The Wife of his Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line, and Selected Essays

il. The envelope bore the words "House of Representatives" printed in one corner, and in the opposite cor

Represe

D.C., Marc

Clayton,

the capital. I had hoped, however, to have the pleasure of meeting you again, and circumstances have fortunately placed it in my power to do so at an early date. You have doubtless learned that the contest over the election in the Sixth Congressional District of South Carolina has been decided in my favor, and that I now have the honor of representing my native State at the national capital. I have just been appointed a member of a special committee to visit and inspect the Sault River and the Straits

me in the mean while forbidding it, I shall do myself the plea

f my sincere admiration an

rely

n M. Br

d spent most of the afternoon discussing it. There were few young men in Groveland eligible as husbands for so superior a person as Alice Clayton, and an add

een laid before him at the supper-table. "It 's strange, Alice, that you have n't said anyt

Bruce, and Mr. Douglass; but there were so many doctors and lawyers and politicians that I coul

she had used at the Washington ball. She had decorated it with

it, "I must have danced with hi

ed Mr. Clayton, as he p

ather dark-darker than any one

er. "You were n't obliged to go back on your

you 're in Rome'-yo

d me to several dark m

and common decency requ

to encourage him. If he 's the right

," added Mrs. Clayton, on

fee and lighted his cigar. "If he 's the right man he shall have cause to remember hi

ening call. Sadler was familiar with the history of every man of negro ancestry who had distinguished himself in any walk of life. He could give the pedigree of Alexander Pushkin, the titles of scores of Dumas's novels (even Sadler had not time to learn th

Browns there-a Hamilton M. Brown and a Henry M. Brown. One was stout and dark and the other was slim and quite light; you could scarcely tell him from a dark white man. They used to call them 'light Brown' and 'dark Brown.' I did n

t kind of hair he ha

remember it. He looked something

man; and I 'm wrong about my 'H.M.B.' The dark man must have been some one else; there are

us; there are no hotels in Groveland while he is here. Let 's see-he 'll be here in three days. That is n't very long, but I guess we can get ready. I 'll write a l

some people

so he 'll get it before he has time to make other arrangements. And you and your mother put your heads together and make out a list

rely consistent with his principles. But some allowance must be made for his atmosphere; he could no more escape from it t

t and it was duly mailed, and spe

cleaned from attic to cellar; an orchestra was engaged for the evening; elaborate floral decorations were planned and the flowers ordered. Even the re

there was a special curiosity to see who he was and what he looked like. Moreover, the Claytons did not often entertain a large company, but when they did, it was on a scale commensurate with their means and position, and to be present on such an occasion was a thing to remember and to talk about. And, most important considerati