a far country-第49章

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substantial　lawyer　of　affairs；　were　the　rhetorical　flights　of　the　Hon。
Joseph　Mecklin。　　I　spoke　with　a　certain　restraint。　　Not　too　dryly；　I
hope。　　But　I　sought　to　curb　my　sentiments；　my　indignation；　at　the　manner
in　which　the　working…man　had　been　treated；　to　appeal　to　the　common　sense
rather　than　to　the　passions　of　my　audiences。　　Here　were　the　statistics！
（drawn；　by　the　way；　from　the　Republican　Campaign　book）。　　Unscrupulous
demagoguesDemocratic；　of　coursehad　sought　to　twist　and　evade　them。
Let　this　terrible　record　of　lack　of　employment　and　misery　be　compared
with　the　prosperity　under　Republican　rule。

〃One　of　the　most　effective　speakers　in　this　campaign　for　the　restoration
of　Prosperity；〃　said　the　Rossiter　Banner；　〃is　Mr。　Hugh　Paret；　of　the　firm
of　Watling；　Fowndes　and　Ripon。　　Mr。　Paret's　speech　at　the　Opera…House
last　evening　made　a　most　favourable　impression。　　Mr。　Paret　deals　with
facts。　　And　his　thoughtful　analysis　of　the　situation　into　which　the
Democratic　party　has　brought　this　country　should　convince　any　sane…minded
voter　that　the　time　has　come　for　a　change。〃

I　began　to　keep　a　scrap…book；　though　I　locked　it　up　in　the　drawer　of　my
desk。　　In　it　are　to　be　found　many　clippings　of　a　similarly　gratifying
tenor。。。。

Mecklin　and　I　were　well　contrasted。　　In　this　way；　incidentally；　I　made
many　valuable　acquaintances　among　the　〃solid〃　men　of　the　state；　the　local
capitalists　and　manufacturers；　with　whom　my　manner　of　dealing　with　public
questions　was　in　particular　favour。　　These　were　practical　men；　they
rather　patronized　the　Hon。　Joseph；　thus　estimating；　to　a　nicety；　a　mans
value；　or　solidity；　or　specific　gravity；　it　might　better　be　said；　since
our　universe　was　one　of　checks　and　balances。　　The　Hon。　Joseph　and　his
like；　skyrocketing　through　the　air；　were　somehow　necessary　in　the　scheme
of　things；　but　not　to　be　taken　too　seriously。　　Me　they　did　take
seriously；　these　provincial　lords；　inviting　me　to　their　houses　and
opening　their　hearts。　　Thus；　when　we　came　to　Elkington；　Mr。　Mecklin
reposed　in　the　Commercial　House；　on　the　noisy　main　street。　　Fortunately
for　him；　the　clanging　of　trolley　cars　never　interfered　with　his　slumbers。
I　slept　in　a　wide　chamber　in　the　mansion　of　Mr。　Ezra　Hutchins。　　There
were　many　Hutchinses　in　Elkington；brothers　and　cousins　and　uncles　and
great…uncles；and　all　were　connected　with　the　woollen　mills。　　But　there
is　always　one　supreme　Hutchins；　and　Ezra　was　he：　tall；　self…contained；
elderly；　but　well　preserved　through　frugal　living；　essentially　American
and　typical　of　his　class；　when　he　entered　the　lobby　of　the　Commercial
House　that　afternoon　the　babel　of　political　discussion　was　suddenly
hushed；　politicians；　traveling　salesmen　and　the　members　of　the　local
committee　made　a　lane　for　him；　to　him；　the　Hon。　Joseph　and　I　were
introduced。　　Mr。　Hutchins　knew　what　he　wanted。　　He　was　cordial　to　Mr。
Mecklin；　but　he　took　me。　　We　entered　a　most　respectable　surrey　with
tassels；　driven　by　a　raw…boned　coachman　in　a　black　overcoat；　drawn　by　two
sleek　horses。

〃How　is　this　thing　going；　Paret？〃　he　asked。

I　gave　him　Mr。　Grunewald's　estimated　majority。

〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　demanded；　a　shrewd；　humorous　look　in　his　blue
eyes。

〃Well；　I　think　we'll　carry　the　state。　　I　haven't　had　Grunewald's
experience　in　estimating。〃

Ezra　Hutchins　smiled　appreciatively。

〃What　does　Watling　think？〃

〃He　doesn't　seem　to　be　worrying　much。〃

〃Ever　been　in　Elkington　before？〃

I　said　I　hadn't。

〃Well；　a　drive　will　do　you　good。〃

It　was　about　four　o'clock　on　a　mild　October　afternoon。　　The　little　town；
of　fifteen　thousand　inhabitants　or　so；　had
a　wonderful　setting　in　the　widening　valley　of　the　Scopanong；　whose
swiftly　running　waters　furnished　the　power　for　the　mills。　　We　drove　to
these　through　a　gateway　over　which　the　words　〃No　Admittance〃　were
conspicuously　painted；　past　long　brick　buildings　that　bordered　the
canals；　and　in　the　windows　I　caught　sight　of　drab　figures　of　men　and
women　bending　over　the　machines。　　Half　of　the　buildings；　as　Mr。　Hutchins
pointed　out；　were　closed；mute　witnesses　of　tariff…tinkering　madness。
Even　more　eloquent　of　democratic　folly　was　that　part　of　the　town　through
which　we　presently　passed；　streets　lined　with　rows　of　dreary　houses　where
the　workers　lived。　　Children　were　playing　on　the　sidewalks；　but　theirs
seemed　a　listless　play；　listless；　too；　were　the　men　and　women　who　sat　on
the　steps；listless；　and　somewhat　sullen；　as　they　watched　us　passing。
Ezra　Hutchins　seemed　to　read　my　thought。

