Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-22

fuenoa for the purpose into a joint stoch
COMPANY, placing bis brother Henry at it
head a. manager and sole director. Still
the i~nfatuation which led the National Eng
Iish and County board to appoint him a
their chairman, when he had not beer
known ia London hardly a year, AMI tht
indO-ssmsnt OF It By the shareholders Is al
most unaecountable.n he was faithful II
this great trust, nevertheless; and it i
worth tbs while Of some close student Of
human nature to analyze the character Of
John Needham with a view to discover hoN
far his career was influenced by a naturally
vicious nature, to what extent an inordi
nate vanity may have nodded it; Oh
whether he was the victim OF a misdirected
and unfortunate ambition.
II he did we'll by the famous London bank
it also did well by him. 1t gave him pres
tiee; it indorsed to the full all the favor.
able reports that hal been circulated in re
gard 10 bis 1irst-clas3 business aualiica,
tons; it gave color to the prediction of Jour.
nslistic gossip that he would one day b
elevated to the position of her majesty
chancellor Of the exchequer. There was
however, enc great barrier to his political
advancement. Not alone his religion, but
his known pledges to the Catholic party, his
championship of what was then known as
1.-THE Irish Brigade"
But Mr.. John Needham was not the man
to allow any trifie OF this kind to stand in
his way. When a certain parliamentary
whip asked him if the distinctly Protestant
government of the day could count upon
his undivided support and service as junior
lord Of the treasury, MIR. Neadham found it
perfectly easy to transfer his allegiance from
the Catholic party and Cardinal Wiseman
to the ultra-P Protestant premier.
To some men life is a mere game, in which
every move is open to them, and in which
they neither acknowledge the check Of prin-
Gple nor sympathy.
MY constituents will taunt me,n he sail,
with what may seem to them a desertio1
Of principle, a disaffection, a revolt; but |
shall tell them, and it is true, that my po-
litical hostility was against Lord John
Russell, not against the government, and
that Lord John being no longer at the
head of tho government, the situation Is
changed"
THAT is so" said the party whip charged
With the brib9 of offics, Though / question
if your constituents will accept even 30
plausible an explanatiol-for your appoint
ment. Vacate your seat, and it is possible
that they may refuse to re-elec5 you"
81 think they will" said Mr.. Neadham;
''let them. | will contest the place which
tie death of Mr.. Patrick Smith leaves open
to us. Did you note his deceass in this
mornings ChronicleF
ibid"
"Then with all respect to Lord Aber-
deem, and my duty to him and my thanks,
say he may count upon my patriotic service
to his government, to the throne and to the
Country"
The constituents of his native borough
did reject Mr.. John Needham, emphasizing
their rejection with rotten eggs and a dead
cat; but he contested the seat in which Mr..
Patrick Smith had sat with honor FOR twenty
years, and he won it.
His enemies charged him with bribery,
and declared that the third candidate, who
carried off a lot Of '~'plumpers" from Need
hams real rival, was a confederate Of the
junior lord Of the treasury. But the victor
was content. He cared nothing for the
opinion Of the defeated, nor for their evil
reports.
1t was May day in London when he re-
turned to town triumphant. a lord Of tie
treasury, and with all the influential re-
s~ponsibilities OF what seemed to the outer
world a great and undimmed future before
lin.
But how little that ''outsr world" knows
Of anything and anybody! 1t thinks it
knows, says ii knows, and believes it
knows. Mr.. John Nsedham could have as
tonished that outer world very much in re.
gard to his treasury appointment, if hs had
held forth on tho subject. Nobody could
have dreamed of how great an Importance
his elevation was in his W estimation. He
hardly dared confess to himself the truth
of his position; nor did it seem necessary
since Fortune, in this matter, appeared to
smile SO bsnignantlY upon him. He was
quite satisfied with himself, contented, hap
py, and If there were obstacles in tho future
that threatened his peace, he did not fear
them; they were shade WIS that his rising
sun would speedily dissipa5e. AT least so
he thought, AMI he calculated his chances
with astutenesS and experience.
4 shining pair of chestnut horses champed
their silver bits at the arrival platform Of
the Great Western station. They were ap-
pointed in the beet taste, and on the box OF
the handsome bro lgham sat two smart SER
wants, who were conscious of the importance
attached to their service by tho attendance
Of several railway officials, who had been
ordered TO receive tho new lord Of the
treasury. Ar. Needham accepted the com,
pEmsnt vita an easy and satisfied air,
tipped the guard who carried his writing
case, and slipped a guinea INFO the hand Of
The platform Inspector.
The spring sunshine seemed to follow him
with especial favor as his horses flew along
the street; to Portland place. 1t flashed
gayly on the silver harness of his ~faultlesi
steeds; it Ii ought out the golden bars of his
coat-ot-arnij on The door panel of his fault
less broughdm; and the first breezes Of sum
mer waited about him, as he stepped upon
the pavement, the perfume CT ten thousand
hyacinths from the beds Of Regents park.
There was, however, surely one delightful
touch missing; the chronicler of this history
feels its absence, though possibly the new
lord Of 'he treasury cid NOT. No wife nor
child welcomed hcme th3 victor. The Hon.
John N.edham, NJ. r, was a bachelor.
CHAPTER II.