Part 1 (2/2)

The Congressman smiled patronizingly on the youth. ”Why, of course they will. That's politics, practical politics, the only kind that's known in Was.h.i.+ngton. You see--”

”But the leaders of the great parties!” cried the young plantation manager, in amazement. ”Why don't they prevent this?”

”Because they invented the system and because political party differences don't amount to a whole lot much of the time in Was.h.i.+ngton. The politicians do most of their criticizing of the other party away from Was.h.i.+ngton, where the voters can hear them. But when circ.u.mstances sometimes force a man to rise to a.s.sail 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 voters from my district who have come up to Was.h.i.+ngton to see me perform. So, of course, I've got to make a showing; Don't mind what I say. You know I don't mean it, but the old fogies will go back home and tell their neighbors what a rip-snortin' reformer I be.'”

”Is that the way you represent your district; Norton?” asked Planter Langdon, who at this juncture entered the room.

”No, no, Mr. Langdon--I should say Senator now, I suppose. I was merely telling Randolph how some legislators conduct themselves.”

The Senator-elect paused momentarily, gazing at the Congressman, who, dark-visaged, tall, black-haired, broad-shouldered and athletic, was visibly uneasy at having his conversation with Randolph overheard by the father.

”No doubt it won't be all plain sailing in Was.h.i.+ngton for an old-fas.h.i.+oned man like me, but I believe in the American people and the men they send to Congress,” slowly spoke the planter. ”There'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 planter all my life, except when I fought under Beauregard. I feel that he did it out of friends.h.i.+p, and I simply can't say how much I appreciate the honor. I am indebted to you, too, Congressman.”

Tactfully disclaiming any credit for his work, only Norton's congressional training in repression enabled him to refrain from smiling at Langdon's innocence, his belief in Stevens' sincerity and his wonder over his election. Stevens, the keen, cold and resourceful, who forced 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 Was.h.i.+ngton and a Democrat on the platform in Mississippi; Stevens, who had consummated the deal with Martin Sanders, boss of seven counties, to elect Langdon because of the planter's trustfulness and simplicity of character, which should make him easy to influence and to handle in the all-important matter of the gulf naval base project!

The entry of Carolina Langdon and her younger sister, Hope Georgia, gave Norton a welcome opportunity to s.h.i.+ft the trend of conversation.

”You ladies will have a gay time in Was.h.i.+ngton,” he began, after directing a particularly enthusiastic greeting to Carolina. ”You will be in great demand at all the big affairs, and I don't think you will ever want to come back to old Mississippi, forty miles from a railroad, with few chances to wear your New York gowns.”

Carolina spoke quickly, her face flus.h.i.+ng at the thought of the new vista of life now opening. ”Yes, I have always longed to be a part of the real life of this world; the life of constant action--meeting new people every day, and prominent people. b.a.l.l.s, receptions, teas, theater parties, afternoon drives, plenty of money and plenty of gayety are what I want. I'm not a bit like Hope Georgia, who thinks these ideas are extravagant because she has not seen real life yet--”

”Carolina, you must not think me 'only your little sister' now. I have seen life. Haven't I spent a week in Jackson?”

”That's enough proof. You know all about life, I'm sure, Miss Hope Georgia,” smilingly remarked Norton.

Later, rising to join Planter Langdon on the veranda, where he had gone to smoke, the Congressman gazed intently at Carolina. ”You will probably forget your old friends when you enter the dizzy social race in Was.h.i.+ngton.”

”No, Charlie, I couldn't forget you, anyhow. You will be there, too. I shall depend on you a great deal to take me about, unless you are too busy making speeches and fighting your opponents.”

Again it was Norton's turn to be inwardly amused at the political ignorance of the Langdon family. Speeches? The first-term Congressman doesn't make speeches in Was.h.i.+ngton, because no one cares what he thinks--except the lobbyists, whose business it is to provide new members with a complete set of thoughts. Neither does he have opponents--he is not considered important enough by the veterans to be opposed.

Skilfully approaching the subject which next to Carolina Langdon had been uppermost in his mind during his visit, Norton asked the Senator-elect on joining him if he did not believe that the entire South would benefit if the plan to establish a naval base on the gulf was successfully carried through.

”Most certainly I do, and, as I said during the senatorial fight, the whole country as well will be the gainer,” responded Langdon.

”Don't you think the people who want Altacoola chosen as the site have the best arguments?” was the visitor's next question, the reply to which he anxiously awaited.

”Yes, I do, from what I've already heard; but I haven't heard very much of what the folks who advocate other sites have to say. So, until I've heard all sides and made my own examination, I couldn't give any one my final answer, but Altacoola seems to have the necessary qualifications.”

”Senator Stevens is in favor of Altacoola,” eagerly suggested Norton.

”Yes, and that's a pretty good argument in its favor,” responded Langdon.

Norton now excused himself, pleading an appointment with a client at a neighboring village. Waving farewell to Carolina and Hope Georgia, who stood 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 some more until he falls over--into the trap.

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