CHAPTER XXV.

Washington sent grand good news to Col. Sellers that night. To Louise he

wrote:

"It is beautiful to hear him talk when his heart is full of thankfulness

for some manifestation of the Divine favor. You shall know him, some day

my Louise, and knowing him you will honor him, as I do."

Harry wrote:

"I pulled it through, Colonel, but it was a tough job, there is no

question about that. There was not a friend to the measure in the House

committee when I began, and not a friend in the Senate committee except

old Dil himself, but they were all fixed for a majority report when I

hauled off my forces. Everybody here says you can't get a thing like

this through Congress without buying committees for straight-out cash on

delivery, but I think I've taught them a thing or two--if I could only

make them believe it. When I tell the old residenters that this thing

went through without buying a vote or making a promise, they say, 'That's

rather too thin.' And when I say thin or not thin it's a fact, anyway,

they say, 'Come, now, but do you really believe that?' and when I say I

don't believe anything about it, I know it, they smile and say, 'Well,

you are pretty innocent, or pretty blind, one or the other--there's no

getting around that.' Why they really do believe that votes have been

bought--they do indeed. But let them keep on thinking so. I have found

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The Gilded Age