hour, but before they were through with them 
 in stepped a member of Congress who had a 
 matter to present, and another half hour was 
 consumed.
 
 320 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 And so it went on until three weary hours 
 had passed, at the end of which the clerk was 
 unemployed and Bobbin approached. He bowed 
 as he did so, though this hardly seemed neces 
 sary after being so long in the room. The 
 high official never noticed the bow, however, but 
 turned to his assistant and asked if "those papers 
 were made out." 
 
 The papers were made out, it appeared, and 
 were handed to the chief clerk, who proceeded to 
 affix his stupendous autograph to them. Then he 
 handed them back to the young man, and finally 
 glancing up at Bobbin asked him what he 
 wanted. 
 
 " I thought I would see," faltered the little 
 man, "if there was any chance of getting a 
 place- " 
 
 "Did you write that letter, Billings?" inter 
 rupted the chief clerk, turning to his assistant. 
 The latter signified that he had, and the official 
 again glanced at Bobbin and ejaculated, " What ? " 
 
 "I thought I would see," repeated Bobbin.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 321 
 
 " Oh, yes," broke in the clerk. " Well, we have 
 no places, sir." 
 
 " Nothing at all ? " queried Bobbin. 
 
 " No," said the clerk, and turned away, while 
 Bobbin silently stole toward the door. As he was 
 going out he was nearly run over by a great, gaunt 
 man, dressed in jeans and wearing a broad-brim 
 med hat, who came striding in. 
 
 "Who runs this shanty?" shouted the new 
 comer. 
 
 Bobbin pointed silently to the chief clerk 
 
 "Oh! you're the chap," said the visitor, walk 
 ing up to the clerk. 
 
 The stately official made no reply, but cast a 
 withering glance at the new comer. 
 
 " Are you the man or not ? " shouted the latter. 
 
 "See here, my friend, I'm not deaf," said the 
 clerk. 
 
 "Then why don't you answer?" said Broad 
 brim. 
 
 " What's the matter ? what do you want ? " 
 inquired the clerk, testily. 
 
 14* V
 
 322 The D, G. & L. Series. 
 
 "That's the talk," said the stranger; "now that 
 sounds like business. Wall, I've sent a boy up 
 here twice for the documents on that Injun busi 
 ness. My name's Peters. Every time the boy 
 conies back he says they ain't ready. Now what 1 
 want to know is, why ain't they ready ? what keeps 
 them from being ready ? " 
 
 " Where are those papers, Billings ? " said the 
 chief clerk, turning to his assistant. 
 
 " I believe Merrill has them," replied Billings. 
 
 "Who's Merrill, and what's Merrill doing with 
 'em?" exclaimed the stranger. 
 
 "You go down and see," said the chief clerk to 
 Billings, and the latter went out. Presently he 
 returned with a big envelope, and placed it on the 
 chief clerk's desk. The latter looked over the 
 papers in it and then handed them to the stranger. 
 
 "Are they all right?" said the latter. 
 
 " Yes," replied the chief clerk. 
 
 " Humph! that's business," exclaimed the gaunt 
 man, putting them in his pocket. "Yew kin do 
 things brisk enough when yew try. What ye
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 323 
 
 want is stirring up a little. I'll be dog goned if I 
 wouldn't stir ye, too, if I wur here awhile. I'd 
 make the musty skeletons in this 'ere dead-house 
 jine in a reg'lar war dance. Bet yer life." And 
 the lean man turned round and winked at Bobbin, 
 who stood almost speechless with wonder at the 
 stranger's temerity, 
 
 " Now I don't want to hear any more," said the 
 clerk, flushing up. 
 
 "Oh, yew don't!" exclaimed the stranger. 
 "Wall, I'm sorry fur that, fur I sort o' want to 
 speak. Do yew know, young man, yew wear alto 
 gether too many ruffles for a feller that's paid by 
 the public to work fur 'em. Yew kinder act as if 
 yew owned this place; as if yew hired the public 
 instead of the public hiring yew. Now yew want 
 to git over that, or we'll clean yew out o' here, 
 r^ck and heels. Yew hear me now?" and the 
 stranger looked very determined. 
 
 The chief clerk was thoroughly angry. 
 
 " Billings," said he to his assistant, " call John 
 and put this fellow out"
 
 324 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Billings went to the door and returned with 
 the messenger who had held the conversation with 
 Bobbin. When the stranger saw him he burst 
 into a roar. 
 - " What's this banty goin' to do ? " said he. 
 
 " Put that man out," roared the chief clerk to 
 the little messenger, and the latter turned upon 
 the stranger very pompously and pointed to the 
 door. The big man laughed at this again and 
 winked at Bobbin. Then he started suddenly 
 toward the messenger, who scampered to the 
 other side of the room as fast as his heels could 
 carry him. At this the stranger laughed again. 
 " Come, sonny," said he ; " come here, I won't hurt 
 you." 
 
 At this the messenger gained fresh courage 
 and advanced, ordering the big man from the 
 room at each cautious step. He was yet five or 
 six feet away, when the stranger gave a bound and 
 caught him before he could escape. He whipped 
 him under his arm as if he had been a bundle of 
 dry sticks, and paying no heed to the frantic kick-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 325 
 
 ing and squirming of the little fellow, started with 
 him toward the door. Turning there, he said to 
 the chief clerk, " If I had yew under t'other arm 
 now I'd lug yew both over and put yew in the 
 pound." Then administering a sharp spanking to 
 the messenger he threw him over on to the lounge 
 and stalked out of the room, leaving the door 
 wide open. Bobbin followed, and saw the stranger 
 chuckling to himself all the way out of the build 
 ing and even after reaching the street, where he at 
 last disappeared in the crowd. 
 
 If Bobbin had possessed some of the 
 stranger's assurance he might have prospered 
 better, for modesty does not seem to pay in this 
 world. But he continued to meet with rebuffs on 
 every hand. He had a letter of recommendation 
 from Zach., but this seemed to be of no use what 
 ever. Zach.'s influence was gone entirely, and he 
 might as well have presented the recommendation 
 of a Hottentot. 
 
 One day he was met by Hartwell, who, after a 
 long conversation, gave him to understand that
 
 326 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Spiker would secure him his position again on one 
 condition. Bobbin was eager and almost ready to 
 accept the terms before hearing them; but when 
 they were made known he turned away. They 
 were nothing less than the false and scandalous 
 defamation of Zach.'s private character, which he 
 was to compass by writing a letter, and which 
 Hartwell pledged him should not be made public. 
 Hartwell was not satisfied with defeating Zach. 
 simply. He wanted to put him beyond the 
 chance of recovering, and he looked upon this as 
 an excellent opportunity for securing a rod which 
 he could hold suspended over the latter's head. 
 But Bobbin exhibited such utter pain at the men 
 tion of the price he was to pay for reinstatement 
 that Mr. Hartwell gave that up. Bobbin might 
 starve he began to think he would, indeed but 
 he would do this a thousand times before lending 
 himself to such a scheme. And so, tired and des 
 pairing, he tried again and again, only to meet 
 with constant failure. The articles of furniture 
 which his wife had purchased disappeared one by
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 327 
 
 one to keep bread in the house,, and still he 
 wandered around for work. At last he secured 
 the position of a day laborer on the streets, and 
 gladly laid hold of the shovel to earn the means 
 to live. He was unused to bodily labor, and it 
 went hard with him ; but he never flinched. He 
 even did more than his share, fearing he might be 
 discharged otherwise. For three days he worked 
 in this manner, but on the morning of the fourth 
 when he attempted, sore and stiff, to rise from his 
 bed, he fell back, faint and with racking pains in 
 every limb. The next day a physician came to see 
 him and pronounced him ill of a very malignant 
 fever. Exposure, anxiety, and over-exertion had at 
 last done their work, and Bobbin must rest, what 
 ever the consequence. 
 
 If the system which precipitated all this on 
 Bobbin's head was to blame and is to blame for 
 like cases of sorrow and disappointment every 
 day, in heaven's name let that system be changed.
 
 328 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 MISS CRISTOPHER FORMS A RESOLUTION. 
 
 It was the studio of Margaret Cristopher, 
 handsomely and luxuriously furnished. The artist 
 sat alone in a great easy chair, a book lying in her 
 lap, her fingers idly clasped together. She was 
 beautiful. Not a word too strong had been said 
 upon that point. She sat buried in thought for a 
 long time, and then suddenly rising began pacing 
 the floor. 
 
 "Will he never call upon me?" she ejaculated. 
 " It is now plain that he didn't recognize me. How 
 the old days came back as I saw his face for that 
 moment ! Days, before ambition seized him. 
 Days, when we were children together, and knew 
 no place, no enjoyment, but the dear old home and 
 our own simple love. And it never can come 
 again. I ought to know that, and be stronger.
 
 Zachariak, the Congressman. 329 
 
 But what is all this flattery, all this praise, all this 
 grandeur, compared with the honest hearts, the 
 loving eyes that greeted me then ? " She put her 
 head on the table and kept it there a good while. 
 Then she rose and slowly left the room. Pretty 
 soon there was a knock at the door, then another, 
 and another still, and finally it opened and Audley 
 put his head in. He looked around, and seeing 
 no one, finally walked into the room. 
 
 "Here I am again," said he. "I can't stay 
 away. My days are troubled and my nights are 
 sleepless. They tell me a strange light burns in 
 my eye. What if I should go mad and be put in 
 a straight-jacket, and have my head shaved? It's 
 no use; I must speak plainly to her. She has 
 received me kindly ; I may say, warmly. ' Come 
 again, Audley,' said she, and I have come again. 
 Shall I declare myself this time, and risk every 
 thing? I believe I will. But what does she mean 
 by harping on that Martin so much. ' Do I know 
 Mr. Zachariah Martin ? ' I do. ' Is he to marry 
 Miss Marmaluke?' He is, or rather he was when
 
 330 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 she asked me. But what was Zachariah to her, or 
 she to Zachariah? 'Oh, nothing, only she had 
 heard him spoken of by some friends.' Well I 
 don't care. Love conquers, and I've no doubt 
 that in her heart she loves me." Audley was look 
 ing in a small mirror and smoothing his hair, 
 when he heard the door open, and, looking around, 
 he saw Miss Cristopher. 
 
 "I beg your pardon," said he, bowing and 
 blushing; " but you said 'come again,' and I have 
 come again, you know." 
 
 "Yes, so I see," replied Miss Cristopher. "You 
 are very prompt, Mr. Audley." 
 
 "Prompt!" he exclaimed, energetically. "I 
 am so much in a hurry to obey you that I'd come 
 the next time before I came this if it were pos 
 sible." 
 
 The artist smiled. 
 
 " Well, what have you got to say to me now ? " 
 she inquired? 
 
 " Nothing," said Audley. " Absolutely nothing 
 -that is shall I, shall I speak it, Miss Cris-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 331 
 
 topher, shall I give utterance to the burning 
 words, shall I " 
 
 " No," she replied, quickly, "most certainly 
 not." 
 
 Then smiling again she said, " It must be pain 
 ful to give utterance to burning words, Mr. Audley, 
 and I wouldn't ; there's no occasion for it ; 
 besides, I want to talk to you a moment about 
 another matter. You said Mr. Martin and Miss 
 Marmaluke were to be married shortly. How do 
 you know this ? " 
 
 " Why, there it is," exclaimed Audley, brighten 
 ing up. " I knew I didn't come here to make a 
 fool of myself. Why, I came to tell you that they 
 are not going to be married." 
 
 " Not going to be married," repeated she, 
 eagerly. 
 
 " Not going to be married," he returned ; " the 
 match is broken off." 
 
 Miss Cristopher hereupon executed a queer 
 movement for a renowned and dignified artist. 
 She jumped up and down, laughed loudly, clapped
 
 332 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 her hands together, and ended it all by exclaiming, 
 " Oh, crackey." 
 
 Audley watched these movements with a very 
 bewildered air. At the last exclamation he looked 
 puzzled. 
 
 " Eh !" said he. "What did you remark, Miss 
 Cristopher ? " 
 
 " I said," she answered, going close to him, 
 "Oh, crackey!" 
 
 "Crackey!" repeated Audley. " Exactly; that 
 means " 
 
 " Why, don't you know what ' Oh, crackey ! ' 
 means, you dear man ? " said she. 
 
 Audley clapped his hands now. " She called 
 me dear," he said to himself. "She'll precipitate a 
 declaration sure." 
 
 " But tell me," said Miss Cristopher, recovering 
 herself, "why is the match broken off?" 
 
 " For the best reason in the world," replied 
 Audley. " She refused to marry him, and canceled 
 the engagement"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 333 
 
 " And why was she going to marry Mr. Martin 
 at all ? " 
 
 " Position, nothing else," returned Audley. 
 " Why, what else had he ? His figure is bad, 
 positively intolerable, and as for his taste, I've 
 seen him with checkered pantaloons and a striped 
 necktie on at a full dress ball." 
 
 "Impossible!" exclaimed Miss Cristopher. 
 
 " I hope I may be struck dead if it ain't true," 
 said Audley, earnestly. 
 
 " And so she will lose the position now," pur 
 sued Miss C. 
 
 "Lose!" he returned. "No, she'll lose noth 
 ing. His position is gone." 
 
 " How gone ?" said she. 
 
 " Defeated ! " said Audley. " Oh, he's nobody 
 now." 
 
 Miss Cristopher bit her lip. 
 
 " And what defeated him ? " she asked. 
 
 "Oh, they say he's a hard one altogether," he 
 returned. " Guilty of bribery and forgery and 
 murder, for what I know."
 
 334 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Audley!" 
 
 The young man jumped as if struck. The 
 word had been fairly hurled at him, and looking 
 at Miss Cristopher, he saw her s.anding with her 
 eyes flashing, gazing at him as if she would 
 strangle him. 
 
 "Why, Miss Cristopher!" he stammered 
 "Why now " 
 
 " Do not lisp such words again in my pres 
 ence," said she. " I will not endure it. They are 
 mean, contemptible slanders." 
 
 "Of course certainly," replied Aiidley. "I 
 only told what they say, you know, and he was 
 defeated on them." 
 
 " Defeated ? " she replied. " Yes ; but a defeat 
 brought about by slanders too base to deny and 
 too contemptible to believe resolves itself into a 
 victory." 
 
 Miss Cristopher seemed to have grown a foot 
 taller as she said this, and Audley gazed upon her 
 with admiration.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 335 
 
 "By Jove!" said he; "she's an orator and 
 artist combined." 
 
 "Poor Zach. !" sighed Miss Cristopher, drop 
 ping her head and musing. " Tell me, Audley, for 
 I think you honest tell me frankly, do .you 
 believe these stories?" 
 
 " Do I believe them ? " he said. 
 
 " Yes ; do you know any of them to be true ? " 
 
 "Why no; bless you!" said Audley. " I never 
 saw the man rob anybody." 
 
 " But do you think they are true? " said she. 
 
 " Well," he replied, " everybody says so, and I 
 have never disputed what everybody said; but I 
 will if you tell me to." 
 
 Miss Cristopher turned away with a look of 
 disappointment. " I'll not believe it," said she. 
 "I'll not condemn Zach. unheard. I will see him 
 and speak to him. If he is in trouble what fitter 
 time to go to him and say, ' Here, Zach., as in the 
 olden time, take all I have, and only believe that, 
 were it demanded, my life should go with it/ He
 
 336 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 can not be so unworthy. He can not have 
 descended so low. I'll know and judge for myself 
 From this day, Zach., you shall have a guardian 
 spirit near you ; and God bless you, whichever 
 way you turn." 
 
