A Gentleman from Mississippi

m flout the

m make the l

pli

shaded knoll, overlooked the winding waters of the Pearl River. No finer prospect was to be had in all Mississippi than greeted the eye from the wi

he Wilderness and Gettysburg. But this family of fighting men, of unselfish patriots, had also marked influence in the ways of peace, as real patriots should. Generations of Langdons had taken deepest pride in developing the hundreds of acres o

of Southern lawyers, he had just taken active part in securing the election of Colonel William H. Langdon, present head of the family, to the United States Senate, though the ultimate action of the Legislature had been really brought about by a lifelong friend of Colonel Langdon, the senior Senator from the State, James Stevens, who had not hesitated to flatter Norton and use him

st he might one day have in them if his suit for the hand of Carolina progressed favorably. Suddenly his reverie was interrupted by

orway. "I didn't think a Congressman could be spared from Washington but ra

d by frequently taking him into his confidence, "but this country can take pretty good care of itself. In Congress we representatives put the job of saving it over on the Sen

es and the bills?" broke

the committee. But if there's a big fight by our constituents over the bill we let it pass the House, but arrange to kill it in the Senate. Then we do the same thing for the Senators. Like in every other business, my boy," continued Norton as he led the way into the house, "it's a case of 'you tickle me and I

r looks at things in th

If he isn't wise enough to play around with the rest of the Senators he won't get any bills

her won't do what the other Senators want him to do they will combine

, of course they will. That's politics, practical polit

cried the young plantation manager, in a

rcumstances sometimes force a man to rise to assail the other side in Congress he afterward apologizes in secret for his words. Or, sometimes he apologizes beforehand, saying: 'I've got to hand out some hot shot to you fellows just to please a crowd of sovereign

epresent your district

this juncture

ow, I suppose. I was merely telling Randolp

k-visaged, tall, black-haired, broad-shouldered and athletic, was visibly

e's Senator Stevens, for instance. He has always stood for the rights of the people. I've read all his speeches. Just why he brought about my election it is hard to tell, for I've been a plant

d his officeholders to yield him parts of their government salaries; Stevens, who marketed to railway companies his influence with the Department of Justice; Stevens, who was a Republican in the committee room in Washington and a Democrat on the platform in Mississippi; Stev

sister, Hope Georgia, gave Norton a welcome

ting to Carolina. "You will be in great demand at all the big affairs, and I don't think you will ever want

is world; the life of constant action-meeting new people every day, and prominent people. Balls, receptions, teas, theater parties, afternoon drives, plenty

your little sister' now. I have seen li

You know all about lif

ilingly rema

o smoke, the Congressman gazed intently at Carolina. "You will probably f

too. I shall depend on you a great deal to take me about, unle

doesn't make speeches in Washington, because no one cares what he thinks-except the lobbyists, whose business it is to provide new mem

ng his visit, Norton asked the Senator-elect on joining him if he did not believe that the entire So

the senatorial fight, the whole country as

s the site have the best arguments?" was the visitor's

dvocate other sites have to say. So, until I've heard all sides and made my own examination, I

favor of Altacoola," ea

etty good argument in

ng

od at a window, he rode away. "The old man is sure to be all right," he muttered. "He leans toward Altacoola and believes in Stevens. He'll lean

"Stevens elected Langdon out of friendship," he chuckled,