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instances　of　a　nascent　good　taste；　that　are　helping　to　redeem　the
polyglot　aspect　of　our　national　capital。　　Mr。　Watling　spokerather
tactfully；　I　thoughtof　Maude　and　the　children；　and　ventured　the　surmise
that　they　would　be　returning　in　a　few　months。　　I　interpreted　this；
indeed；　as　in　rather　the　nature　of　a　kindly　hint　that　such　a　procedure
would　be　wise　in　view　of　the　larger　life　now　dawning　for　me；　but　I　made
no　comment。。。。　　He　even　sympathized　with　Nancy　Durrett。

〃She　did　the　right　thing；　Hugh；〃　he　said；　with　the　admirable　casual
manner　he　possessed　of　treating　subjects　which　he　knew　to　be　delicate。
〃Nancy's　a　fine　woman。　　Poor　devil！〃　　This　in　reference　to　Ham。。。。

Mr。　Watling　reassured　me　on　the　subject　of　his　own　trouble；　maintaining
that　he　had　many　years　left　if　he　took　care。　　He　drove　me　to　the　station。
I　travelled　homeward　somewhat　lifted　out　of　myself　by　this　visit　to　him；
with　some　feeling　of　spaciousness　derived　from　Washington　itself；　with
its　dignified　Presidential　Mansion　among　the　trees；　its　granite　shaft
drawing　the　eye　upward；　with　its　winged　Capitol　serene　upon　the　hill。
Should　we　deliver　these　heirlooms　to　the　mob？　　Surely　Democracy　meant
more　than　that！

All　this　time　I　had　been　receiving；　at　intervals；　letters　from　Maude　and
the　children。　　Maude's　were　the　letters　of　a　friend；　and　I　found　it　easy
to　convince　myself　that　their　tone　was　genuine；　that　the　separation　had
brought　contentment　to　her；　and　those　independent　and　self…sufficient
elements　in　her　character　I　admired　now　rather　than　deplored。　　At
Etretat；　which　she　found　much　to　her　taste；　she　was　living　quietly；　but
making　friends　with　some　American　and　English；　and　one　French　family　of
the　same　name；　Buffon；　as　the　great　naturalist。　　The　father　was　a　retired
silk　manufacturer；　they　now　resided　in　Paris；　and　had　been　very　kind　in
helping　her　to　get　an　apartment　in　that　city　for　the　winter。　　She　had
chosen　one　on　the　Avenue　Kleber；　not　far　from　the　Arc。　　It　is
interesting；　after　her　arraignment　of　me；　that　she　should　have　taken　such
pains　to　record　their　daily　life　for　my　benefit　in　her　clear；
conscientious　handwriting。　　I　beheld　Biddy；　her　dresses　tucked　above　slim
little　knees；　playing　in　the　sand　on　the　beach；　her　hair　flying　in　the
wind　and　lighted　by　the　sun　which　gave　sparkle　to　the　sea。　　I　saw　Maude
herself　in　her　beach　chair；　a　book　lying　in　her　lap；　its　pages　whipped　by
the　breeze。　　And　there　was　Moreton；　who　must　be　proving　something　of　a
handful；　since　he　had　fought　with　the　French　boys　on　the　beach　and　thrown
a　〃rock〃　through　the　windows　of　the　Buffon　family。　　I　remember　one　of　his
lettersmade　perfect　after　much　correcting　and　scratching；in　which　he
denounced　both　France　and　the　French；　and　appealed　to　me　to　come　over　at
once　to　take　him　home。　　Maude　had　enclosed　it　without　comment。　　This
letter　had　not　been　written　under　duress；　as　most　of　his　were。

Matthew's　lettershe　wrote　faithfully　once　a　weekI　kept　in　a　little
pile　by　themselves　and　sometimes　reread　them。　　I　wondered　whether　it　were
because　of　the　fact　that　I　was　his　fatherthough　a　most　inadequate　one
that　I　thought　them　somewhat　unusual。　　He　had　learned　FrenchMaude
wrotewith　remarkable　ease。　　I　was　particularly　struck　in　these　letters
with　the　boy's　power　of　observation；　with　his　facile　use　of　language；
with　the　vivid　simplicity　of　his　descriptions　of　the　life　around　him；　of
his　experiences　at　school。　　The　letters　were　thoughtfulnot　dashed　off
in　a　hurry；　they　gave　evidence　in　every　line　of　the　delicacy　of　feeling
that　was；　I　think；　his　most　appealing　quality；　and　I　put　them　down　with
the　impression　strong　on　me　that　he；　too；　longed　to　return　home；　but
would　not　say　so。　　There　was　a　certain　pathos　in　this　youthful　restraint
that　never　failed　to　touch　me；　even　in　those　times　when　I　had　been　most
obsessed　with　love　and　passion。。。。　　The　curious　effect　of　these　letters
was　that　of　knowing　more　than　they　expressed。　　He　missed　me；　he　wished　to
know　when　I　was　coming　over。　　And　I　was　sometimes　at　a　loss　whether　to　be
grateful　to　Maude　or　troubled　because　she　had　as　yet　given　him　no　hint　of
our　separation。　　What　effect　would　it　have　on　him　when　it　should　be
revealed　to　him？。。。。　　It　was　through　Matthew　I　began　to　apprehend　certain
elements　in　Maude　I　had　both　failed　to　note　and　appreciate；　her　little
mannerisms　that　jarred；　her　habits　of　thought　that　exasperated；　were
forgotten；　and　I　was　forced　to　confess　that　there　was　something　fine　in
the　achievement　of　this　attitude　of　hers　that　was　without　ill　will　or
resentment；　that　tacitly　acknowledged　my　continued　rights　and　interest　in
the　children。　　It　puzzled　and　troubled　me。