 And Miss Cristopher once more sat down at 
 the table, and bowed her head upon her hands.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 337 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 WHICH EXPLAINS PEGGY'S REAPPEARANCE. 
 
 It is time to explain the mystery of Peggy's 
 reappearance as an artist, and under a name not 
 her own. This can be done very briefly. When 
 she arrived in Philadelphia she was very much 
 frightened and confused, and hardly knew where 
 to turn or what to do. She had discretion enough, 
 however, to apply to a policeman, who directed 
 her to a cheap but respectable lodging-house 
 Here she found a temporary shelter and could 
 look about her. She was advised to apply to an 
 intelligence office as the quickest method of 
 obtaining employment, and did so. There she sat 
 during the greater part of two days among a 
 number of rough and boorish girls waiting vainly 
 for an employer. Two or three applicants had 
 
 seemed prepossessed in her favor, but when they 
 15 w
 
 338 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 < 
 found she was totally inexperienced in city work 
 
 they passed her by for others, Peggy was getting 
 greatly discouraged when, on the morning of the 
 third day, a lady drove up, who seemed to be 
 regarded by Mrs. Johnson, the keeper of the office, 
 as a customer of much importance. She was a 
 tall and stately woman, with a sweet and quiet 
 expression in her face and with a smile that 
 completely captivated Peggy. 
 
 "Mrs. Johnson," said the lady, "I want a good, 
 competent, trustworthy girl for second work. Who 
 have you got for me ? " 
 
 Mrs. Johnson put her fingers to her mouth 
 thoughtfully, and after a moment said : 
 
 "When do you want her?" 
 
 "Immediately," replied the visitor. 
 
 " I have no one waiting that would answer very 
 well, I am afraid," said the woman, "but I can 
 send one to-morrow." 
 
 The lady looked around the room and her eye 
 lighted upon Peggy. Mrs. Johnson followed the 
 glance, and said in explanation, "This is a young
 
 Zachariah) the Congressman. 339 
 
 girl from the country. She has no recommenda 
 tions, and no experience in the city, and I suppose 
 would hardly answer for you?" 
 
 "What can you do?" inquired the lady, smiling 
 and addressing Peggy. 
 
 Peggy blushed, and ran over her housekeeping 
 accomplishments. 
 
 "Have you ever been out to service?" said the 
 lady. 
 
 "I have always lived with a family that took 
 me when a child and raised me," replied Peggy. 
 
 "Why did you leave them?" inquired the 
 lady. 
 
 Peggy hesitated and crimsoned. Her visitor 
 noticed it, and half turned away, as if she had 
 already abandoned the idea of taking her, if she 
 had ever entertained it. Peggy saw the look, and 
 nervously clasping her hands, while the tears 
 started into her eyes, she said: 
 
 " Oh ! please take me, madam. I will tell you 
 the whole story, which is not bad I assure you, and 
 you need not keep me a moment if you do not
 
 340 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 believe what I say." The poor girl had grown so 
 lonesome, weary, and discouraged sitting there 
 that she could not bear to see this opportunity 
 slipping away from her. The lady turned with 
 some surprise, and seeing the honest, truthful look 
 in Peggy's face, cast a glance of motherly compas 
 sion on her. Then she turned again to the pro 
 prietress of the place. 
 
 "Very well," she said, "I will try her. What is 
 your name?" she inquired, again turning to Peggy. 
 
 " P e ggy Clover." 
 
 " Or Margaret," said the lady. 
 
 "Yes, or Margaret," answered Peggy, though 
 this was about the first time this fact had dawned 
 upon her. 
 
 "I think we will call it Margaret," said the 
 lady. 
 
 "If you please," answered Peggy. 
 
 A few moments later the matter had all been 
 arranged, and Peggy with her bundle was being 
 driven away toward the residence of Mrs. Bene 
 dict Mrs. Benedict was a widow lady, childless,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 341 
 
 an invalid brother and herself making up the 
 household. The brother's name was Cristopher, 
 and he was a rather testy and very eccentric 
 bachelor, ten years his sister's senior. He fright 
 ened Peggy very much at first, for he began talk 
 ing to her in a very loud tone, and directing her 
 as if she had been in the house for years, and knew 
 every one of his whims and peculiarities. After a 
 few days, however, she began to understand him 
 better, and to regard him with curiosity and inter 
 est. Meantime she had told Mrs. Benedict her 
 history, briefly, it is true, and that lady believed 
 her, though Peggy insisted upon her waiting for a 
 verification of her statement from home, where 
 she had written, as before stated, and from whence 
 an answer could soon be expected. A week after 
 her arrival she was engaged one morning put 
 ting the library to rights when Mr. Cristopher 
 entered. 
 
 " I was arranging the books, sir," said Peggy. 
 
 Mr. Cristopher rested upon his cane and looked 
 at her without replying. Peggy kept on at her
 
 342 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 work, hardly knowing whether to do that or retire, 
 when suddenly Mr. Cristopher blurted out : 
 
 " Peggy what ? " 
 
 "Sir?" said she, starting and turning toward 
 
 him. 
 
 " P e ggy what ? " he repeated. " Your first 
 name's Peggy. What's your other name?" 
 
 " Clover, sir," she replied. 
 
 "What!" he exclaimed. 
 
 "Clover, sir. My name is Peggy Clover." 
 
 "Clover!" he muttered, slowly and contemptu 
 ously. "Bah! dishwater; no name at all. By 
 Jupiter," he exclaimed, after a moment's thought, 
 and striking the table with his cane till it rang, 
 " I'd rather have no name at all than Clover." 
 
 Peggy was much amused at the earnestness 
 of the old gentleman, but she hardly dared to 
 smile. 
 
 " No name at all," he continued. " If you stay 
 here we'll have to change it. The Legislature can 
 give you another in a jiffy. I'll get them to do it 
 We'll call you let me see we'll call you Shuttle-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 343 
 
 worth or Patterson or Gildersleeve. Something 
 with three syllables. That I'm determined on. 
 Clover, bah ! " And the old gentleman, with a 
 look of disgust, stumped away with his cane. 
 
 Peggy laughed heartily after he had gone, 
 almost the first time she had done so in months. 
 A few evenings after, she received a letter from 
 Mr. Martin, and went to her room to read it. Its 
 kindness, its almost more than fatherly affection 
 touched her heart, and the appeals to her to come 
 back to the desolate home made her very wretched 
 as she thought how unavailing they must be. At 
 a late hour she repaired to the door of her kind 
 mistress and knocked. Entering, she told Mrs. 
 Benedict of the receipt of the letter, and handed 
 it to her to read. Mrs. Benedict was much 
 impressed by the tone of the letter, and turned to 
 Pepfgry with even more than her usual kindness of 
 
 CSQJ 
 
 manner. 
 
 "He speaks here of a portrait of his son," said 
 she. " Have you it with you ?" 
 
 Mr. Martin had alluded in the letter to the
 
 344 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 picture of Zach., though not in a way to indicate 
 that it was her work. Almost the last thing that 
 Peggy had packed in her little luggage was that 
 portrait, and it was now lying in her room. She 
 therefore answered Mrs. Benedict's question in the 
 affirmative. 
 
 "I should very much like to look at it," said 
 that lady, and Peggy ran up stairs to get it. When 
 she produced the canvas Mrs. Benedict was very 
 much surprised. She had expected a photograph, 
 but here was a fine, large portrait, executed with 
 much skill, and a wonderful fidelity to nature. This 
 much Mrs. Benedict, who was a connoisseur, could 
 see, though whether it was a good likeness or 
 not, of course, she was unable to judge. 
 
 " A very excellent work, indeed," said she 
 "Where was this painted?" 
 
 Peggy, blushing and faltering, announced that 
 she did it herself. To say that Mrs. Benedict was 
 surprised would very faintly express that lady's 
 astonishment. She questioned Peggy closely, and 
 when she became satisfied that the truth had been
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 345 
 
 told her, she regarded the young girl with positive 
 admiration. Finally she asked Peggy's permission 
 to retain the portrait for a while, and the latter 
 consented, and bade her good night. The next 
 day passed, and the subject was not alluded to. 
 The next came, and quite early in the morning 
 Peggy was summoned to the parlor. There she 
 found Mrs. Benedict and her brother waiting for 
 her. 
 
 " Margaret," said Mrs. Benedict, " my brother 
 and myself profess to be tolerable judges of art, 
 and we were quite sure your portrait was really an 
 extraordinary production for an amateur. We 
 preferred to exhibit it to experts, however, and 
 have done so. They more than confirm the opin 
 ion we expressed. Now, my dear child, this is not 
 the life for you, and we tell you so frankly. What 
 will you do ? " 
 
 Peggy nearly burst out into hysterical sobs as 
 she heard their words, but restraining herself by a 
 great effort she answered: 
 
 " I do not know. I am so ignorant." 
 15*
 
 346 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " I told you she didn't," blurted out Mr. Cris- 
 topher. " She don't know anything about it. 
 We've got to take charge of her. The first thing 
 to do, though, by Jupiter, is to get her name 
 changed." 
 
 Mrs, Benedict smiled. " My brother and myself 
 are willing to take you into our house," she said, 
 "and provide means to enable you to pursue a 
 regular course of study, only we, of course, did 
 not know what might be your own desires or 
 plans." 
 
 " Oh, if you only would," said Peggy, clasping 
 her hands. " I think I only want a home and 
 friends to advise me. I know Father Martin 
 would gladly pay the expense of my studies if I 
 asked him," 
 
 " But he shan't," said Mr. Cristopher, striking 
 his cane on the floor; "Sister and I will attend to 
 this business ourselves. You shall go to work 
 here at once, and stay at work, by Jupiter, till 
 you're a full-blown artist." 
 
 " Oh, how can I ever thank you ? " said Peggy.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 347 
 
 " By changing your name," said he. " Clover is 
 detestable. I am morally certain that no human 
 being- can become an artist under the name of 
 Clover. We can't get the case before the Legis 
 lature now, but we must manage it some way." 
 
 Mrs. Benedict smiled again at her brother's 
 queer conceit, and Peggy, laughing, promised to 
 think of some name of three syllables which she 
 could tolerate. 
 
 The arrangements agreed upon were soon 
 made, and in less than a week thereafter Peggy 
 was pursuing her studies under one of the best 
 teachers Philadelphia could afford. She made 
 rapid progress, and in the Fall, partly on account 
 of Mr. Cristopher's failing health, but more, Peggy 
 believed, on her own account, it was resolved to 
 spend the Winter, and as much longer as seemed 
 desirable, in Rome. 
 
 Mr. Cristopher had come to regard the young 
 girl with the greatest affection. He could not do 
 enough for her, and it was to gratify him that 
 Peggy consented to be known abroad, and profes-
 
 348 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 sionally, as Miss Cristopher. Every morning, 
 while they still remained in Philadelphia, the old 
 gentleman accompanied his young protege to the 
 studio where she pursued her work, and would 
 frequently spend a part of the day there himself, 
 watching and admiring her. It seemed almost 
 providential that Peggy had fallen into such 
 hands. Both Mrs. Benedict and her brother were 
 in a situation where any deserving person could 
 have commanded their assistance, and where one 
 like Peggy climbed into their hearts almost 
 like an only child. They seemed to enjoy her 
 progress even more than she did herself, and the 
 consultations that they had, and the plans they 
 discussed for the future were many and interesting. 
 It was just after getting fairly settled down to her 
 work that Peggy received a great shock. She had 
 gone to her studies as usual one day, and had 
 been particularly pleased at the warm commenda 
 tion of her teacher, when finally, having finished 
 her task, she put on her hat preparatory to going 
 home. She was waiting for Mr. Cristopher who
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 349 
 
 was to call for her, and who she momentarily 
 expected, when she took up a newspaper, and ran 
 her eye carelessly over the advertisements. All 
 at once her eyes became riveted on a small per 
 sonal at the bottom of the page, and she read 
 the following: 
 
 PERSONAL. IF PEGGY c., WHO LEFT HOME A 
 
 few months since to come to Philadelphia, will communicate 
 with " Zach.," she will confer a great favor and relieve her 
 friends of much anxiety. Send letter to Continental Hotel 
 for three days. 
 
 Peggy almost cried out as she read this, and 
 started up as if determined to go at once to the 
 Continental and answer in person. She stopped 
 after she had risen, and slowly seated herself 
 again. What ought she to do ? She reflected, 
 and then resolved to lay the matter before Mrs. 
 Benedict and her brother, and be guided by their 
 advice. She could hardly wait for her kind guar 
 dian to make his appearance, and when he did she 
 met him half way down the stairs and hurried him 
 away almost on a trot toward home. 
 
 "Why, what's the matter?" he cried out a dozen
 
 350 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 times, as Peggy, in her great haste, shot ahead of 
 him, and left him struggling to overtake her. "The 
 girl is going wild;" and then he would take hold 
 of her and shake his stick threateningly, and try 
 to draw her into conversation and sober her into a 
 respectable gait. But it was useless, and Mr. 
 Cristopher reached home well nigh out of breath. 
 There the mystery was explained, for Peggy got 
 both of her kind friends seated, and then, taking 
 out the paper, read them the personal. As she 
 did so, Mr. Cristopher struck his cane violently on 
 floor, and blurted out: 
 
 " By Jupiter ! I knew it ! Yes," he continued, 
 " I knew it. I knew that fellow would come 
 mooning around here, sooner or later, and here he 
 is. Burn the paper up," said he energetically. 
 " Burn it up, and let me go and throw the ashes in 
 his face." 
 
 Mr. Cristopher was very much excited, and 
 Mrs. Benedict tried to soothe him. " It's nothing, 
 brother," said she, " only his anxiety to know that 
 one whom he regards almost as a sister is safe."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 351 
 
 " Yes ! " sneered the old gentleman. " Well, 
 she's safe enough, and he needn't trouble himself." 
 
 " But what had I better do ? " said Peggy, 
 nervously, and showing plainly that she was half 
 inclined to fly away to the hotel without stopping 
 to ask advice. 
 
 " Let us reflect, my dear," replied Mrs. Bene 
 dict. " My judgment is that we had better send 
 him a note informing him that you are in safe 
 hands, and so set his mind at rest. If he chooses 
 to call after that you can use your own discretion 
 about seeing him." Peggy was prepared to adopt 
 this plan, when suddenly Mr. Cristopher gave an 
 exclamation. He had picked up the paper, and in 
 looking at it discovered that it was nearly a week 
 old. " Why, he's gone," said he. " Gone, by 
 Jove, and we never knew anything about it. It's 
 all up ; the Congressman's floored." 
 
 Mrs. Benedict looked at the paper, while Peggy 
 eagerly glanced over her shoulder. 
 
 " Sure enough," said the former, " he must have 
 left town two or three days ago."
 
 352 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Peggy almost felt like crying; but as she 
 talked and thought it over it became evident that 
 it was better so. The result was that she wrote a 
 letter to old Mr. Martin, as detailed at the time, 
 which was received at home while Zach. was there, 
 and which set his mind at rest regarding her 
 whereabouts. 
 
