An American Politician

eutral tints for background and shadow, kneading a vast deal of bright colors away among the grays and browns; but now and then she takes a palette loaded with strong paint

as merely to attract attention needs courage an

ame breathed Pilgrim memories. He even had a teapot that had come over in the Mayflower. This was greatly venerated, and whenever John Harrington said anything more than usually modern, his friends brandished the teapot, morally speaking, in his defense, and put it in the clouds as a ki

said so for half an hour to a couple of thousand people, most of them were ready to follow him out of the hall and go and put things right on the spot, with their own hands. As yet the opportunity had not offered for proceeding in so simple a manner, but the aforesaid Bostonians of the graver sort said that John Harrington would some day be seen heading a desperate

friends who believed in him. By and by, as it came to be seen that he had a purpose and would be listened to while he stated it, Boston said there

in her house there was none more welcome than he. Sam Wyndham utterly disagreed with him in politics, but always defended him in priva

rs. Sam's tea, John had intended to be enjoying the same privilege. Unfortunately for his intention he was caught elsewhere and

n went to the house, and met Miss Sybil Brandon just as she was leaving it; which he regretted, suspecting that her society would have been more interesting than that of Miss Thorn. As it turned out, he was right, for his first impression of the young English girl was not altogether agreeable; and he found hims

orn, in answer to some remark of John's, "but

ered John with

likes people. It is not very original. One cou

on the meani

Thorn. "I mean what one means by society, you know. Heaps of men

er different here. We do not relapse into the country as you do in E

y n

ew York goes to Saratoga, and takes Boston with it; and then all three go to Newport, and the thing begins again, until there is a general ru

Miss Thorn, opening her wide brown eyes in some astonishment

in July and August, when it is as hot as it can be, and the farmers t

s!" exclaimed

d cruel. But I must say they ride as though the

no one who believed in a her

rt this summer you will hunt, just li

d not like the tone in which John said it. There was an air of

nd do you mean to tell me that you like these people who rush mad

John, "no

d people. How awfully

ked people and having to do with them–with

e, sarcastically. "You are not very cl

creation, of such sciences as are not directly connected with man's thoughts and actions, and such pursuits as hunting, shooting, and sporting of all kinds, which lead only to the amusement of the individual. I m

red of them," said Miss Thorn scornfu

ed. His calm, deep-set gray eyes gazed steadily at her, and his s

n, that the study of men and women means the study of government, and that a kno

, very quietly. She was surprised at his manner,

ared her to dislike the admirable individual when he appeared. It seemed as though it were taken for granted that she herself had not enough intelligence to discover wit in others, and needed to be told of it with great circumstance in order to be upon her good behavior. Consequently Josephine began by disliking John. She thought he was a Philistine;

self whether people were able or not, without being told, and if she ascertained that John Harrington enjoyed a fictitious reputation for genius i

asked point-blank questions about his tastes. Boston people knew what he liked, and generally only asked him about what he did. Perhaps, if he had met Josephine by daylight, instead of in the dim shadows of Miss Schenectady's front drawing-room, he

hing, in short, to rouse him from his calmness. Then he made that remark about government, and his voice deepened, and his gray eyes shone, and she was aware that he had a great a

u know?" she added in a moment, "I should not have

e one of the most enthusiastic of mortals, should be thought indiffere

d Miss Thorn quickly. "I always say what

ike you!" said John. "It would save

n an undertone, as the ancient friend rose and

e frankness of that speech," said John,

osephine. "She is the real thing–the real old

ohn. "He said he called a spade

answered, "that is the knowledge of

aguely whether she would like him, whether he might not really be a remarkable man–a fact she doubted in proportion as her aunt assured her of its truth; she liked his looks

probably more interesting things in the world than pheasants and fences. Politics would be interesting, she thought; she had known three or four men who were young and already prominent in Parliament, and they were undeniably interesting; but they were generally either ugly or clumsy,–the unpardonable sin,–or perhaps they were vain. Josephine could not bear vain men. John Harrington probably had some one or more of these defects. He was certainly no "beauty man," to begin with, nevertheless, she wondered whether he might not be called handsome by stretching a point. She rather hoped, inwardly and unconsciously, that her ultimate judgment would decide in favor of his good looks. She always judged; it was the first thing she did, and she was surprised, on the present occasion

that charm for her which it has for most English people of the upper class. There is some quality in the English race which breeds an inordinate admiration for all kinds of superiority: it is certain that if one class of English society can be justly accused of an over-great veneration for rank, the class which is rank itself is not behindhand in doing homage t

ts are concerned, are as different as it is possible for any two social functions to be. Roughly, Government and the doings of Government are centripetal in England, and centrifugal in America. In England the will of the people assists the workings of Providence, whereas in America devout persons pray that Providence may

ton believed in America and the Americans. How far England and America are ever likely to believe in each other, however, is a question of

hought of none of these things. She certainly did not consider herself a type of her nation–a distinction to which few

tanding when th

chenectady, settling herse

e." As he spoke he turned toward Miss Thorn, and for the first time

n tall, she was yet so proportioned between strength and fineness as to be very graceful, and her head sat proudly on her shoulders–too proudly sometimes, for she could command and she could be angry. Her wide brown eyes were bright and fearless and honest. The f

t realized that Josephine was any more remarkable in her appearance than most of the extremely young women who annually make their en

g old shrubs and the rotting weeds, were it not for you? Maidens with clean hands and pure hearts, in whose touch there is something that heals the ills and soothes the pains of mortality, roses whose petals are yet unspotted by dust and rain, and whose divine perf

as fair–but in spite of her newly discovered beauty he resisted Miss Schenectady's invitatio

enectady, when he was gone, "now

d a little; it seemed to her a very sel

u call me Joe, aunt Zoruiah? T

sist upon it. As I was saying, yo

," repea

how does he

young lady. "Clever, you know–that s

o," said Miss

eeling on the rug before the fire and poking the coals with the tongs. Miss

icile, Josephi–I m

of the foreign word, "I know I am, I can't possibly help it, you know." A dashing thrust with the t

y, "you will have the house on fire in no time! Give me the to