The　Citizens　Union　began　its　campaign　early　that　autumn；　long　before　the
Hons。　Jonathan　Parks　and　Timothy　MacGuireRepublican　and　Democratic
candidates　for　Mayorthought　of　going　on　the　stump。　　For　several　weeks
the　meetings　were　held　in　the　small　halls　and　club　rooms　of　various
societies　and　orders　in　obscure　portions　of　the　city。

The　forces　of　〃privilege　and　corruption〃　were　not　much　alarmed。　　Perry
Blackwood　accused　the　newspapers　of　having　agreed　to　a　〃conspiracy　of
silence〃；　but；　as　Judah　B。　Tallant　remarked；　it　was　the　business　of　the
press　to　give　the　public　what　it　wanted；　and　the　public　as　yet　hadn't
shown　much　interest　in　the　struggle　being　waged　in　its　behalf。　　When　the
meetings　began　to　fill　up　it　would　be　time　to　report　them　in　the　columns
of　the　Era。　　Meanwhile；　however；　the　city　had　been　quietly　visited　by　an
enterprising　representative　of　a　New　York　periodical　of　the　new　type　that
developed　with　the　opening　years　of　the　centuryone　making　a　specialty
of　passionate　〃muck…raking。〃　　And　since　the　people　of　America　love
nothing　better　than　being　startled；　Yardley's　Weekly　had　acquired　a
circulation　truly　fabulous。　　The　emissary　of　the　paper　had　attended
several　of　the　Citizens　meetings；　interviewed；　it　seemed；　many　persons：
the　result　was　a　revelation　to　make　the　blood　of　politicians；　capitalists
and　corporation　lawyers　run　cold。　　I　remember　very　well　the　day　it
appeared　on　our　news　stands；　and　the　heated　denunciations　it　evoked　at
the　Boyne　Club。　　Ralph　Hambleton　was　the　only　one　who　took　it　calmly；
who　seemed　to　derive　a　certain　enjoyment　from　the　affair。　　Had　he　been
a　less　privileged　person；　they　would　have　put　him　in　chancery。　　Leonard
Dickinson　asserted　that　Yardley's　should　be　sued　for　libel。

〃There's　just　one　objection　to　that；〃　said　Ralph。

〃What？〃　asked　the　banker。

〃It　isn't　libel。〃

〃I　defy　them　to　prove　it；〃　Dickinson　snapped。　　〃It's　a　dd　outrage！
There　isn't　a　city　or　village　in　the　country　that　hasn't　exactly　the　same
conditions。　　There　isn't　any　other　way　to　run　a　city〃

〃That's　what　Mr。　Krebs　says；〃　Ralph　replied；　〃that　the　people　ought　to
put　Judd　Jason　officially　in　charge。　　He　tells　'em　that　Jason　is　probably
a　more　efficient　man　than　Democracy　will　be　able　to　evolve　in　a　coon's
age；　that　we　ought　to　take　him　over；　instead　of　letting　the　capitalists
have　him。〃

〃Did　Krebs　say　that？〃　Dickinson　demanded。

〃You　can't　have　read　the　article　very　thoroughly；　Leonard；〃　Ralph
commented。　　〃I'm　afraid　you　only　picked　out　the　part　of　it　that
compliments　you。　　This　fellow　seems　to　have　been　struck　by　Krebs；　says
he's　a　coming　man；　that　he's　making　original　contributions　to　the
people's　cause。　　Quite　a　tribute。　　You　ought　to　read　it。

Dickinson；　who　had　finished　his　lunch；　got　up　and　left　the　table　after
lighting　his　cigar。　　Ralph's　look　followed　him　amusedly。

〃I'm　afraid　it's　time　to　cash　in　and　be　good；〃　he　observed。

〃We'll　get　that　fellow　Krebs　yet；〃　said　Grierson；　wrathfully。
Miller　Gorse　alone　made　no　remarks；　but　in　spite　of　his　silence　he
emanated　an　animosity　against　reform　and　reformers　that　seemed　to　charge
the　very　atmosphere；　and　would　have　repressed　any　man　but　Ralph。。。。

I　sat　in　my　room　at　the　Club　that　night　and　reread　the　article；　and　if
its　author　could　have　looked　into　my　soul　and　observed　the　emotions　he
had　set　up；　he　would；　no　doubt；　have　experienced　a　grim　satisfaction。
For　I；　too；　had　come　in　for　a　share　of　the　comment。　　Portions　of　the
matter　referring　to　me　stuck　in　my　brain　like　tar；　such　as　the　reference
to　my　father；　to　the　honoured　traditions　of　the　Parets　and　the　Brecks
which　I　had　deliberately　repudiated。　　I　had　less　excuse　than　many　others。
The　part　I　had　played　in　various　reprehensible　transactions　such　as　the
Riverside　Franchise　and　the　dummy　telephone　company　affair　was　dwelt
upon；　and　I　was　dismissed　with　the　laconic　comment　that　I　was　a　graduate
of　Harvard。。。。

My　associates　and　myself　were　referred　to　collectively　as　a　〃gang；〃　with
the　name　of　our　city　prefixed；　we　were　linked　up　with　and　compared　to　the
gangs　of　other　citiesthe　terminology　used　to　describe　us　being　that　of
the　police　reporter。　　We　〃operated；〃　like　burglars；　we　〃looted〃：　only；　it
was　intimated　in　one　place；　〃second…story　men〃　were　angels　compared　to
us；　who　had　never　seen　the　inside　of　a　penitentiary。　　Here　we　were；　all
arraigned　before　the　bar　of　public　opinion；　the　relentless　Dickinson；　the
surfeited　Scherer；　the　rapacious　Grierson；　the　salacious　Tallant。　　I　have
forgotten　what　Miller　Gorse　was　called；　not