 It is unnecessary to detail here the incidents 
 of Peggy's life in Rome. During her residence 
 there she became intimate with a number of 
 prominent American families, and it was here that 
 she first met Mr. Bruce, the young gentleman who 
 finally accompanied her home. The portrait of 
 the President, which was painted from photo 
 graphs, finally attracted so much notice from 
 American visitors that at their solicitation it was 
 sent to Washington. Here it was received and 
 greatly admired, and finally an order came for a 
 much larger one of the same kind, and this it was 
 which had been completed just prior to her return 
 home, and was exhibited as before described. Old 
 Mr. Martin had been kept fully posted regarding
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 353 
 
 Peggy's life and prospects after the first three 
 months of her absence, and as he heard of her 
 constant advancement he could hardly restrain his 
 triumph ; but he managed to say little, and occu 
 pied himself watching both the movements of 
 Zach. and Peggy very closely. He knew the date 
 of Zach.'s proposed marriage, and he had insisted 
 upon Peggy's return a few months before that 
 time. And so she shortened her stay somewhat 
 and came back, arriving as before described. One 
 sorrow had overtaken her and her kind patroness 
 while abroad. A year after their arrival in Rome 
 Mr. Cristopher had yielded to his many and long 
 continued ailments, and after a severe attack had 
 died very suddenly. He left Peggy a handsome 
 sum in her own right, and, in case she survived his 
 sister, a very pretty fortune. But Peggy's income 
 from brush and pencil was now very large, and 
 she gave little thought to her bright financial 
 prospects. When they landed in New York Mrs. 
 Benedict, Peggy, and Mr. Martin took the cars for 
 Philadelphia, where, after tarrying a week, the two
 
 354 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 former repaired to Washington, Mr. Martin leav 
 ing for home in high glee and hardly able to con 
 tain himself over Peggy's great good fortune. 
 
 It was shortly after his return, and upon receiv 
 ing a letter from Peggy from a small town in 
 Pennsylvania where she was visiting for a day, 
 that he wrote the letter to Zach. which the latter 
 received the day after the scene at the Arlington, 
 and which convinced him that it was only a pass 
 ing resemblance, after all, between Peggy and the 
 artist that had startled him so. Having thus 
 explained the mystery of Peggy's appearance and 
 change of name, we can continue our story.
 
 Zachariahi the Congressman. 355 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 IN WHICH BOBBIN MAKES A LAST APPEARANCE. 
 
 It was in the afternoon, after her interview 
 with Audley, that Miss Cristopher, or Peggy, as 
 we may again call her, donned her hat and sallied 
 out for a walk. She did not know where. She 
 only felt that she could think better when she was 
 moving than while pent up in the house. Once 
 she turned her face toward the hotel, where she 
 knew Zach. was stopping, determined to go in and 
 reveal herself. But her heart failed her, and a 
 thrill of pride also came to check her. What if 
 Mr. Martin did not care to have her intrude upon 
 him ! What if the story she had heard was 
 untrue and he was, after all, upon the eve of mar 
 riage with Miss Marmaluke ! She walked down 
 toward the hotel and neared it, pulling her veil 
 over her face to avoid recognition. She gained
 
 356 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 the corner, and almost turned to enter, but wav 
 ered an instant and then passed on. Then she 
 walked rapidly, without noticing where she went. 
 On and on she wandered, thinking of the strange 
 fate that seemed to have brought Zach. and her 
 self so near together once more, and was now 
 holding them apart. If Zach. had never been to 
 her what he had been, if she had met him there in 
 Washington for the first time, she would have 
 passed him in all probability without a thought, 
 and chosen many another in preference ; but the 
 fact that she had loved him once and first, and the 
 further fact that he had given her up when she 
 was humble, though it mortified and, to a certain 
 extent, angered her, made her, after all, ten times 
 more anxious to win him, and gave him a value in 
 her eyes immensely disproportioned to his actual 
 merits. She felt and knew this herself to a certain 
 degree, but it did not alter her feelings. We see 
 many such cases in this world. 
 
 Peggy had been walking along for a full hour 
 deeply absorbed in her reflections, when she sud-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 357 
 
 denly heard her name pronounced, while at the 
 same time she was pulled gently by the dress. She 
 turned and saw a middle aged lady, thin and hol 
 low-eyed, and dressed in that cross between abso 
 lute wretchedness and gaudy gentility so painful to 
 witness, standing beside her. The woman's hands 
 were clasped imploringly yet hopefully, and her 
 dim eye brightened as Peggy turned. 
 
 "Is it," said the woman, "is it really Peggy?" 
 
 Peggy had not recognized the speaker at first, 
 but when she spoke, her face grew familiar, and in 
 a moment became known to her. 
 
 "Why yes," said Peggy, "and you well upon 
 my life, it is Mrs. Bobbin!" 
 
 She had hardly got these words out of her 
 mouth before the woman had hold of her hand, 
 squeezing and kissing it, and crying as if her heart 
 would break. 
 
 Peggy finally quieted her, and heard, briefly, 
 her story. It was as sad a recital as she ever list 
 ened to. Mr. Bobbin, after weeks of fever, was at 
 the door of death. She had no comforts to give
 
 358 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 him, and at length, after exhausting all she could 
 spare in the house to get bread and meat for the 
 family, had started out to seek help from the 
 authorities. Peggy turned with a full heart and 
 walked toward their humble home. She gave 
 Mrs, Bobbin money to purchase some immediate 
 articles of food and medicine, and the two finally 
 entered the house. Peggy looked around in dis 
 may. The room where they stood was stripped 
 of everything. Two of the children the young 
 est were playing on the bare floor, while an 
 older one was sitting mournfully by a door that 
 led into another room, weeping bitterly. He 
 wiped the tears from his face with a sort of dig of 
 his hand as they entered, and then, when he com 
 prehended that help had really come at last, he 
 broke entirely down, and leaned over the window- 
 casing with great sobs that touched Peggy to the 
 heart. Then Mrs. Bobbin opened the door of a 
 bed-room and took Peggy in. On the thin bed 
 lay Bobbin, though she would never have known 
 him, so wasted was he, lying so quietly that she
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 359 
 
 thought at first he must be dead. But she soon 
 noticed he breathed, and she sat down by the bed 
 side. 
 
 "Look!" said his wife, gently rousing him. 
 "See who's come, dear one you used to know so 
 well." 
 
 Bobbin opened his eyes, grown very large and 
 bright now, and looked at his visitor. " It's 
 Peggy," he whispered, and held out one of the 
 wasted hands, or tried to, which Peggy took in her 
 own. 
 
 "Yes," said Peggy, compassionately, "I'm so 
 sorry to see you ill. I hope you will be better 
 soon." 
 
 She held her face near his to hear his reply, 
 which he tried so hard to make strong. 
 
 " I don't mind it," he whispered, trying his best 
 to smile, and with the old feeling of regret at the 
 possibility of his troubling any one. "I'm very 
 comfortable, indeed. But, Peggy," with a great 
 effort, and hesitatingly, " it's them, you know," with 
 a glance at his wife and children. "I I don't
 
 360 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 know what will become of them so far away." 
 He could say no more, and tears stood in the 
 great eyes as he ceased. 
 
 "Please don't worry at all," said Peggy. "I 
 have plenty, and nobody but myself to look after. 
 I will take care of them, and I will take care of 
 you, too, until you get well and strong, and then 
 we will all go back to the old home together." 
 
 Bobbin heard her, and O ! what a shadow 
 passed from his face as the welcome truth dawned 
 upon him. He tried to speak again, but he could 
 not. He hid his face, and the hot tears descended 
 and wet his pillow. And Peggy held his hand and 
 watched. As she gazed upon the wasted features 
 old remembrances crowded upon her. Some way 
 she seemed to be doing a service to Zach., to her 
 best of friends, his father, to all back in her little 
 country home, as well as to her own charitable 
 heart, by her kindness there. The many little 
 words of gentle compassion with which Bobbin 
 had greeted her in those days when, a poor neg 
 lected sprite, she had toiled in the little public
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 361 
 
 house in the village, all came back to her, rousing 
 a grateful feeling, and making her present position 
 seem only a poor return for his kindness. She 
 had at first been disposed to censure Zach. for 
 thus permitting an old acquaintance to die in pov 
 erty and neglect, but when it was explained to her 
 that by Bobbin's express injunction he had been 
 kept in ignorance of it all, she could readily for 
 give him. And so she watched. 
 
 In a little church, the rear of which came close 
 to the room where she sat, some kind of religious 
 services were being held, and the tones of the 
 singers came through the open windows almost 
 like angels' voices. 
 
 The song was an old one, familiar to Peggy, 
 familiar to all of us, the outcropping of a great 
 poet's reverence and humility, but Peggy thought 
 it never sounded so sweetly before. And Bobbin 
 heard it, too, and his face brightened at the sound: 
 
 Come ye disconsolate, where'er you languish ; 
 
 Come, at God's altar fervently kneel. 
 Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish ; 
 
 Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not heal. 
 16
 
 362 The D. G. & L, Series. 
 
 Ah, Bobbin, simple, unoffending as you were, 
 what need you had of that consolation ! The 
 words rang out clear and distinct on the soft Sum 
 mer air, and Peggy pressed the wasted hand closer 
 as she listened : 
 
 Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying, 
 Hope when all others die, fadeless and pure. 
 
 Here speaks the comforter in God's name, saying, 
 Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not cure. 
 
 Was it so, indeed? Was there a Power above 
 and beyond the garish pretensions of mortality 
 that could reach down and lift this poor, unpre 
 tending, buffeted soul to a higher than human 
 level? Blessed be the faith that leads us to 
 believe so. 
 
 The song died away and Bobbin smiled, and 
 turned his gaze upward, as if he would penetrate 
 the thin veil that hid him from that great hope. A 
 look of peace was rapidly taking the place of pain, 
 and ere long he slept, or seemed to sleep, the pale 
 face, so pinched, and thin, and quiet, looking like 
 the face of the dead. They knew what was com-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 363 
 
 ing ; the physician had left them no hope, and so 
 they sat and waited waited in the still hours of 
 the night, and in the dull gray of the morning, 
 Peggy watching and nursing, never tiring, never 
 flagging. Mrs. Bobbin said little, but she sat gaz 
 ing upon her husband with a look of helpless 
 grief that was most pitiful. She was not intelli 
 gent nor acute, as the world goes, but suffering 
 had worn away the grosser part of her, and 
 touched at last upon true ground. And, oh ! how 
 her woman's heart went back back to the days 
 when, young and hopeful for all have hope she 
 and Bobbin had started out upon the highway of 
 life, expecting, foolish souls, to gather only the 
 flowers by the wayside and make a journey of 
 pleasure till they reached the end. And as she 
 recalled this, into even her dim and clouded mind 
 there came the bitter remembrances that press 
 upon all, save the most hardened, who stand about 
 the bedside of a dying friend; remembrances of 
 many shortcomings on her part many acts of 
 unkindness, many instances of neglect. And with
 
 364 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 these came also the virtues of the sufferer, obtrud 
 ing themselves, obscuring- every fault, hiding every 
 imperfection, upbraiding her for her lack of appre 
 ciation. It was too late to remedy this now, and 
 that thought was the severest pang of all. 
 
 As the day crept in at the partially-drawn 
 blinds, Bobbin turned his eyes upon Peggy, and 
 whispered as she bent her ear, "You will help 
 them, Peggy," and Peggy bowed her head, and 
 promised ; and then, with a smile upon his face, he 
 slept again. It was an hour after when suddenly 
 he awoke awoke as if a new life had come upon 
 him. His wife came to him, his children came to 
 him. All surrounded his bedside. 
 
 " It's coming," he said. 
 
 "What is coming?" said Peggy, softly. 
 
 "The light," he answered, "coming so swiftly." 
 
 Away off it seemed so far away, yet so near, 
 it was so plain a great light was shining upon 
 him. The road was dark on either side, but there 
 was the light, and its rays fell upon his face and 
 lighted it up like a temple. And it came on, on,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 365 
 
 so steadily, so silently, so swiftly ! Each moment 
 its rays grew stronger. He turned to those about 
 him, he heard words of tremulous grief, and then 
 he looked again and the light was nearer. He 
 felt his thin hand pressed, and was recalled once 
 more to earth ; it was only for a moment, but 
 when he looked again the light was almost there. 
 Then the objects about him lost their form, the 
 features at his bedside faded into indistinctness, 
 and the great beacon was shining full across his 
 radiant face. His eyes were opened, but they saw 
 no sight save that. His ears were unclogged, but 
 they caught no sound save the rushing of that 
 awful messenger. And then it was THERE, envel 
 oping him like a mighty cloud. The unearthly 
 radiance dimmed his eyes, and as it came and 
 passed, poor little Bobbin emptied the sunshine of 
 his humble life into the great blaze of eternity, 
 and passed on with it. 
 
 O, beautiful Life! O, still more beautiful 
 Death! when the golden sun of Immortality sheds 
 its beams like this a benediction on the dying.
 
 366 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 ***** *** 
 An hour later and there crept into the silent 
 house a small figure, bent and sorrowful, which 
 glided with noiseless step to the room where Bob 
 bin lay. It was Angelica. Her eyes and nose 
 were very red, and she carried a very small 
 bouquet in her hand, which she placed in the 
 waxen fingers that were clasped across the breast 
 of the silent figure. It was a trifling tribute, but 
 it came from a heart as full as if the owner had 
 been an empress. And then Angelica stuffed her 
 apron into her mouth, put one hand before her 
 eyes, and stole quietly away ; stole out of your 
 sight and out of mine ; stole out of all chronicles 
 forevermore, perhaps, and yet who shall say that 
 in the great reckoning the small servant's gift may 
 not be placed alongside many a grander one and 
 not be dimmed by the comparison f
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 367 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 IN WHICH BARNCASTLE MORALIZES, AND ZACH. 
 MEETS WITH FURTHER TROUBLE. 
 
 It was the evening of the 4th of July, and the 
 streets were bright with light. Rockets were soar 
 ing, candles shooting, crackers snapping, and all 
 the confusion incident to the glorious Fourth was 
 transpiring in the usual way. Standing in front 
 of Willard's Hotel on "the avenue" stood Mr. 
 Ebenezer Barncastle. He leaned upon his cane, 
 and surveyed the brilliant scene with a smile of 
 satisfaction. "Tis Independence day," he solilo 
 quized. " Who wouldn't be an American citizen ? 
 How we grow! How we spread! In 1776 the 
 common eagle, taking his flight from the extreme 
 limit of Eastern civilization, would have traveled 
 to the Western limit in a single day ; but now the 
 proud monarch of the air, dipping himself in the
 
 368 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Atlantic, and then looking at the setting sun, ever 
 intent and sailing forward, takes days before he 
 cools his pinions in the sprays of the grand 
 Pacific. And yet we are told that the people shall 
 not be taxed at the rate of three and a half cents 
 each for the celebration of the country's birthday! 
 Despicable meanness! Intolerable greed! Why, 
 for this our fathers went barefooted, and forded 
 rivers with the thermometer below zero. Noble 
 men! Unselfish patriots! There was principle, 
 there was sediment for you. " Give me," safd Mr. 
 Barncastle, raising his voice, and speaking earn 
 estly, " Give me a man with sediment in him ! I 
 don't care whether his hands are hard with dirty 
 labor, or soft from playing the flute. What differ 
 ence whether his breeches are baggy at the knees 
 or at the foot ! Who cares whether his shirt is 
 cut bias, so to speak, or with a patent yoke and a 
 collar ? Give me a man with sand in his gizzard, 
 with sediment in his maw that's enough!" 
 
 There was some method in Barncastle's mad 
 ness rattle-headed as he was.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 369 
 
 As he stood there watching the display, he felt 
 himself touched upon the arm, and looking round 
 saw Hartwell. 
 
