Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-01-14
IN + III F. IN .
S SENATE 0
GALLERY
~ A. II. JOHNSTON
coprrt0ht. 1901. by f. II. Johnston
soso>O~o-p>OO>o.o-o.o.o


enough that a number may be carried
in the pocket without bulging. and yet
may be passed over the counter by a
representative OF small resources with
out attracting attention. This is all
very vulgar. and not here to be dis
cussed- Certain It is that the king OF
the lobby never so fully realized until
that day that his business lay not with
banknotes iu the analysis, but with
subtle undercurrents OF a human soul
that no plummet fathoms.
BE had spent-never mind. the fig
ures were nowhere set dOwn-but be
had spent money actually and had
sweat blood hguratively to pass the
canal bill The canal bill was TO come
to final vote within fifteen minutes.
and II coin had been tossed up be
would have laid even money on heads
or tails AS he looked out over the big
hall swinging pince nez idly. not a
muscle Of his strong face twitched.
His intelligent eyes narrowed TO two
cunning predatory Sits. his glance fit
ting from the pink and white face Of n
girl I'm the gallery TO the gray sprinkled
head OF n man who sat at a desk well
forward In the room below.
Two persons perhaps In the assembly
knew how the vote would turn. he
thought. One OF these was the girl
and the other the man. On second
thought the king OF the lobby revised
his opinion. The girl did not know. for
Archibald. with the banknotcs burning
n in
OF his coat could not have told Der.
Or II the banknotes were even now on
their way back 10 the king OF the lobby
Archibald was still not the man 70 have
told her Archibald did not pose. what
ever he did. And at thirty aud eight a
politician and q bachelor does not get
himself engaged TO n girl for the pur-
pose OF talkink statecraft with her and
perhaps not even questions OF ethics.
This Is the way that matters stood.
as far as the king OF the lobby could
know. The oldest senator, and the
memories or some OF them went back
10 the days when old Dick Yates. the
war governor. prorogued refractory
legislature and fitted out regiments at
the expense OF his own pocket. could
not recollect measure that had pro
voked as much heat as the canal bill
1t was a bill about which one honest
man might hold an opinion diametric.
ally opposed 10 the opinion or another
honest man. and. as every one knows.
this brings about a state OF affairs.
Such was the hue and cry that by the
time the bill had passed the lower
house and had reached the senate even
its strong supporters were afraid 10
vote for g. At this juncture the men
OF money behind the bill. being also
men OF graft. came TO an understand
ing with the lobby.
The king OF tie lobby. according 10
his custom. wrote down on a sheet Of
paper the names OF all the honest men
who were reckoned upon to vote against
the bill. on another sheet the names OF
the honest men who would vote for Il.
and still on a third sheet be wrote the
names OF the ''wabblers" and the sell
erS-" He employed plausible men TO
convince the "wabblers" and dispatch
ed cunning lieutenants who bought the
sellers" All these names he added
to the list OF the canal bills hackers
and yet three names OF the requisite
number were lacking. He got two
from the other slde-no matter how.
Then. as the days went on and the
third was not landed. the lobby king
sweat with fear. Archibald OF Cook.
silent and patient and conservative.
had given no inkling OF the way that
he intended to cast his vote But
Archibald was a man OF character. so
they said. and the most timid were
never afraid 10 peep as Archibald
piped
The king OF the lobby heard things
stories OF debts. and OF the love affair
that was gossip. and being q lobby
king he saw a desperate chance and
resolved to play II. II WAS not the
business OF the lobby king 10 deal In
ethics. which in the long run every
man must attend 10 for himself So.
late in the past evening. Archibald had
been Informed in the most delicate
way that friends OF the measure were
deeply grateful TO him for the vote
which he intended to cast in their
favor. AS trihing return a very
small proportion OF the about TO be In
creased dividends OF the canal com
pany were transferred TO him in
plain brown envelope by the hands OF
a messenger. The lobby king was ac-
cuStomCd to suspense. but IL was 4
matter OF some concern 10 him as the
clerk stood up TO read the long legal
title OF the bill that afternoon as to
just what disposition had been made
OF the brown envelope
Archibald sat supposedly at his desk
in the senate writing letters. Or. per
haps he only pretended TO write to
conceal n latent nervousness. Ii Is Ger
tain that he glanced at the girl in the
gallery but once. aud then surreptitous-
ly and timidly. For that matter. poll
tician as he WAS and considerably ex-
perienced In the ways Of the world.
Archibald was always tmid in the
presence OF the girl. She was only
nineteen. a slender slip Of femininity
just out or boarding school. but she
had taught Archibald n great many
things. or at least he thought that she
had. and II is much the same. He did
not defer to her Judgment precisely,
but he shifted his point OF view TO
tneet her sentiments For example. the
girl did not conceive OF riding through
nfe In other than a coach and four. as
enc had ridden thus for nineteen years
BY the grace OF a parent who slaved
aid smother parent who managed.
Archibald was poor and atterly sunk
into debt. but he accepted the idea of
q coach and four as though he had
Aean horn fo AZ Anh fhis fc oos Sov