CHAPTER XXX.

Once more Louise had good news from her Washington--Senator Dilworthy

was going to sell the Tennessee Land to the government! Louise told Laura

in confidence. She had told her parents, too, and also several bosom

friends; but all of these people had simply looked sad when they heard

the news, except Laura. Laura's face suddenly brightened under it--only

for an instant, it is true, but poor Louise was grateful for even that

fleeting ray of encouragement. When next Laura was alone, she fell into

a train of thought something like this:

"If the Senator has really taken hold of this matter, I may look for that

invitation to his house at, any moment. I am perishing to go! I do long

to know whether I am only simply a large-sized pigmy among these pigmies

here, who tumble over so easily when one strikes them, or whether I am

really--." Her thoughts drifted into other channels, for a season.

Then she continued:--"He said I could be useful in the great cause of

philanthropy, and help in the blessed work of uplifting the poor and the

ignorant, if he found it feasible to take hold of our Land. Well, that

is neither here nor there; what I want, is to go to Washington and find

out what I am. I want money, too; and if one may judge by what she

hears, there are chances there for a--." For a fascinating woman, she

was going to say, perhaps, but she did not.

Along in the fall the invitation came, sure enough. It came officially

through brother Washington, the private Secretary, who appended a

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The Gilded Age