 " Fine sight," said the latter, looking up into 
 the lurid sky. 
 
 "Gorgeous," exclaimed Barncastle. "Observe 
 the ambitious rocket. How it goes up with a roar 
 and a hiss, with everybody to watch and applaud, 
 and observe how it creeps back silently, as if 
 ashamed after all its sputtering to be found sneak 
 ing around the earth again. It always makes the 
 biggest display, too, just before it falls, and puts 
 out the light when it starts downward, so that no 
 one can see its degradation. But I know it conies 
 down, for a stick hit me on the nose a while ago. 
 It was the remains of a brilliant soarer, but it only 
 made me sneeze. Pictures of men, Mr. Hartwell, 
 pictures of me." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle leaned upon his cane and cast 
 his philosophical eye at an unusually brilliant dis 
 play of colored lights in front of the Treasury 
 Building. 
 
 16* Y
 
 370 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Barncastle," said Hartwell, " you remember 
 those bonds." 
 
 The political philosopher only looked at Hart- 
 well and winked, which the young gentleman 
 interpreted to mean that he did remember them 
 most distinctly. 
 
 "And you can testify as to what became of 
 them ? " said Hartwell. 
 
 Barncastle again winked, this time putting his 
 finger to the side of his nose, a mysterious per 
 formance, which had no meaning to the uninitiated, 
 but which Hartwell seemed to understand most 
 perfectly, and to be entirely satisfied with. 
 
 " I may want to use you as a witness," said 
 Hartwell. 
 
 " All right ; all right," replied Barncastle, again 
 putting his finger to his nose and looking preter- 
 naturally wise. (< You know where I am, eh ? " 
 
 And winking again, this time in a most dia 
 bolical manner, he seized his cane by both hands, 
 leaned up against a lamp-post, and leered know 
 ingly upon Hartwell. The latter seemed well
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 371 
 
 pleased, patted his foot on the pavement for a 
 moment approvingly, and then, remarking that 
 Mr. Barncastle would hear from him again, walked 
 leisurely up the street. He had hardly disap 
 peared when Audley, who had every indication 
 of having drank a little too freely, accosted Barn- 
 castle. 
 
 " Where's Mizzur Hartwell?" said he, looking 
 round. 
 
 Barncastle regarded the young man with lofty 
 compassion. 
 
 " Wasn't Mizzur Hartwell with you ? " said 
 Audley. 
 
 " Yes, my unhappy young friend," responded 
 Barncastle. " If 'twould be any consolation to 
 you in your melancholy condition to know it, he 
 was." 
 
 " See year, old fellow," said Audley, " I ought 
 to know your face. What's the matter with you ? 
 What's the what's your name ? " 
 
 "Barncastle, sir," said that gentleman, with 
 great dignity. " My card, sir ! "
 
 372 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "All right, sir," said Audley, surveying the card 
 stupidly; "all right, Barn-Barn-castle. Can you 
 tell me where our carriage is, Barn-castle?" 
 
 " What's your name ? " said the latter. 
 
 "That's so," said Audley, slapping Barncastle 
 on the back. " Of course ; you don't know my 
 name Audley G. Henry Audley." 
 
 A sudden thought seemed to take possession 
 of Barncastle. He seized Audley by the hand 
 and wrung it with great warmth. "Glad to meet 
 you!" he exclaimed, "Delighted! Take my 
 carriage." Here Mr. Barncastle stopped and 
 looked around as if seeking for his coach and 
 servant. " Where are the rascals ? " he said. 
 " Upon my word, yonder they go whirling down 
 the street! They must be drunk !" 
 
 " Oh, im-imbossible ! " exclaimed Audley, sol 
 emnly. 
 
 "They are, " said Barncastle, "positively 
 drunk. Never mind," he added, " we can go afoot 
 like honest plebeians. Where do you want to 
 go?"
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 373 
 
 " I don't know," responded Audley, taking him 
 by the arm. " Do you ? " 
 
 " Well, we'll take the avenue and go where we 
 please," said Barncastle, and, linked together like a 
 yard of satin and a piece of faded cambric, they 
 started down the street. 
 
 " Stop," said Audley, suddenly. " Hold on, 
 Barncastle. Here comes a friend of mine." 
 
 As he spoke Barncastle looked ahead and per 
 ceived Zach. approaching them. He had his head 
 bent downward, his eyes were upon the ground, 
 and he hurried along as if eager to get out of the 
 glare and tumult. 
 
 " Hello, old boy," said Audley, intercepting him. 
 " How are you ? How's everything ? " 
 
 Zach. stopped, evidently far from pleased at the 
 encounter, but submitting per force. 
 
 " This here," said Audley, tugging at Barn 
 castle, " is my friend my intimate friend, Colonel, 
 Colonel -What is it now (hie), eh?" 
 
 " I have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Martin,"
 
 374 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 said Barncastle, putting out his hand with a mix 
 ture of cordiality and reserve. 
 
 Zach. took his hand. "So you have," he said. 
 "Well, Barncastle, there are bigger scoundrels than 
 you in Washington. You take a man's money, 
 but they steal his honor and his reputation. By 
 the side of a stealthy slanderer and liar, you're a 
 saint." 
 
 Barncastle was evidently troubled for fear 
 Audley would gain a bad impression of him, and 
 he winked to Zach. as he replied : " We have had 
 our disagreements, Mr. Martin, but on the whole I 
 believe we have treated each other honorably. I 
 am sure that for my part I can speak nothing but 
 praise of you to our mutual friend Audley." 
 
 "You're both good fellers," said Audley, ener 
 getically; "both of you le's be friends all of 
 us." 
 
 " Martin," said Barncastle, extending his hand, 
 " I forgive you I forget everything. Let us, in 
 obedience to our mutual friend's injunction, cry 
 quits and beoin anew." 
 
 A O
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 375 
 
 Zach. thought the proposition rather cool, con 
 sidering the circumstances, but Audley was enthu 
 siastic over the proposition. He seemed to think 
 he had healed an estrangement, and brought two 
 old but alienated friends together. He insisted 
 upon their shaking hands again, and blessed them 
 as he saw their palms touch. 
 
 "Now, come on," said he, triumphantly. " Now 
 it's all made up le's go and watch the (hie) 
 rockets." 
 
 Zach. was about to excuse himself, when Barn- 
 castle interrupted. "Stop," said he, "let me call a 
 carriage. Come home with me and have a glass 
 of wine." 
 
 He began fumbling in his pockets. " How 
 unfortunate," he exclaimed. " I must have left 
 my portmonnaie at home. My dear Audley, 
 might I ask the loan of a five until I reach the 
 house?" 
 
 Audley put his hand unsteadily in his vest 
 pocket and took out a " ten." 
 
 " Never mind," said Barncastle, "ten will do
 
 376 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 just as well. Come, gentlemen, ride with me ; 
 ride with me." 
 
 He took an arm of each, and Zach. was begin 
 ning to expostulate, and to say that it would be 
 impossible, when a gentleman stepped up and 
 touched the latter on the arm. Zach. turned and 
 confronted a Deputy Sergeant -at -Arms of the 
 House. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Martin," said he, 
 " but I am directed to summon you before the 
 Select Investigating Committee, now sitting at 
 the Capitol." 
 
 Zach. bowed his head, and then said for he 
 had had some reason to expect that he might be 
 so summoned : " Do you know if there is a charge 
 against me?" 
 
 "There is," said the officer. 
 
 "What is it?" inquired Zach. 
 
 " Bribery," responded the officer. 
 
 Zach. said nothing, but there was a look upon 
 his face which even Audley and Barncastle 
 respected as they stood silently and saw him 
 walk away.
 
 Zackariah, the Congressman. 377 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 MR. AND MRS. MARTIN PREPARE FOR A JOURNEY, 
 AND ZACH. HAS A TRIAL. 
 
 It was as much as two weeks after this when a 
 letter was received at the old home from Peggy. 
 It recited briefly that Zach. was ill and in great 
 trouble, and besought both Mr. and Mrs. Martin 
 to come on to Washington at once. It was the 
 third day after the receipt of the letter, and John 
 was at the door with the old-fashioned carriage to 
 take them to the depot. They were greatly 
 excited, and in deep confusion with their prepara 
 tions, which were of the most comical description. 
 Mr. Martin was sitting with his hat on, but with 
 only one boot, and was gazing around anxiously 
 for the other one. 
 
 "Where's my other boot?" he exclaimed.
 
 378 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 " Dang it ! I believe half my clothes '11 be left 
 laying 'round the house when we start." 
 
 "I knew it!" said Mrs. Martin. "The man's had 
 three days to get ready, and he ain't no nearer it 
 than he was afore. And thare that poor boy is a 
 sufferin' among strangers." 
 
 "These women know everything," said Mr. 
 Martin, adopting his wife's plan, and addressing an 
 imaginary third person. "Three days to start off 
 on a journey of hundreds of miles, and not a soul 
 'round to see to the cattle or 'tend to anything. I 
 expect to see 'em all dead and the house burnt up, 
 more'n likely, before we get back. And yet that 
 woman talks about getting ready." 
 
 "There's your boot," said Mrs. Martin, drawing 
 it out from under a lounge, and throwing it across 
 the room to him. " Now put it on." 
 
 Mr. Martin drew on the boot and stood up and 
 brushed the sleeve of his coat with his hand. 
 
 " How you do look, any way!" said Mrs. Martin, 
 surveying him. 
 
 "How I do look!" he repeated. "Well, what's
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 379 
 
 the matter with me? Hain't I in misery enough 
 with this coat and these breeches on, without your 
 harping about it? They looked plenty good for 
 you once." 
 
 " Yes, forty years ago," said Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " Well," he answered, " I've kept 'em in a drawer 
 and ain't worn 'em more'n twice since, and what's 
 the matter with 'em? When I went away to New 
 York alone, a while ago, they looked well enough." 
 
 "I'm sure I don't know," said she; "but some 
 way you look all out o' shape, kinder." 
 
 " Well,j}/<?^ look brisk enough," he replied, sar 
 castically, "so what's the difference?" 
 
 "I'm thankful that I do," said she. 
 
 "Yes, you'll cut a big swell," he returned. 
 " You'll set the fashions, I expect. Come on now, 
 if you are ready," and Mr. Martin gathered a big 
 portmanteau and started. 
 
 "Have you got everything?" said she. "What's 
 the camphire in?" 
 
 "Come on," he exclaimed ; "I'm sweatin' like a 
 porpoise. Where's the tickets?" Mr. Martin put
 
 380 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 down the luggage and dived into his pocket, when, 
 having found an envelope, and opened and looked 
 in it, took up his package again and started. 
 
 "Ah, this traveling!" he groaned. "It's the 
 
 last time I " but Mrs. Martin gave him a push 
 
 out of the open door and stopped his vow never 
 to travel more. 
 
 As before remarked, Mr. Richard Hartwell was 
 determined to put Zach. beyond, the hope of 
 recovering his former place ; but this was not all 
 the reason for his vindictive pursui of the latter. 
 Though he was anxious and quite determined to 
 ruin Zach. irretrievably, he probably would have 
 made no extra exertions in that direction after 
 defeating him and breaking up his prospective 
 marriage, had not another circumstance in a 
 measure compelled him to this course. One step 
 in wrong-doing generally leads to another, and it 
 was so in Hartwell's case. We have stated that 
 the charges of bribery figured very prominently in 
 the convention which overwhelmed Zach. These 
 charges could not stand long, however, without
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 381 
 
 something tangible on which to rest, and so, when 
 the latter's friends indignantly pronounced them 
 false and demanded proofs, facts, suspicious to say 
 the least, were adduced that silenced, if they did 
 not convince, his adherents. Zach. heard of these 
 direct charges too late to meet them before the 
 convention, and, as before stated, the fact that any 
 explanation would involve Belle in disagreeable 
 prominence, operated to silence him, even had he 
 been otherwise prepared to explain. Of course 
 these charges at home came through Spiker, who 
 really believed them to be true, though their truth 
 or falsity made very little difference to him, so 
 long as they answered his purpose. But such 
 serious allegations could not escape the keen eyes 
 of the Opposition, and so it followed that an 
 investigating committee, before whom other cases 
 of a similar character were being examined, were 
 charged with the duty of looking into this also. 
 They wrote to Spiker, and Spiker referred them to 
 Hartwell; and so, one day, the latter, rather to his 
 surprise, was summoned before the committee to
 
 382 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 give his evidence. Belle was also called upon, and 
 stated that she wrote the note which Hartwell sent 
 through Barncastle, at the former's suggestion and 
 dictation, and that she really had no definite idea 
 of what she meant by the word " consideration " 
 used in the letter. She knew afterward that cer 
 tain bonds had been inclosed in her note, and sup 
 posed it had reference to them. Thus matters 
 stood when Hartwell was summoned. 
 
 In the meantime a curious knot in this con 
 spiracy was being unraveled in an entirely differ 
 ent manner, and by persons entirely independent 
 of the committee. When Barncastle and Audley 
 saw Zach. walk away, after meeting the officer of 
 the House, as narrated in the last chapter, they 
 fell into quite a confidential chat about him. 
 Barncastle shrewdly guessed that the case spoken 
 of was the one alluded to by Hartwell, in which he 
 was to play the part of a witness, and, winking 
 mysteriously to Audley, he informed that gentle 
 man that he (Barncastle) knew all about it, and 
 that he was the only person living who could, ?s
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 383 
 
 he expressed it, " break the gyves of slavery and set 
 the captive free." Audley was intoxicated, and 
 more than usually silly when he heard it, but 
 strange enough he remembered the words, and in 
 some way must have repeated them, for it was only 
 the second day after this that he could have 
 been seen walking arm in arm with Barncastle 
 toward the studio of Miss Cristopher, and finally 
 escorting that gentleman triumphantly into the 
 presence of the lady herself. 
 
 In one of the rooms of the Capitol the investi 
 gating committee were engaged in examining the 
 charges against Zach. The witness chair was 
 occupied by Hartwell, and the Chairman was 
 engaged in questioning him. 
 
 "What did you understand these bonds to be 
 given to Mr. Martin for, Mr. Hartwell ?". said the 
 Chairman. 
 
 " I would rather not state, sir," replied the wit 
 ness. Here was an evident attempt to shield the
 
 384 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 accused, and the committee glanced significantly 
 at one another. 
 
 "We must insist upon an answer," said the 
 Chairman. 
 
 " Well, sir," said the witness, " I knew they 
 were sent to him to pay for the appointment men 
 tioned." 
 
 Zach. clenched his hands nervously at this, and 
 bit his lips till the blood came. 
 
 " Mr. Martin states," continued the Chairman, 
 "that he had only seven thousand dollars in bonds, 
 and these he purchased of you, paying dollar for 
 dollar for them. Is this true?" 
 
 "It is not, sir," responded Hartwell. "The 
 bonds were obtained of me by another person, 
 and I was instructed to send them to Martin, 
 which I did." 
 
 " That will do," said the Chairman ; " Mr. Mar 
 tin, have you anything further to offer? " 
 
 " Not now," said Zach., very despairingly. 
 "This investigation has been so sudden that I 
 have had no time to collect my evidence. Mr.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 385 
 
 Hartwell gave me a receipt for the seven thousand 
 dollars, which I have mislaid. I told him of its 
 loss, and he promised me a duplicate, but never 
 gave it. If he had not been aware that I had lost 
 the paper he would not have given the evidence 
 you have just heard." 
 
