The Dermott news., 1919-06-26
By IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright, by Irving BachelierI CHAPTER XVlll-Continued.


 He had a priceless and unusual tal- ent for avoiding school-reader English and the arts of Reclamation and for preparing n difficult subject to enter the average brain. The underlying se- cret of his power was soon apparent to me. He stood always for that great ehine in America which. since then, Whitman has called "the divine aggre- gate" and seeing clearly how every measure would be likely to affect its welfare. he followed the compass. It had led him to height of power above all others and was to lead him unto the loneliest summit of accom- plishment In American history
 Not much In my term of service there is important to this little task of mine. l did my work well, If l may believe the senator. and grew familiaE with the gentle and ungentle arts of the politician.
 One great fact grew in magnitude and Sulen portent as the months passed: the gigantic slave-holding in- tereSts of the South viewed with grow Ing alnrm the spread of abolition sen timent. Subtly. quietly and naturally they were feeling for the means to de- fend and increase their power. Straws were coming to the surface in that session which betrayed this deep un- dercurrent of purpose. We felt 1t and the senator was worried. I knew. but held his peace. He knew how to keep his opinions until the hour had struck that summoned them to service. The senator never played with his lance. By and by Spencer openly sounded the note of conflict.
 The most welcome year of my life dawned on the first of January. 1S44. I remember that arose before day light that morning and dressed and wept out on the street to welcome It.
 I had less than six months 10 walt for that day appointed by Sally. had no doubt that she would be true to me. had had my days of Scar and depres- sion. but always my sublime faith In her came back in good time.
 Oh. yes indeed Washington was fair of beauty and gallantry those days. saw if all. I have spent mnny years in the capital. and l tell you the girls of that time had manners and knew how to wear their clothes. but again the magic of old memories kept my lady on her throne. There was one of them-juSt one of those others who, l sometimes thought. was almost as graceful and charming and noble hearted as Sally, and she liked me, know. but the ideal of my youth glowed in the light of the early morn ing. so to speak. and was brighter than nll others. Above all. had given my word to Sally. and-well. you know. the old-ome Yankee of good stock was fairly steadfast, whatever else may be said of hlm-often little too steadfast us were Ben Grimshaw and Squire Fullerton.
 The senator and l went calling that New Years day. We saw all the great people and some of them were more cheerful than they had right 10 be. It was q weakness of the time. l shall not go Into details for fear of wandering too far from my main road. Let me step aside moment 10 say. however. that there were two clouds in the sky of the Washington society of those days. One was strong drink and the other was the crude. rough coated, aggressive democrat from the frontiers of the West. These latter were often seen in the holiday regalia of farm or village at fashionable func- tlons. Some of them changed slowly. und hy and by reached the stage of white linen and diamond hreastpins and waiStcoatS of figured silk. IL must be said. however, that their mo tiyes were always above their taste.
 The winter wore away slowly in hard work. Mir. Van Buren came down 10 see the senator one day from his country seat on the Hudson. The cx- president had been solicited to accept the nomination again. know that Senator Wright strongly favored the plan but feared that the South would defeat him in convention, it being well known that Van Buren was opposed to the annexation of Texas. However, he advised his friend "a make n fight for the nomination and this he latter resolved to do. Thenceforward until middle May l gave my time largely 10 the Indltlng of letters for the senator in Van Burens behalf.
 The time appointed for the eonyen- ton in Baltimore drew near. One day the senator received m intlmation that he would be put in nomination If Van Puren failed. Immediately he wrote tc Judge Fine of Ogdensburg. chair man of the delegation from the north ern district of New York. forblddIng such use of his name on the ground that his acquiescence would Involve dis loyalty 10 his friend the ex-president.
 He gave me leave to go to the con vention on my way home 10 meet Sally. 1 had contlied 10 Mrs. Wright the de- tails Of my little love affair." had to