The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-07-02

valued friend, Soon as he left, however
she turned and said
GLOW kind of you not to recognize me
+ yesterday. My poor heart was in my mouth
when saw you approach. But you have
such tact-you have such kind heart
! was relieved in moment when / saw that
you stared as if only attracted by my
charms"
"Why, wouldn't your husband put up
with the past you are, | suppose, concealing
from him ?"
"My husband !'-and she gave silvery
little laugh-"My husband, that fellow
Why he isn't my husband But if the Hon.
you saw me with yesterday, were to suspect
for moment | would be ruined"
"Come, now this is interesting; tell me
all about it. What little game are you up
to? Believe me, won't betray you"
"That's clever; you never have, and |
don't add to the risk by telling you Well.
am no longer detective, spy, am a
lobby agent 1t is my business to persuade
honorable members to vote for my bill"
"What is your bill?"
The one l am employed to worry
through"
"Well, does it require sham husband, Il
handsome carriage and all this sort of thing
to set up a lobby agcntH
Certainly. Without husband l would
not be respectable without a carriage and
all this evidence of wealth l could not be at
tractiyc. 1t pays however. | could now re-
tire on hundred thousand. But | am hor-
ribly ambitious want million-only
think Of it, | must have million, have
sold myself for mC2ev and / want a big
price"
"And do none of the honorable represent
atives know who you are?"
"Why you goose | thought you knew
better than that. Why, the ring always
reaches the House and Senate, and some of
of our directors are the most respectable
men in Congress. There is one, the most
benevolent pious, philanthropic individual
in the world. He is so intensely pious that
he never speaks to me; nevertheless he pays
me heavily. There is another, most re-
spectacle gentleman, who bows to me pro-
toundly in the gallery and on the avenue.
and presents me to his family with a lofty
air, who would look at me with intense as
tonishment if | were to thank him for my
clothes carriages and servants. Yet he con-
tributes"
"Why this is 50 damnablc can scarcely
credit"
"Ges, it is very wicked and I'd rather you
wouldn't believe it. But after the schooling
you gave me in deceiving, you ought not to
wonder"
"iou mean that for hit. You forget
that that service was in behalf of your be-
loved country, and this"
''Is in behalf of my beloved self"
but do you mean TO say that men in high
position conniye at this wickedncss ?"
"Look about you; see the enormous for
tunes realized by officials, and you will see
that mine is not the only carriage rolling
about Washington that is fraud, and am
but among the host of the wicked. You are
too much man of the world Colonel, to be
astonshcd at finding good deal of sancti-
monious respectabilty covering riscality. 1t
is the cheapest cloak to get and the easiest
to wear"
"And how do you influence these So
Ions %
sometimes one way, sometimes another
but always in being very quiet and excu-
siye. The men bought cheaply are not
worth buying. My business is among the
higher sort, that will not stoop to common
carrion, and carry with them great moral
character that not only covers themselves,
but all the little rogues that vote with
them"
"And do you often fail?"
Sometimes not often, for my mission is
to capture the leaders. The lesser lights are
left TO cOarser means. Some surrender to
delicious little suppers, others to persuasion,
others again to love. There is General
-, proud sensitive and suspicious, he
comes to me with all his griefs and | listen
to them. You'd be astonished to know how
little the tongue and the ear have to do with
this business. Then there is Mr..
who began life with homcly, unrefned
wife, and is now ashamed Of her. Poor
man! he is really in love with me-
"And will all the money you make pay
for the degradation you suffer in return?
You are Il woman of fine intellect, an intel
lect that approaches genius. You could
command admiration, respect, wealth, by
deyotng your gifts to an honorable pur-
suit"
Her face flushed for a moment, and ,hen
starting to her feet and pacing the iloor in
some excitement, she exclaimed;
Il learned my fate when it was too late.
But you are the last man to upbraid me,
DO you know when discovered my power
us an actress? will tell you. Under your
tuition while in Baltimore. came to YOU
starving and you sent me into private fami-
lies to worm out their secrets and bctray
their Intentions
"Thcre YOU 90 again. That was in the
service of your country, and the people pos
sesscd of those secrets were our cncmits
"What was the difference 50 far as my
character went? But | do not regret. |
have nothing to regret. have no friends,
no relatives, no country. | never knew a
man who did not either insult me or cheat
me, | never knew Il woman who had not Il
stony heart and claws like cat. | hate
them all, They would hunt me down, and
so hunt them down when can"
"l'ut you have money enough, why not
| leave this horrible business and from this
out try and possess your soul in peace. You
are young yet, you can have many years OF
happiness before you.'
"iou want me to deSist,' she said, inter-
ruptng me, 81 have two good reasons for
going on. 1t is not ayarice, although having
sold myselfto the devil, am right in getting
| the best price for my poor souI. But let me