 "Mr. Martin," said the Chairman, taking some 
 papers from the table and examining them; "we 
 can only judge by what is before us. We find the 
 following documents in evidence : First, a note to 
 you asking you to make a certain appointment, 
 and evidently, from its tone, inclosing other papers 
 of value. The writer asks, significantly, if the 
 consideration is sufficient, and you reply in a note, 
 also in evidence, that it is. The lady who wrote 
 you that note, for whom the appointment was 
 made, testifies that the "consideration" was fur 
 nished by another person. It is evident by her 
 manner, however, that she expected to influence 
 you. A few days after we find that you obtained 
 the appointment. What was the consideration to 
 which both the writer of the note and you allude? 
 
 17 Z
 
 386 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 We have the evidence of Mr. Hartwell that it was 
 twelve thousand dollars in bonds of the Nan- 
 tucket Insurance Company. We find on the 
 books of the company that amount transferred to 
 you. You confess to possessing seven thousand 
 dollars of these bonds, and have nothing but your 
 own unsupported word to show that you did not 
 receive the remainder. We are extremely sorry, 
 but our duty is plain. The crime proved against 
 you is punishable by the courts, which we leave to 
 deal with you. As you know, the statutes declare 
 that for such an offense a person shall be fined in 
 a sum equal to three times the amount asked, 
 accepted or received by him, and be imprisoned 
 for a term of three years. This, however, as 
 before stated, is a matter to be decided by the 
 courts. As for us, we feel it incumbent upon us 
 to state to you frankly that we must report in 
 favor of your expulsion from the House." 
 
 Zach. sat silent and very pale. He was revolv 
 ing the utter ruin and disgrace that had overtaken 
 him. This, then, was the end of his bright hopes,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 387 
 
 his great ambition. This was what statesmanship 
 had cost him, and while he sat there, came sound 
 ing in his ears the words of his father, uttered 
 three years before 
 
 " However bright the outside of this public 
 life may look it is full of trial and disappointment, 
 and it may come to you, Zach., it may come to 
 you." 
 
 Alas, it had come to him, crushing him to the 
 very earth, and still the threatening clouds lowered 
 upon him. Forcing down his emotion as best he 
 could, Zach. spoke briefly and very simply to the 
 committee. 
 
 " I acknowledge," said he, " that the evidence 
 produced against me looks positive and over 
 whelming. I would not have believed it possible 
 that circumstances could so surround with an 
 appearance of guilt an absolutely innocent man. 
 For I am innocent, as innocent, gentlemen, as you 
 who sit in judgment upon me. Heaven knows 
 that I never had the remotest idea of such a crime 
 -much less committed it. This man Hartwell is
 
 388 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 a perjured hypocrite. Aye ! " said Zach., turning 
 as the subject of his denunciation moved uneasily 
 in his seat. " I repeat it. A perjured hypocrite ; 
 a man who has bartered his honor, his very soul, 
 to advance some scheme which he thinks to com 
 pass by my downfall. Some day the truth will be 
 revealed. Some day he shall stand out with his 
 mask stripped from him, and his iniquity blazoned 
 to the world. Be it a part of my task to see this 
 thoroughly and completely done." 
 
 The earnestness and apparent truthfulness of 
 Zach.'s manner impressed the committee deeply, 
 and Hartwell seemed to creep into himself and 
 shudder as he heard the determination expressed 
 to unearth his rascality. For the time being, how 
 ever, the case seemed ended, and they prepared to 
 leave, all save Zach., who, now that the excitement 
 of his speech had subsided, sat moody and despair 
 ing, gazing blankly at the wall. Suddenly the 
 door of the committee-room opened and a mes 
 senger hastily appeared, who addressed the 
 Chairman. A lady was at the door who
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 389 
 
 asked to be admitted, and announced herself 
 as a witness. 
 
 " A lady," exclaimed the Chairman, with sur 
 prise. 
 
 "Yes, sir," returned the messenger, "and she 
 says her evidence is very important." 
 
 The Chairman looked from one member of the 
 committee to the other, and then, by common 
 consent, they all took their seats, and the mes 
 senger was told to show the lady in. 
 
 Zach. had lifted his head, as had Hartwell, at 
 the announcement, and both sat gazing with 
 curiosity toward the entrance. Before they 
 had much time to reflect the door opened again, 
 and there before Zach.'s astounded vision stood 
 Peggy Peggy as of old, a little fuller in form 
 and feature, perhaps, but the old Peggy, in her 
 simple dress and unpretending braids, her eyes full 
 of tears, her face full of determination. Zach. 
 looked once rubbed his eyes as if he could not 
 trust them and looked again, and then forget 
 ting everything else, his own peril, his great wrong
 
 390 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 to Peggy, the proprieties of the occasion, all, save 
 the fact that she stood there before him, jumped 
 to his feet, and gaining her side at one great 
 bound, took her bodily, forcibly in his arms, and 
 hugged her with an intensity that would have 
 been ludicrous had it not been so impassioned. 
 The committee sat amazed spectators of this 
 scene, and wondering what it all meant. Peggy 
 released herself as soon as possible, all but her 
 hands, which Zach. insisted upon retaining, while 
 he looked in her eyes wonderingly, inquiringly, 
 appealingly. Such a meeting after all these 
 years ! 
 
 " What does this mean, Peggy," he said. " What 
 has brought you to me now?" 
 
 "Wait!" said she, hurriedly. "Another time 
 and I will explain. Is it true that they are trying 
 to convict you, Zach. ? " 
 
 This brought the situation back to him. He 
 had absolutely forgotten it in his great joy, and he 
 bowed his head as he answered : 
 
 " They have convicted me, Peggy."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 391 
 
 Peggy's eyes flashed. "If I have heard the 
 story correctly," she said to the committee, " I can 
 give important testimony in the case. Can I 
 become a witness?" 
 
 The Chairman indicated that they were ready 
 to hear her, and she was sworn, and told to relate 
 her knowledge of the affair. She stated the facts 
 very briefly and concisely. 
 
 "Nearly three years ago," said Peggy, " Mr. 
 Martin through mistake, doubtless, sent this paper 
 to me in a letter. It tells its own story, and I sub 
 mit it for examination. It bears the seal of the 
 Nantucket Insurance Company, and is a receipt 
 by the Secretary, Mr. Hartwell, for seven thousand 
 dollars paid him by Zachariah Martin." 
 
 The committee took the paper and examined 
 it eagerly. " It certainly is an authenticated 
 receipt," said the Chairman. " What have you to 
 say to this, Mr. Hartwell ? " The latter was 
 dumbfounded and only hung his head. The 
 Chairman continued: "This certainly explains 
 the seven thousand dollars, Mr. Martin. If you
 
 392 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 had a witness regarding the remaining five thou 
 sand dollars we could rejoice with you." 
 
 Zach. sat, half stupefied, in his chair, but said 
 nothing. 
 
 " If you will permit me," said Peggy, " I have 
 another witness at the door. Shall I call him?" 
 
 "Certainly," responded the Chairman. 
 
 Peggy went to the door and looked out. Then 
 she disappeared partially and appeared to hold a 
 consultation with some one outside. Finally she 
 reappeared, escorting the smiling but stately Mr. 
 Barncastle. 
 
 He came in with a great flourish and evidently 
 in a very happy frame of mind. 
 
 "Well, well ! this is a pleasure," said he, walk 
 ing forward with an airy swing to where the mem 
 bers of the committee sat. " This is an honor. 
 Gentlemen ! they may talk about the labors of a 
 member being light and his pay excessive. Bosh ! 
 Nonsense ! The arduous service that you perform 
 on an absurd stipend of five thousand dollars a 
 year, excluding mileage, stationery, and news-
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 393 
 
 papers, is astounding. Gentlemen, some of you 
 venerable in years, all venerable in attainments, if 
 I were called upon to express an opinion " 
 
 Mr. Barncastle was going on very enthusias 
 tically when the Chairman interrupted him. 
 
 "There, there, Mr. Barncastle! Never mind 
 this," said that functionary. " If you have any 
 evidence to give in this case we shall be pleased 
 to hear it." 
 
 "Certainly," returned Barncastle. He stopped 
 talking for a moment, but went to work very indus 
 triously shaking hands with the members of the 
 committee, until he finally broke forth again : 
 " Here I find you," said he, falling back a pace or 
 two, and surveying the committee as a whole. 
 " Here I find you organized, laboring for the cause 
 discharging the solemn duties of office, earning 
 the gratitude of your constituents, seeking for the 
 applause of the populace, meriting the favor of 
 your countrymen, and challenging the admiration 
 of mankind. A beautiful sight ; an impressive 
 
 spectacle. Egad ! talk of us as they may, we 
 17*
 
 394 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 deserve our honors; we do, gentlemen, If it were 
 not for us, look at the country ! Who would pro 
 tect it ? Who would preserve it ? Who would 
 organize it ? and without organization, if you will 
 permit me to suggest a few thoughts, gentlemen, 
 without organization " 
 
 Mr. Barncastle was again going on at a rattling 
 pace and threatening never to stop, when the 
 Chairman again interrupted him. 
 
 "I beg pardon," said Barncastle, "but my 
 delight at meeting you, banishes for a moment 
 that humility which becomes the humble witness 
 in the presence of an august tribunal. Swear me." 
 
 Mr. Barncastle was thereupon sworn, and took 
 the witness chair with an air of charming confi 
 dence, 
 
 "You may state, Mr. Barncastle," said the 
 Chairman, "what you know about certain bonds 
 of the Nantucket Insurance Company said to be 
 in the possession of Mr. Martin, and numbered 
 from three hundred to three hundred and fifty, 
 inclusive."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 395 
 
 "Willingly," answered Barncastle. "Gentle 
 men, I have rooms in the house of an impover 
 ished, but respectable widow lady named Dabster." 
 
 "Never mind that," exclaimed the Chairman. 
 
 " But I must mind that," returned Barncastle, 
 with a charming smile of complacency, "in order 
 that you may mind what I am about to say." 
 
 "Well, go on," returned the Chairman. 
 
 "One evening, Dabster ushered into my pres 
 ence a gentleman by the name of Hartwell. From 
 the expression of his back," said Barncastle, gazing 
 over into the corner, " and you know backs have a 
 certain expression, I should say that the gentle 
 man yonder, who seems to be chewing his tooth 
 pick, is the same man. He came, he said, knowing 
 my influence and extensive acquaintance with 
 members of Congress, to consult me about an 
 appointment. He asked me as to the first neces 
 sary step. 'Mr. Hartwell,' I answered, ' the experi 
 ence of many years has taught me that the first 
 thing to do in such cases is to organize !' Organi 
 zation, if you will permit me, gentlemen, is the
 
 396 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 first thing to be considered in any enterprise. 
 If you are going to build a railroad, tunnel a 
 mountain, build a ship-canal, obtain a land grant, 
 conquer a difficulty, or celebrate a triumph, you 
 must organize. Organization, I insist 
 
 " Mr. Barncastle," said the Chairman, " will you 
 please confine yourself to the evidence in this 
 case ? " 
 
 "Certainly," he replied; "forgive the temporary 
 digression. To summarize, Mr. Hartwell employed 
 me as a sort of attorney to present Mr. Martin a 
 letter and at the same time five thousand dollars 
 in bonds of the Nantucket Insurance Company." 
 
 " And you presented them ? " queried the 
 Chairman. 
 
 " I did not," said Mr. Barncastle, emphatically. 
 "At least not the bonds; the letter I did." 
 
 Hartwell gave a great heave with his shoulders 
 at this evidence, while Zach., for the first time, 
 raised his head. 
 
 " At first blush," continued Barncastle, " it 
 occurred to me that I might do so without violating
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 397 
 
 my sense of honor ; but there was a latent fear of 
 bribery lurking in my bosom, and I spurned the 
 temptation. I continued to reside beneath the 
 humble roof of Dabster, pure as when I first 
 entered that abode of molasses and innocence." 
 
 " You returned the bonds, then ? " inquired the 
 Chairman. 
 
 " I did not," replied Barncastle once more, 
 emphatically. " Regarding them as contraband of 
 war, I confiscated them. I offered them as col 
 lateral several times, but, gentlemen, those bonds 
 were glittering baubles. I tried to sell them, 
 determined to turn the proceeds over to the pub 
 lic treasury, but they were worth less in the market 
 than an ordinary I O U. Finally they all settled 
 into my hands, and here before this august tri 
 bunal I now produce them." 
 
 Barncastle reached behind, and took from the 
 tail of his coat a package, and, rising, said with a 
 tragic air : 
 
 " Behold the missing bonds." 
 
 "There is no mistake," said the Chairman,
 
 398 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 examining them. " They are indeed the identical 
 bonds. Martin, we congratulate you." 
 
 The committee approached Zach., and shook 
 hands with him heartily, during which time Hart- 
 well, with a scowl of mingled rage and fear, crept 
 from the room. Zach. received the congratulations 
 of the committee in a sort of stupor, seeming 
 not to fully comprehend the situation. When 
 they were through he sat down again, gazing 
 vacantly at the wall, while Peggy regarded him 
 from the other side of the room with a mixture of 
 doubt and tenderness hard to express in words. 
 
 Barncastle was in the highest spirits. He 
 beamed and smiled in turn upon everybody in the 
 room. He took pains before Hartwell left to glow 
 with satisfaction on that gentleman, and remind 
 him of the " one hundred dollars additional " 
 which he had promised the witness when the 
 latter gave his testimony. He received in return 
 a scowl which appeared to please him wonderfully, 
 In the hand-shaking Mr. Barncastle was in his 
 element. He insisted upon grasping hands all
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 399 
 
 'round, and took occasion to mention some little 
 pecuniary obligations which he was under to the 
 committee, and which he begged them to forgive 
 and forget. 
 
 " This," said he, seizing the Chairman by the 
 hand and wringing it till the tears stood in that 
 gentleman's eyes, " this is a proud moment. In 
 the hour of vindicated integrity let us forget and 
 cancel all pecuniary obligations. Let us cast them 
 from us as unworthy of us." The gentlemen said 
 very good, and then all, divining that Zach. and 
 Peggy might have something to say to each other 
 which it would be embarrassing to speak before 
 strangers, withdrew. 
 
 Still Zach. sat there, bewildered, thunderstruck, 
 half unable to appreciate his good fortune. Back 
 of it all, too, came the thought piercing him like 
 a knife and filling him with shame and penitence 
 and humiliation that here was the woman he 
 had so grossly misconceived, so cruelly wronged, 
 so heartlessly forsaken, standing between him 
 and destruction. The pain was almost as great
 
 4OO The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 as it was a few minutes before, when he had 
 sunk despairing in his seat, convicted of a felony. 
 If Zach. had known it, the feeling was the best 
 evidence of manhood that he could have exhibited. 
 A villain or a fool would have accepted the service 
 without a twinge. 
 
 Pretty soon Peggy crossed to where he was 
 and crouched beside him. 
 
 " You need not fear," she said, softly. " I do not 
 come to reproach you or to embarrass you. 
 Simply to do my duty, that's all." 
 
 Zach. fairly writhed under these words. He 
 struggled to conquer his emotion, but could not, 
 and finally, losing all command of himself man, 
 statesman as he was broke down entirely, and 
 crying out, "Oh, Peggy! Peggy!" sank on his 
 tnees at her feet
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 401 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 A WELCOME ARRIVAL. 
 