〃Since　the　unions　got　in　here　I've　had　nothing　but　trouble；〃　he　said。
〃I've　tried　to　do　my　duty　by　my　people；　God　knows。　　But　they　won't　see
which　side　their　bread's　buttered　on。　　They　oppose　me　at　every　step；　they
vote　against　their　own　interests。　　Some　years　ago　they　put　up　a　job　on
us；　and　sent　a　scatter…brained　radical　to　the　legislature。〃

〃Krebs。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃Slightly。　　He　was　in　my　class　at　Harvard。。。。　　Is　he　still　here？〃　I
asked；　after　a　pause。

〃Oh；　yes。　　But　he　hasn't　gone　to　the　legislature　this　time；　we've　seen　to
that。　　His　father　was　a　respectable　old　German　who　had　a　little　shop　and
made　eye…glasses。　　The　son　is　an　example　of　too　much　education。　　He's　a
notoriety　seeker。　　Oh；　he's　clever；　in　a　way。　　He's　given　us　a　good　deal
of　trouble；　too；　in　the　courts　with　damage　cases。〃。。。

We　came　to　a　brighter；　more　spacious；　well…to…do　portion　of　the　town；
where　the　residences　faced　the　river。　　In　a　little　while　the　waters
widened　into　a　lake；　which　was　surrounded　by　a　park；　a　gift　to　the　city
of　the　Hutchins　family。　　Facing　it；　on　one　side；　was　the　Hutchins
Library；　on　the　other；　across　a　wide　street；　where　the　maples　were
turning；　were　the　Hutchinses'　residences　of　various　dates　of
construction；　from　that　of　the　younger　George；　who　had　lately　married　a
wife；　and　built　in　bright　yellow　brick；　to　the　old…fashioned　mansion　of
Ezra　himself。　　This；　he　told　me；　had　been　good　enough　for　his　father；　and
was　good　enough　for　him。　　The　picture　of　it　comes　back　to　me；　now；　with
singular　attractiveness。　　It　was　of　brick；　and　I　suppose　a　modification
of　the　Georgian；　the　kind　of　house　one　still　sees　in　out…of…the　way
corners　of　London；　with　a　sort　of　Dickensy　flavour；　high　and　square　and
uncompromising；　with　small…paned　windows；　with　a　flat　roof　surrounded　by
a　low　balustrade；　and　many　substantial　chimneys。　　The　third　storey　was
lower　than　the　others；　separated　from　them　by　a　distinct　line。　　On　one
side　was　a　wide　porch。　　Yellow　and　red　leaves；　the　day's　fall；　scattered
the　well…kept　lawn。　　Standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　house　was　a　girl　in
white；　and　as　we　descended　from　the　surrey　she　came　down　the　walk　to　meet
us。　　She　was　young；　about　twenty。　　Her　hair　was　the　colour　of　the　russet
maple　leaves。

〃This　is　Mr。　Paret；　Maude。〃　　Mr。　Hutchins　looked　at　his　watch　as　does　a
man　accustomed　to　live　by　it。　　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　Mr。　Paret；　I　have
something　important　to　attend　to。　　Perhaps　Mr。　Paret　would　like　to　look
about　the　grounds？〃　　He　addressed　his　daughter。

I　said　I　should　be　delighted；　though　I　had　no　idea　what　grounds　were
meant。　　As　I　followed　Maude　around　the　house　she　explained　that　all　the
Hutchins　connection　had　a　common　back　yard；　as　she　expressed　it。　　In
reality；　there　were　about　two　blocks　of　the　property；　extending　behind
all　the　houses。　　There　were　great　trees　with　swings；　groves；　orchards
where　the　late　apples　glistened　between　the　leaves；　an　old…fashioned
flower　garden　loath　to　relinquish　its　blooming。　　In　the　distance　the
shadowed　western　ridge　hung　like　a　curtain　of　deep　blue　velvet　against
the　sunset。

〃What　a　wonderful　spot！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes；　it　is　nice；〃　she　agreed；　〃we　were　all　brought　up　hereI　mean　my
cousins　and　myself。　　There　are　dozens　of　us。　　And　dozens　left；〃　she
added；　as　the　shouts　and　laughter　of　children　broke　the　stillness。

A　boy　came　running　around　the　corner　of　the　path。　　He　struck　out　at
Maude。　　With　a　remarkably　swift　movement　she　retaliated。

〃Ouch！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃You　got　him　that　time；〃　I　laughed；　and；　being　detected；　she　suddenly
blushed。　　It　was　this　act　that　drew　my　attention　to　her；　that　defined　her
as　an　individual。　　Before　that　I　had　regarded　her　mere