 Peggy's eyes were full of tears as Zach. knelt 
 so humbly beside her, but there was a gleam of 
 joy behind them like a ray of sunlight shining 
 through a Summer's rain. There was a long 
 pause, which was finally broken by Zach. 
 
 " That you, above all others, should have done 
 this ! " he said. 
 
 " Well, who had a better right, I should like to 
 know, Mister Martin ? " replied Peggy, mischiev 
 ously, and laughing through her tears. 
 
 Zach. uncovered his face and looked at her 
 long and steadily. 
 
 11 1 am utterly confused and confounded, Peggy," 
 said he ; "but tell me how in the world you came 
 to be here at this time!" 
 
 " I came to Washington some time ago," she 
 
 A2
 
 4O2 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 replied. " I knew you were in trouble, and I 
 found out the charges against you. I had intended 
 to be here earlier, and save you all this pain, but I 
 was detained. I found the room at last, and I . 
 Oh, Zach., I came in time, did I not?" 
 
 "God bless you, my darling," said Zach., pas 
 sionately seizing her and drawing her to him. 
 "Oh, Peggy! if you knew how utterly powerless I 
 am to express my gratitude !" And he seized her 
 hands and held them as in a vise. 
 
 After a while they began to converse more 
 calmly, and Peggy gave Zach. to understand that 
 she was serving in some capacity in a family in 
 Washington. She told him something of her life 
 in Philadelphia, though never hinting at her art 
 studies, and how she had gone abroad with a lady, 
 spending two years in Italy, at which Zach was 
 greatly surprised. 
 
 " When I came back," said Peggy, " I thought 
 I might as well work here as anywhere, so I came 
 on, and then when you got into your trouble 
 why, I got you out, you know."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 403 
 
 " And what a scoundrel I have been, Peggy!" 
 said he. "Oh, I needed this lesson. I needed it. 
 Can you ever forgive me ? Can you, and take me 
 back to the old place in your heart? I am poor 
 now but for you would be disgraced; but will 
 you take me back ? " 
 
 She was silent. 
 
 " If you can not," said he, " I shall wish I had 
 gone down there an hour ago never to have risen." 
 
 Peggy looked up at him. 
 
 " You may not always feel so," said she. " You 
 are in trouble and you are grateful now. By and 
 by it may not be so pleasant to have an ignorant 
 girl to introduce to your friends." 
 
 Zach. made a gesture of impatience. " Peggy," 
 said he, " I deserve this ; I know it, but there are 
 some people in this world who are born wise. No 
 lack of culture, no adverse circumstances can 
 make them common or vulgar. You are one of 
 those, bless your little body. I came to know that 
 when it was too late. Let me tell you all, then 
 judge me." And Zach told her all. He told her
 
 404 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 how regrets at breaking off their engagement 
 came to him early and grew upon him all through 
 those years of separation ; how honor demanded 
 that he should remain true to his new vows, and 
 how he had tried to do so ; how the letter of Belle 
 discarding him wounded his pride, and, coming 
 with his other troubles, deeply pained him; but 
 that, aside from that, he would have rejoiced at 
 such a deliverance ; all of which Peggy heard and 
 pondered, glowing and triumphant, but without 
 committing herself in return. 
 
 " By an effort, Peggy," said Zach., " I can 
 retrieve the past; with you the task would be easy. 
 Say that all is forgiven, and that you have not 
 forgotten how to love me." 
 
 Before Peggy could reply, there was a great 
 commotion in the hall, and voices were heard 
 expostulating with the messenger who stood out 
 side the door. 
 
 " Well, send in your card," said the latter, "and 
 if he wants to see you he can say so." 
 
 "Send in fiddlesticks," retorted a voice. " Dang
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 405 
 
 it, do you think I want an introduction to my own 
 son?" 
 
 Peggy g ave a J um P- " It's them," she said, 
 trembling. " Oh, the dear old souls. Hear 
 em!" 
 
 There was a word from the messenger about 
 not knowing who the visitor was, and then the big 
 door slowly opened. 
 
 "Come in, old woman," said the voice of 
 Mr. Martin ; " let's go right in and surprise 
 him." 
 
 "Don't slam things 'round in that way," said 
 Mrs. Martin, and then the door swung full upon 
 its hinges, and there stood Zach.'s father and 
 mother, their hands full of luggage, but their faces 
 warm and bright as ever. Peggy and Zach. stood 
 still in their places for a moment, and then, seeing 
 them, the old couple suddenly dropped their 
 bundles, " camphire " and all, and rushed across 
 the room. In another moment Peggy was locked 
 in the arms of Mr. Martin, while Zach. was closely 
 clasped by his mother.
 
 406 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Peggy!" said Mr. Martin. 
 " Zach ! " ejaculated his mother. 
 And the door of the committee-room closed 
 upon a reunited family.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 407 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE END OF IT ALL. 
 
 It was all over the town in less than twenty- 
 four hours afterward; Zachariah Martin had been 
 tendered the mission to Italy by the President. 
 The conspiracy against him so happily defeated 
 had given him the sympathy of his fellow-mem 
 bers, and uniting in a petition to the Executive, 
 the appointment had been readily made. Mrs. 
 Marmaluke had heard of it, Belle had heard of it, 
 and the first movement on their part was to make 
 an effort to reinstate themselves in the good graces 
 of the "rising statesman." Belle had written him 
 a note. It bore her monogram ; was most deli 
 cately perfumed, and was written in the most fault 
 less style. It read as follows: 
 
 MY DEAR ZACHARIAH : What a mistake we have both 
 made ! I never heard of a more unfortunate muddle. We
 
 408 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 were both deceived. That all may be explained and set 
 right, come at once to your unhappy but loving BELLE. 
 
 Zach. received this letter and read it with a 
 smile. He was just going to call on Peggy, who 
 was domiciled in the house of Madam Benedict, 
 and he put the note in his pocket. Since the 
 occurrence at the committee-room his ill-luck 
 seemed to have vanished. All was bright and 
 encouraging again. Not only had he been rein 
 stated in public estimation, but his losses were 
 about to be made good through threats of a pros 
 ecution against Mr. Hartwell, which that gentle 
 man had good reason to avoid. Zach. had succeeded 
 in conquering Peggy, not a very difficult task, and 
 they were to be married unostentatiously within a 
 week. She had been so careful, and had avoided 
 going in public so rigidly, that Zach. had not as 
 yet the remotest suspicion of her dual existence, 
 supposing her to be nothing more than the simple 
 Peggy whom he had always known. Once, indeed, 
 as she sat briskly sewing of an evening while 
 Judge Spalding and Zach. discussed politics, the
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 409 
 
 latter appeared to be suddenly struck with the 
 resemblance he had before noted, and called the 
 attention of the Judge to the fact. 
 
 "Judge," said Zach., breaking off the conversa 
 tion, "did you ever notice how much Peggy and 
 that Miss Cristopher resemble each other?" 
 
 Peggy colored scarlet, and turned her head, 
 while the Judge looked a moment before replying. 
 
 "They do look a trifle alike," he responded 
 with a twinkle in his eye, "but Miss Cristopher is 
 taller and darker." 
 
 " I presume if they were together the likeness 
 would vanish," answered Zach., " but I remarked it 
 when I saw the artist at the Arlington, though I 
 had but a glimpse of her, and could not judge 
 fairly." This was all that was said, and Peggy 
 grew easier. 
 
 As before stated, Peggy was domiciled at the 
 house of Madam Benedict. She had informed 
 Zach. that the lady with whom she was staying 
 was the one she had accompanied abroad, and 
 that she was treated as a companion and not 
 
 18
 
 4io The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 as a servant by her kind mistress. Zach. had 
 proposed taking her out of her situation and 
 placing her with some of his friends pending 
 the wedding, but when Peggy introduced him 
 to her patroness, and the latter exhibited such 
 a motherly interest in the young lady, he readily 
 gave his consent to her remaining. Indeed, 
 Zach. was greatly gratified at beholding the 
 consideration with which the humble Peggy 
 was treated by her kind friend. He did not think 
 it strange, for in his present mood it seemed per 
 fectly natural that all the world should worship 
 her; but it pleased him very much. Zach. began 
 to feel a strong interest in Madam Benedict 
 when that good lady, in addition to what she had 
 done for Peggy, also insisted upon entertaining 
 his father and mother while they were in the city ( 
 and concluded that she was the kindest woman in 
 the world. He was surprised a little also to see 
 how well the stately hostess and his rough and 
 ready father got along together coming upon 
 them, as he did the first day of their meeting, in
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 411 
 
 what seemed a very confidential and remarkably 
 amusing interview which terminated at once on his 
 approach. One thing annoyed Zach. a little, and 
 that was the rigid seclusion of Peggy. He was 
 proud of her, and desired to introduce her to his 
 friends, but she absolutely refused to see any one 
 save Judge Spalding, who was in the secret, and 
 when Zach. appealed to his father and Madam 
 Benedict to induce her to alter her determination, 
 they both gave it as their deliberate opinion that 
 it would be much better for Peggy to remain hid 
 den entirely until the day of the wedding. Zach 
 was silenced if not satisfied, and so the little 
 scheme, which had been resolved upon, viz., to 
 marry Zach. to Peggy without the knowledge on 
 his part that she was any other than the humble 
 girl he had known of old, worked very nicely. 
 
 Zach. took occasion during the evening men 
 tioned to show Belle's letter to Peggy, and the 
 latter was quite dismayed at first, but became 
 reassured when Zach. wrote his reply and handed 
 it to her. It ran as follows :
 
 412 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 Miss BELLE MARMALUKE : Hard as was the blow that 
 canceled our engagement, I accepted it as final, and by reason 
 of subsequent events have been led to look upon what I then 
 regarded as a calamity in the light of a blessing. It has 
 brought, through seeming providential means, one to my heart 
 who ought never to have left it, and one whose love and con 
 stancy I now prize beyond measure. I take the liberty of 
 inclosing cards for an event which I trust may not prove unin 
 teresting to you and your family ; and have the honor to remain 
 your obt. servant, ZACHARIAH MARTIN. 
 
 The cards alluded to were invitations to his 
 wedding reception, and Peggy's eyes opened pretty 
 wide as she realized this fact 
 
 " Have her there ! " she cried. " Oh, 
 Zach.!" 
 
 "Why not, if she desires to come? I should 
 certainly be much pleased to present you to her," 
 returned Zach., laughing. 
 
 " But when you see her looking so beautiful," 
 cried Peggy, " you may be ashamed of your plain 
 little wife." 
 
 Zach. laughed gleefully. "You plain!" said 
 he. " Now that's really good. Upon my word, I 
 hope she will come, in order that you may see me
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 413 
 
 under this terrible temptation ; but I fear she will 
 decline with thanks." 
 
 Now the truth was, Peggy knew Miss Marma- 
 luke and her mother, having received two or three 
 calls from them, and she trembled as she thought 
 of the shock they would receive at recognizing 
 her. However, there was not much probability of 
 their coming ; that was one comfort. 
 
 It was a few days after the sending of Belle's 
 letter to Zach., and that young lady had not yet 
 received a reply. She was considerably vexed at 
 this, and her mother was on positive nettles. She 
 inquired a half-dozen times a day if Belle had 
 received an answer, and at each recurring disap 
 pointment grew more anxious. At last the 
 postman brought a letter directed in Zach.'s well- 
 known hand, and Belle opened it eagerly. She 
 read it, and flushed crimson. She clenched her 
 little hands, bit her lips, and patted her foot 
 impatiently on the carpet. 
 
 "Peggy Clover!" she exclaimed, looking at 
 the cards. " As I live, the ignorant country girl,
 
 414 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 of whom he was always talking. Well ! he is wel 
 come to her." 
 
 Mrs. Marmaluke was excessively vexed, and 
 high words passed between her and Belle, each 
 accusing the other of being to blame ; but Mr. 
 Marmaluke happening to come in about that 
 time, ended the quarrel, telling them there was no 
 use " crying over spilt milk." 
 
 At first it was deemed absolutely out of the 
 question for them to attend the reception, but 
 finally fearing that their absence would be con 
 strued to the disadvantage of Belle, and that 
 it would be better to attend and keep up the 
 impression that it was she and not Zach. who had 
 broken off the match, they resolved to go. 
 
 " Let him only see you by the side of the boor 
 he has married," said Mrs. Marmaluke, now only 
 intent on revenge, "and it will be triumph enough." 
 
 It was the afternoon of the same day, when 
 Mrs. Barker, accompanied by Audley, burst into 
 the house in great excitement. 
 
 "Oh dear!" she cried, sinking into a chair. " I
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 415 
 
 am nearly out of breath, but do tell me quick are 
 you going to the reception ? But of course you 
 are. It will suffocate me, I know it will. The 
 idea of a girl like that the wife of a foreign minis 
 ter! I presume she will receive in a checked sun- 
 bonnet." 
 
 " Have you seen her?" inquired Belle. 
 
 " I caught a glimpse of her," responded Mrs. 
 Barker. " Her back is as broad as the Irish 
 giant's. Oh, there's no mistake. She's a regular 
 kitchen girl." 
 
 "It's the strangest thing," ejaculated Audley. 
 
 " I never can keep my face straight," said Belle. 
 
 " And you should see her shoes," continued 
 Audley. "Nines!" He held his hands wide 
 apart, as if to give an idea of the length of 
 Peggy's feet, and then giggled excessively. If 
 Audley had possessed the sense of an oyster he 
 would have discovered something of Miss Cris- 
 topher's relations to Zach., but she had cleverly 
 concealed her purpose from him, and he had not 
 the remotest idea that she and Zach.'s intended
 
 4i 6 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 wife were identical. Beside Miss Cristopher was 
 supposed to be in Philadelphia, and Audley was 
 industriously engaged sending perfumed notes to 
 an address which she had left behind. He had 
 never, to his knowledge, beheld Peggy Clover, and 
 the joke about her feet had, so to speak, no founda 
 tion to rest upon. 
 
 "What could have possessed Martin?" said 
 Mrs. Marmaluke, looking puzzled. 
 
 " Oh, I am told that he engaged himself to her 
 when he was down and in a fit of desperation," 
 returned Mrs. Barker. 
 
 " Well, whatever his wife may be," said Mr. 
 Marmaluke, overhearing the last two or three sen 
 tences, " Martin has the position, and that's enough 
 for us." 
 
 "Of course," replied Mrs. Barker, " we must go 
 and keep our faces straight if we die in the 
 attempt. But fancy that woman as the repre 
 sentative of American nobility abroad! Enter," 
 said she, placing herself in the center of the room 
 and assuming a comical attitude. "Enter his
 
 Zacharwhi the Congressman. 417 
 
 excellency the Honorable Zachariah and lady for 
 an audience with the King ! They approach the 
 royal person." Here Mrs. Barker stamped with 
 heavy tread down the center of the parlor and 
 gave a little snort and giggle and a short curtsey, 
 as she presented in imagination the wife of the 
 American Minister to an imaginary emperor. 
 There was a loud laugh from the others, and the 
 clever mimic, no longer able to keep up, sank 
 upon the sofa in a paroxysm of mirth. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Martin had gone down into 
 Maryland a week or so after their arrival, to visit 
 some distant relatives, but they returned a few 
 days before the wedding, and were again domiciled 
 at the house of Madam Benedict, who, much to 
 Zach.'s delight, had once more insisted with much 
 determination, that they should become her guests. 
 
 It was the morning of the wedding, and Mr. 
 and Mrs. Martin were alone in the grand parlor, 
 Mrs. M. reclining in a very idle manner on a mag 
 nificent sofa, and the old gentlemen gazing abput 
 
 him with astonishment. 
 18* Ba
 
 4i 8 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Thunder! what a place it is!" he exclaimed 
 to himself, "a quarter section o' land stocked 
 wouldn't pay for it. Look at the old woman! 
 Acts as if she had been born and cradled in 
 luxury." 
 
 Mr. Martin seated himself in a chair and occu 
 pied himself in observing his wife. 
 
 Mrs. M. touched a bell and a servant appeared. 
 
 "A glass of water, Alphonso," she said, sinking 
 back languidly into her place. 
 
 "See her!" cried the old gentleman, slapping 
 his legs with delight. "It's better than a show." 
 
 "My name be John, ma'am," said the servant, 
 pulling a lock of his hair, and tarrying as if he 
 wanted her to fully understand this important fact 
 before he departed. 
 
 " Alphonso is your name," responded Mrs. 
 Martin, severely, "and England is your nation." 
 
 " Hingland be my nation, ma'am, but my name 
 be John," he replied. 
 
 "Silence!" exclaimed Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " Yes'm."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 419 
 
 "Go!" 
 
 "Yes'm;" and Alphonso, or John, turned hur 
 riedly and left the room. 
 
 Mr. Martin was intensely pleased at this. He 
 brought his chair near to where his wife was 
 reclining, and looked at her curiously. 
 
 " It's the best thing," he exclaimed. Then, bow 
 ing very humbly, he said deferentially, " Is your 
 ladyship indisposed?" 
 
 Mrs. Martin looked at him severely, but did 
 not answer. 
 
 " Be you going to keep at that temperature all 
 the morning, old woman?" he remarked. 
 
 "Yes, I be. What then?" said Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " Nothing," he responded, " only them high- 
 toned fellers that are coming might git skeered. I 
 should, if I didn't know you, for you look like a 
 regular Lucretia Borgia, and as if you would cut 
 a feller's throat if he winked." 
 
 The old lady regarded him with a comical 
 expression, while he looked at her in a broad grin. 
 Then they both rose and began bowing to each
 
 420 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 other, and finally broke out laughing in great 
 glee. 
 
 " Don't I do it pretty well, old man ? " said 
 Mrs. Martin. 
 
 "You get ahead of anything I ever see," he 
 responded. 
 
 " Zach. says," she continued, "I startled every 
 body that called yesterday, I was so haughty and 
 proud. You see I know a thing or two if I was 
 brought up in a sheep paster. I keep still, and 
 only say 'ye as' and ' n-o-o,' and they think I 
 could talk as glib as a parrot if I was a mind." 
 
 "You look it, old woman; indeed you do," 
 responded her husband. 
 
 As they were talking, Zach. entered with a 
 friend, whom he presented to both his father and 
 mother. 
 
 " I am glad to meet the parents of my friend," 
 said the gentleman. "How do you like the city, 
 sir?" 
 
 "Well, tolerably," replied Mr. Martin. "You 
 see, I ain't used to doing nothing, and it goes a
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 421 
 
 little hard with me, but I s'pose I'd come to like it 
 after awhile." 
 
 "Ah! no doubt," responded the other; "as 
 many have done before you. And you, madam," 
 he continued, turning to Mrs. M., "are you favor 
 ably impressed ? " 
 
 "Well, ye es," replied Mrs. Martin, hesitat 
 ingly. 
 
 "Oh, I see," said the friend, "You can not 
 speak flatteringly, so you maintain a neutrality?" 
 
 " N-o-o !" responded Mrs. M., as if in doubt. 
 
 "You will not commit yourself, that's plain," he 
 said. "But you must admire the Capitol?" 
 
 " I rather think," replied the old lady, resolving 
 to venture a little, " that it ought to be consolid- 
 atM." 
 
 "What!" he exclaimed, "consol Ah! I 
 see ; pretty good. You refer to the city. Well, it 
 is a little scattered ; but it is by no means the 
 city of magnificent distances it was a few years 
 ago." 
 
 "There," whispered Mr. Martin to his wife,
 
 422 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 pulling her dress. " You got out of that, old 
 woman, but don't try it agin, or you'll ruin it." 
 
 An hour afterward Mr. Martin was engaged in 
 a whispered consultation with Peggy in the hall 
 up stairs. " I tell you it won't do," said he. " You 
 just go right along and don't tell him a thing." 
 
 " But Mother Martin says he would feel so 
 much better if he knew," pleaded Peggy. 
 
 " Mother Martin be hanged ! " replied the old 
 gentleman. " I want her to let this business alone* 
 It's too good a joke to spile, and it shan't be 
 spiled." 
 
 Whatever the argument was about, Mr. Mar 
 tin conquered. A short time after that, in the 
 presence of a very few friends, Zachariah Martin 
 and Peggy Clover were made husband and wife. 
 
 Peggy looked very beautiful indeed, though 
 she was dressed most inexpensively and wore no 
 ornaments, save a bunch of flowers in her dark 
 hair and at her breast. After the couple had 
 received the congratulations of those present, 
 Peggy disappeared, while Zach. engaged in con-
 
 Zachariak, the Congressman. 4 2 o 
 
 versation about their future movements. While 
 he was busy explaining their designs, Peggy, 
 dressed with great richness, appeared at the door. 
 Zach.'s back was toward her, and Judge Spalding 
 stepped up to him and touched him on the arm, 
 interrupting the conversation. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Martin," said the Judge, 
 " but I wish to present to you a friend of mine 
 who has long desired your acquaintance, and one 
 that I trust you will know better in the future." 
 
 Peggy had turned her back and bowed her 
 head as Judge Spalding began to speak, but she 
 once more held her face toward them as he said, 
 "Mr. Martin, Miss Margaret Cristopher!" . 
 
 For a moment Zach. was stupefied. He looked 
 at the face before him, and then he looked about 
 for Peggy. Then old Mr. Martin, unable to con 
 tain himself, began to roar and clap his hands ; 
 then Miss Cristopher began half to laugh and 
 half to cry; then they all commenced laughing 
 together, and finally Zach. comprehended the 
 situation.
 
 424 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Is this possible!" he exclaimed. "Oh, how 
 could I have been so blind ! It was you, then, 
 and my eyes did not deceive me! Tell me of it 
 explain it what does it all mean?" 
 
 " Aha, old woman !" cried Mr. Martin. " Peggy 
 is as big a lady as the best of them, after all!" 
 
 " I allers thought and prophesied it," returned 
 Mrs. Martin. 
 
 Briefly then Peggy recounted her history for 
 the past few years; bow she had excited attention 
 with her rough drawing in Philadelphia ; how her 
 kind benefactress had first taken an interest in her 
 and accompanied her abroad; how she had in the 
 few years of her pupilage displayed what was 
 thought a wonderful genius for portrait painting, 
 and how she had at last been commissioned by 
 the government and thus made famous. 
 
 " I have been on the point of revealing- myself 
 to you a dozen times since I have been in Wash 
 ington," she continued, "but I always hesitated. 
 That you at last married poor little Peggy and 
 none other is a great consolation. But we've had
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 425 
 
 a hard time to keep it, haven't we, Father Mar 
 tin?" said she, appealing to the old gentleman. 
 
 "Like to a busted me," responded Mr. Martin. 
 
 " Bless you, Peggy. How little I deserve all 
 this," said Zach. 
 
 " You do not deserve ; t, Martin, that's a fact," 
 said the Judge; "but I can't help it. I have 
 another little duty to perform. I am requested by 
 Madam Benedict to say that she must resign this 
 establishment. It is not hers, but yours, a gift 
 from your wife on your wedding day. She has 
 tried to do the honors so far, but she now gives 
 way and becomes the guest instead of the hostess." 
 
 Zach. took out his handkerchief and wiped the 
 perspiration from his face. 
 
 " If I ever find words to tell you," said he, tak 
 ing Peggy by the hand, "how much I " but his 
 emotion got the better of him, and he turned 
 away to the window. 
 
 That evening the beautiful mansion was bril 
 liantly illuminated, and a great company was gath 
 ering. The first of our old acquaintances to
 
 426 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 arrive were Commodore Grimshaw and Mrs. 
 Sampson. They were amazed, of course, and 
 Grimshaw took occasion to tell Zach. that he 
 hoped he would be sent out in command of the 
 iron-clad Podunkinowski to convey him to his new 
 station. Then the gallant Commodore passed on 
 to make room for others, but took up his station 
 so as to observe the arrivals. 
 
 "This is the awkward girl that Martin has 
 married," said he to Mrs. Sampson. " There's a 
 nor'wester blowin' to-night." 
 
 " I'm struck dumb," responded Mrs. Sampson. 
 
 "Mr. and Mrs. and Miss Marmaluke," shouted 
 the servant. Zach. started. He had not expected 
 them, but he hardly had time to think before they 
 came in and were presented. 
 
 " I congratulate you, Martin," said Mr. Marma 
 luke. 
 
 "Oh, all of us!" exclaimed Mrs. Marmaluke. 
 "We are delighted." 
 
 " Thank you," responded Zach. 
 
 Then they were presented in turn to Peggy.
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 427 
 
 As they looked, both Belle and her mother gave a 
 start and seemed absolutely to grow faint. 
 
 "That's a shot from the bow gun," growled 
 Grimshaw, who was watching them. 
 
 The crowd passed on, and in the course of 
 things, old Mr. and Mrs. Martin came in for many 
 introductions. As these began to grow frequent 
 Mr. Martin whispered, " Keep up your resolution, 
 old woman, and don't speak. This is getting 
 thick." 
 
 "Look out for yourself, Joseph," replied she, 
 "and let me alone." 
 
 " Good evening, ladies ! " said the old Com 
 modore, as Belle and her mother approached him. 
 "You look happy to-night. That's right. I 
 like to see people merry over the success of 
 their friends. How do you like the looks of Mrs. 
 Martin?" 
 
 "We have met her before," returned Belle, 
 coldly. " She was formerly Miss Cristopher." 
 
 " But we didn't know it before. Did you, Miss 
 Marmaluke?" said Grimshaw.
 
 428 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 "Well, we know it now, I suppose," she 
 answered. 
 
 "Yes, we all know it now, and are so much 
 pleased over it!" said he, provokingly. 
 
 Belle turned away and consulted with her 
 mother. 
 
 "Mr. G. Henry Audley, Mrs. Barker, Mrs. 
 Gammill!" cried the servant at the door. 
 
 " There goes a whole broadside," said the Com 
 modore to his companion. " It'll sweep their 
 decks clean. They'll all strike their flags and sur 
 render in a minute." 
 
 Audley was utterly prostrated when he was 
 presented to Mrs. Martin, late Miss Cristopher. 
 He staggered, and rubbed his eyes in amazement. 
 As for Mrs. Barker, she became very red in the 
 face, and the smile which she had prepared herself 
 to reveal, never troubled her at all. 
 
 " What is there vulgar about his parents ? " 
 said Mrs. Marmaluke to Belle a few minutes later, 
 as if determined to make herself as miserable as 
 possible. " He seems to be a very sensible old
 
 Zachariah) the Congressman. 429 
 
 gentleman, and as for Martin's mother, she's a 
 born aristocrat." 
 
 Just here Audley was presented to the old 
 lady, and the two went bowing about with great 
 gusto. 
 
 " What a perlite young creetur it is," whispered 
 the old lady to her husband. 
 
 "Well, I am suffocated," remarked Mrs. Barker 
 to Belle when she got to the latter's side. " The 
 ignorant girl is a queen, and the queen of Wash 
 ington society. What can it mean ? How did it 
 come about ? " 
 
 " My hopes are blasted," remarked Audley, 
 approaching, with a look of great dejection. "I 
 shall retire from the world." 
 
 "Courage," said Mrs. Barker. "They say she 
 has a sister. When neckties fail in one quarter 
 they may win in another." But the young man 
 refused to be comforted, and grew very limp and 
 melancholy. 
 
 " Colonel Ebenezer Barncastle, A. B., F. R. S.," 
 shouted the servant, There was a stir, for this
 
 430 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 was not a familiar name in such gatherings. Zach. 
 and Peggy, however, smiled good humoredly. 
 
 Barncastle came in with the same airy swing 
 as ever, and seemed quite at home in the brilliant 
 assemblage. 
 
 "Forgive me, my friend," said he, taking the 
 hand of Zach. " I am without a card, but friend 
 ship can overlook conventionalities. Depart from 
 the land you have honored by your life, and will 
 drape in mourning at your death, with the bene 
 diction of Barncastle." 
 
 "I am glad to welcome you," said Zach., "and 
 to thank you for the services you rendered my 
 wife and myself." 
 
 " In her friendlessness," said Barncastle, loftily, 
 " temporary but pitiful, I may say, I protected her. 
 I made her cause and your cause my own, and 
 brought her through the what I may call the 
 wilderness, into the promised land. Eh, right?" 
 
 "Mr. Barncastle," said Zach., crossing over to 
 where his father and mother stood, "let me pre 
 sent you to my parents."
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 431 
 
 "What!" exclaimed Barncastle, falling back, 
 and gazing with admiration upon them. "Do I 
 indeed behold the proud and happy parents of a 
 rising statesman? Madam, your hand; let me 
 grasp with an emotion I can not disguise the 
 honored palm of a proud and happy mother." 
 
 "What a splendid man!" said Mrs. Martin, 
 "He's the only one among 'em who talks like a 
 book." 
 
 "And you, honest granger!" continued Barn- 
 castle, holding the hand of Zach.'s father; "vener 
 able agriculturist, your hand. You hold in your 
 grasp, sir, the destinies of this republic!" 
 
 Mr. Martin looked down into his hand as if to 
 see whether such a mighty settlement had been 
 made there since he last observed it. 
 
 "You must fight the battles of liberty," pursued 
 Barncastle. " Upon the honest yeomanry of the 
 land the nation casts its despairing glance. 
 Organize, sir; organize everwhere. Organize in 
 every school district; in every hamlet; in every 
 quarter of the land, and let your motto be: 'Our
 
 43 2 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 country! May she ever be right; but right or 
 wrong, our country.'" 
 
 Barncastle subsided, and Mr. Martin turned to 
 his wife with a quizzical smile. " Talks exactly 
 like Snyder did when he ran for Sheriff," said he. 
 
 There was a very fine banquet later in the 
 evening, and as it neared the close a member of 
 the House rose and proposed the health of Zach, 
 He reviewed his political career, indulged in a 
 good deal of fulsome praise, and concluded by 
 prophesying a brilliant future for the Martin's 
 Corners statesman. Zach. rose to respond with 
 much applause. There was a happy, contented 
 look upon his face, but no signs of undue elation. 
 He spoke very calmly, very modestly, very sen 
 sibly; in fact, more sensibly, perhaps, than ever 
 before in his life. The blows he had received 
 had been severe indeed, but they had broken 
 the shell of vanity and self-adulation that had 
 surrounded him, and exposed the true metal 
 in the man at last. He thanked the speaker 
 for his kind words and those present for their
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 433 
 
 kind wishes, and then continued: "The Presi 
 dent has been kind enough to appoint me to 
 a position of honor and responsibility abroad, and 
 you have been kind enough to congratulate me 
 thereon. My friends, the little misfortunes which 
 I have undergone may have made me unneces 
 sarily timid or foolishly apprehensive. I know not; 
 but just now I feel indisposed to re-enter public 
 life. To tell the truth, I have become satisfied 
 that I am not a statesman (he never was so near 
 it as at that moment), and I assure you that it 
 does not pain me any longer to know that in this 
 opinion the people seem to concur. The happi 
 ness and satisfaction which I looked for in public 
 life are not there, my friends, at least for me. I 
 doubt much if they are there for any. To even 
 the highest, the purest, the best, there are draughts 
 of bitterness which must make the partakers long 
 for that cup of peace which is reserved alone for 
 independence. I could moralize on this theme, 
 but I will not. The public is as it is, and it will 
 
 remain so. If I can in an humble capacity do 
 19 Ca
 
 434 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 anything to soften criticism, to temper denuncia 
 tion, and to encourage charity toward public serv 
 ants, who are always fallible, to be sure, but not 
 always vile, I shall feel that I have found a sphere 
 in life better suited to my abilities than the one I 
 am now leaving. For some of these reasons I 
 shall not accept the mission which has been ten 
 dered me, but for which I am nevertheless most 
 grateful." 
 
 Here the audience gave a start of genuine sur 
 prise. 
 
 "No," continued Zach. "Away back in the 
 West is a humble, rural home, where I was happy 
 as a boy and where I hope to be happy as a man. 
 Not that I wish or expect to become a recluse, or 
 shut myself up in cynical solitude. But there are 
 other duties, other aims in life besides those which 
 direct us here. And back there where she, who 
 has to-night united her fortunes with mine, and 
 your speaker were reared, among those who have 
 known us so long and well, we shall take up our 
 home. And so, my friends, I lay down my political
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 435 
 
 ambition, and, as I do so, part with an anxiety 
 which I have borne like Christian's burden for 
 years. I am no longer a target for sportsmen. I 
 am a sportsman myself, but humane and consider 
 ate, I hope, from a knowledge of the pain which 
 poisoned arrows can inflict. Though I talk gravely, 
 I need scarcely say to you that my heart is very 
 light. I have tried all things. I hold fast to that 
 which is good. If I have never done wisely before, 
 I feel the conviction that I do wisely now." 
 
 Zach. took Peggy by the hand as he said this, 
 and after thanking his friends again, and extend 
 ing an invitation to them to visit him in his home, 
 took his seat 
 
 Thus did Zachariah Martin begin and end his 
 public career. The next day, in the midst of pre 
 parations for leaving, a carriage drove up to the 
 door, and there alighted Mrs. Marmaluke, Belle, 
 and Judge Spalding, The two ladies entered the 
 parlor with blanched faces, and on Zach.'s appear 
 ance Mrs. Marmaluke burst into tears and 
 besought Zach. to save her daughter. Zach. was
 
 43 6 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 amazed, and presently Judge Spalding explained. 
 An indictment had been found against Hartwell 
 and Belle for bribery, the penalty for offering a 
 bribe being the same as for receiving one. Belle 
 was therefore in danger of a disgraceful arrest if 
 not an actual term in the penitentiary. Hartwell 
 had incontinently fled. Judge Spalding informed 
 Zach. that with his consent he would take it upon 
 himself to see that no arrest was made, and that 
 the case could be " nolle prossed " when it came 
 up. The assurance was at once given by Zach. 
 that, so far as he was concerned, no steps should 
 be taken toward any prosecution, and so the 
 matter ended. As Belle took his hand and 
 thanked him, or tried to thank him, the tears came 
 into her eyes, albeit unused to such companions, 
 and her voice faltered and gave way, and then her 
 old lover bowed very low to her, and so she 
 passed from his presence for probably the last 
 time. 
 
 A word or two and we end our story. Zach. 
 and Peggy have retired to the old farm, and there,
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 437 
 
 surrounded with many of the luxuries of the life 
 they have left, they pass their Summers. They 
 have for a companion one other beside old Mr. 
 and Mrs. Martin, and that is Madam Benedict. 
 Regarding Peggy as a daughter, Mrs. Benedict 
 will not consent to be separated from her, and so 
 insists that Peggy and Zach., and not unfrequently 
 Mr. and Mrs. Martin, shall spend their Winters 
 with her in Philadelphia, while she passes the 
 Summer with them on the farm. Old Mr. Martin 
 thinks there is rather too much play and too little 
 work about all this, but the old lady enjoys the 
 arrangement hugely, and except on momentous 
 occasions she always has her way. Peggy is 
 engaged on a very pretentious landscape scene 
 now, and has high hopes of succeeding even better 
 in this line than in that of portrait painting. She 
 and Zach. both declare that they have found the 
 true level at last, and that they are thrice as happy 
 as if they had never been tried in the fire. Spiker 
 is still engaged in politics, and is talking very loud 
 about this year's campaign. He has fallen out
 
 438 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 with the present member, and actually addressed a 
 note to Zach. soliciting him to become a candidate, 
 an invitation which the latter very firmly, but 
 good-naturedly, declined. 
 
 Audley is married married to an estimable 
 young lady, too, who has strong hopes of making 
 something of him yet " It's the strangest thing 
 how he came to marry her," he says, and every 
 body agrees with him without hesitation. 
 
 Hartwell committed a forgery a short time 
 ago, and left the country, it is hoped never to 
 return. 
 
 Belle is still in society, and may be seen at 
 almost every fashionable reception in Washington, 
 a little faded and ancient, but still with her share 
 of admirers. The prospect of an eligible match 
 for her is growing decidedly dim, but Mrs. Marma- 
 luke still has hope. 
 
 It was only a short time ago that Zach. received 
 the following letter, which he read with much 
 amusement :
 
 Zachariah, the Congressman. 439 
 
 NEW YORK CITY, - - 18 . 
 
 MUCH HONORED AND DEAR SIR : I drop you a line to 
 inform you that I too, taking your bright example for my 
 guide, have retired from politics. It is fascinating but dan 
 gerous. I am now engaged in the great Zoological and Moral 
 Museum, at the street and number hereto appended. I in a 
 great measure organized the enterprise, and it is now my duty 
 to describe to passing pedestrians the wonders of our collec 
 tion, and invite them into the most gigantic and gorgeous 
 exhibition now before the public. (Admission 25 cents; chil 
 dren under 10 years half price.) I assure you, Mr. Martin, 
 that here is a field for talent of which I little dreamed when 
 floundering amid the sloughs of Congressional life. The inno 
 cent gaities of the monkey tribe, the deep repose of the 
 anaconda, and the native dignity of the ourang-outang, form a 
 peaceful and happy spectacle most refreshing to a worn-out 
 statesman. If you visit New York drop in and see them. A 
 child can handle the entire collection with the utmost safety. 
 Remember me to your distinguished consort, and believe me 
 gratefully, and with high consideration, your friend, 
 
 EBENEZER BARNCASTLE. 
 Professor of Zoology. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Zachariah Martin will certainly 
 visit Barncastle when they go to New York. 
 
 The family of little Bobbin are living at Mar 
 tin's Corners, and, thanks to Zach. and Peggy, in 
 very comfortable circumstances. Bobbin's death
 
 440 The D. G. & L. Series. 
 
 was regretted by all who knew him, and there was 
 sincere grief when his remains were laid away in 
 the little churchyard. 
 
 By Peggy's direction a beautiful monument has 
 been erected to his memory, and on it appears the 
 following simple inscription : 
 
 TIMOTHY BOBBIN, 
 AGED 34. 
 
 " He found the cup of life too bitter, 
 And turned away his head."
 
 THE WIFE WINS. 
 
 BY R. Gr. BURDETTE, of the "Burlington Hawkeyc." 
 
 When they reached the depot, Mr. Mann and his wife gazed in 
 unspeakable disappointment at the receding train, which was just pull 
 ing" away from the bridge-switch at the rate of a thousand miles a 
 minute. The first impulse was to run after it, but as the train was out 
 of sight and whistling for Sagetown before they could act upon the 
 impulse, they remained in the carriage, and disconsolately turned their 
 horses' heads homeward. 
 
 " It all conies of having to wait for a woman to get ready," Mr. 
 Mann broke the silence very grimly. 
 
 " I was ready before you were," replied his wife. 
 
 "Great heavens!" cried Mr. Msmn, with keen impatience, jerking 
 Ihe horses' jaws out of place; "jutt listen to that. I sat in the buggy 
 1 n minutes, yelling at you to come along, until the whole neighbor 
 hood heard me." 
 
 " Yes," acquiesced Mrs. Mann, with the provoking placidity th;it 
 none can assume but a woman, " and every time I started down stairs 
 you sent me back for something you had forgotten." 
 
 Mr. Mann groaned. " This is too much to bear," he said, " when 
 everybody knows that if I were going to Europe I would rush into the 
 house, put on a clean shirt, grab up my grip-sack and fly, while you 
 would want at least six months for preliminary preparations, and then 
 dawdle around the whole day of starting until every train had left 
 town." 
 
 Well, the upshot of the matter was, that the Manns put off their 
 visit to Aurora until the next week, and it was agreert that each one 
 should get himself or herself ready and go down to the train and go; 
 and the one who failed to get ready should be left. The day of the 
 match came around in due time. The train was going at 10.30, and 
 Mann, after attending to his business, went home at 9.45. 
 
 "Now, then," he shouted, " only three-quarters of an hour's time. 
 Fly around ; a fair field and no favors, j'ou know." 
 
 And away they flew. Mr. Maun bulged into this room and flow 
 through that one, and dived into one closet after another with incon 
 ceivable rapidity, chuckling under his brenih all the time to think how 
 cher.p M'S. Mann would feel when he started off alone. He stopped 
 OJL his way up stairs to pull off his heavy boots to save time. For tl ; 
 same reason he pulled off his coat, and he ran through the dining room 
 and hung it on a corner of the silver closet. Then he jerked off Lid 
 vest as he rushed through the hall, and tossod it < u a hook in the h;>t 
 rack, and by the time he had reached his own room he was ready to 
 plunge into his clean clothes. He pulled out the bureau drawer and 
 began to paw at the things like a Scotch terrier after a rat.
 
 2 THE WIFE WINS. 
 
 "Eleanor," he shrieked, "where are my shirts?" 
 
 "la your bureau drawer," calmly replied Mrs. Mann, who was 
 standing before a glass, quietly and deliberately coaxing a refractory 
 crimp into place. 
 
 " Well, by thunder, they ain't," shouted Mr. Mann, a little annoyed. 
 " I've emptied everything out of the drawer, and there isn't a thing in 
 it I ever saw before." 
 
 Mrs. Mann stepped back a few paces, held her head on one side, 
 and after satisfying herself that the crimp would do, ami would stay 
 where she had put it, replied : 
 
 " These things scattered around on the floor are all mine. Probably 
 you haven't be n looking in your own drawer." 
 
 "I don't see," testily observed Mr. Mann, "why you couldn't have 
 put my things out for me, when you had nothing else to do all the 
 morning." 
 
 "Because," said Mrs. Mann, settling herself into an additional 
 article of raiment with awful deliberation, "nobody put mine out for 
 me. A fair field and no favors, my dear." 
 
 Mr. Mann plunged into his shirt like a bull at a red flag. 
 
 "Foul!" he shouted in malicious triumph. "No buttons on the 
 neck ! " 
 
 "Because," said Mrs. Mann, sweetly, after a deliberate stare at the 
 fidgeting, impatient man, during which she buttoned her dress and put 
 eleven pins where they would do the most good, "because you have 
 got the shirt on wrong side out." 
 
 When Mr. Mann slid out of the shirt he began to sweat, lie 
 dropped the shirt three times before l.e got it on, and while it was OVCT 
 his head he heard the clock strike ten. When his head came through 
 he saw Mrs. Mann coax-ing the cuds and bows of her necktie. 
 
 " Where's my shirt stuHs ?" he cried. 
 
 Mrs. Maun went out imo another room, and presently came back 
 with her gloves and her hat, and saw Mr. Mann emptying all the hexes 
 he could find in and about the bureau. Then she said : 
 
 " In the shirt you j ust pulled off." 
 
 Mrs. Mann put on her gloves while Mr. Mann hunted up and down 
 the room for his cuff buttons. 
 
 "Eleanor," he snarled at last, "I believe you must know where 
 those cnft buttons are." 
 
 "I haven't seen them," said the lady, settling her hat, "didn't you 
 lay them down on the window sill in the sitting room last night?" 
 
 Mr. Mann remembered, and went down stairs on the run. He 
 stepped on one of his boots, and was immediately landed in the hall at 
 UK; l\;ot of the stairs with neatuess and dispatch, attended in the trans 
 mission with more bumps than he could count with Weob's adder, and 
 lauding with a bang like the Hell Gate explosion. 
 
 'Are you nearly ready, Algernon ?" asked the wife of his family, 
 sweetly, leaning over the banisters. 
 
 . The unhappy man groaned. "Can you throw me down the other 
 boot?" he asked.
 
 THE WIFE WINS. 
 
 Mrs. Mann pityingly kicked it down to him. 
 ''My valise ?" he inquired, as 1 
 
 he tugged at the boot. 
 
 " Up in your dressing room," she answered. 
 
 "Packed?" 
 
 " I do not know ; unless you packed it yourself, probably not," she 
 replied, with her hand on the door knob; "I had barely time to pack 
 niy own." 
 
 She was passing out of the gate, when the door opened, and he 
 shouted : 
 
 "Where in the name of goodness did you put my vest! It has all 
 of my money in it." 
 
 " You threw it on the hat rack,'' s'.ie called; "good-bye, dear." 
 
 Before she reached the corner of the street she was hailed again: 
 
 "Eleanor! Eleanor! Eleanor Ma^n! Did you wear off my coat?" 
 
 She paused and turned, after signaling the street car to stop, and 
 cried : 
 
 "You threw it on the silver closet." 
 
 And the street car engulphed her graceful form, and she was seen 
 no more. But the neighbors say that they heard Mr. Mann charging 
 up and down the house, rushing out of the front door every now and 
 then, shrieking up the deserted street after the unconscious Mrs. Mann, 
 to know where his hat was, and where she put the valise key, and if he 
 had any clean socks and undershirts, and that there wasn't a linen 
 collar in the house. And when he went away at last, he left the kitchen 
 door, the side door, and the tront door, all the downstairs windows and 
 1 he front gate wide open; and the loungers around the depot were 
 somewhat amused, just as the train was pulling out of sight down in 
 the yards to see a flashed, perspiring man, with his hat on sideways, 
 his vest buttoned two buttons too high, his cuffs unbuttoned and neck 
 tie flying, and his gripsack flapping open and shut like a demented 
 shutter on a March night, and a door key in his hand, dash wildly 
 across the platform and halt in the middle of the track, glaring in 
 dejected, impotent, wrathful mortification at the departing train, and 
 shaking his fist at a pretty woman who was throwing kisses at him 
 irom the rear platform of the last car. 
 
 THE ABOVE IS A SPECIMEN EXTRACT FROM 
 
 THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MUSTACHE; and Other Hawkeytems. 
 
 By ROBEUT G. BURDETTK, the Humorist of the " Burlington Hawkeye." 
 It is an elegant 12 mo. volume of 328 pages, printed from new type on heavy tinted 
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 relief of the destitute; for the hope of the penitent; for the good against the bad; for 
 the truth: this book is published for S2.0O a volume! '' and this advertisement is pub 
 lished to Reduce the Price to $ 1 .50 a volume. Copies sent Postpaid on Receipt of 
 81.50, by DONNELLEY, GASSETTE & LOY0, Publishers, Chicago, 111.
 
 DONNELLEY, x GASSETTE x 4 x LOYD, 
 
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