> ? A Gem From Mi "BTHOMA. ff&tielized From the Flay COPYRIGHT, 1909. BY I "The v. \v:i< ix-ver > ! isir i We holier :! '\ sum-i dered, sir We surrendered t?? siivv the country. sir. j ^ but wo \v?>rr> never whipped " "Did vesi e.-r nn nt Kenynu 11:11 V taunted Stoueinnn. Langdon brought down his Gst In the pnltn of ihe other hand violently. "Yes. sir: we ran at you I ought to ! remember. 1 got my wound there. ' You remember that long lane"? lie pulled off his hat and threw It on the floor, indicating it with one hand? "Here was the Second Alabama." xce nar or toe oia reoorai uroppea I on tlie tloor op_ 1 posite tbe hat of 1 jfTl fcviiS ,,lC Confederate. /wfl'l Rh\ "And here tho /VvT yjk.\ Eighth Illinois," iVXl^t exclaimed Stone7 maupy jv/?\ V i.angdon exeit\ ri n,ly soizcd a di" M L4 J5? jJ minutive bellboy & passing by and i p- planted him LI alongside his hat. "Stay there a "Ami here thi Li'jhth moment, sonny," Illinois!" he cried. "You are tbe Fourth Virginia." , The newspaper Stoneman was carrying came down opposite tbe startled bellboy, who was trying not to appear frightened. "TKld So !*/* ohinin c\f " hf> exclaimed. Both, la their eagerness, were bending down over their Improvised battle plan, their beads close together. "And here a farmhouse beside your , cedars," cried Langdon. "That's where the rebels charged us," echoed the Union man. Langdon brought down his fist again with emphatic gesture. "You bet .we charged youl The Third ; Mississippi charged you! I charged you, sirl" Stoneman uodded. "I remember a young fool of a Johnnie reb dashing up the hill fifty yards ahead of his men, waving his sword and yelling like a wild Indian." The southerner straightened up. "Well, where In thanderation would you expect me to be, sir?" he exclaimed. "Behind them? I got my wound there. Laid me up for three months; , like to have killed me." Then a new idea struck him. "Why, ; colonel, it must have been a bullet : from one of your men?from your reg- ' iment, sir!" The old northerner pushed bis fingers through his hair and shook his bead apologetically. "Why, senator, I'm afraid It was," be hesitated. Langdon's eyes were big with the afterglow of a fighter discussing the mighty struggles of the past, those most precious of all the Jewels in the treasure 6tore of a soldier's memory. "Why, It might have been a bullet flre3 by you, sir," he cried. "It might be that you were the man who almost killed me. Why, confound you, sir. I'm glad to meet you!" Each old veteran of tragic days gone by had quite unconsciously awaken- ! ed a responsive chord in the heart of the other. A senator and a penniless old "down and outer" are very much the same in the human scale that takes note of the inside and not the . outside of a man. And they fell Into ; each other's arms then and there, for what strong fighter does not respect j another of his kind? There they stood, arms arouud each other, clapping each other on the back. 44Here was the Second Alabama actually chortling In the pure ecstasy of comradeship, now serious, again laughing, when on the scene appeared Bud Haines, the correspondent, who bad returned to Interview the new senator from Mississippi "Great heavens!" ejaculated the aewspaper man, "A senator, a United States senator, hugging a broken down old 'has been I' What is the world coming to?" Haines suddenly paused. "I wonder ifjt can be a pose?merely for r tleman !, ississippi i y A. WISE jj by FredtricK *R. Tcomb* ' THOMAS A. WISE " ] I < 1 effect. It's getting harder every day I to tell what's genuine and what isn't In this town." CHAPTER VII. i i v/inAv t a i> v w /\v thtvcc rvwrtt AST. HAINES quickly walked over and touclieJ the southerner on the arm. "Well, my boy, what can 1 do for you :" asked the uew senator. . turning, with a pleasant smile. "My name Is IJnines. Senator Ste- ; vens was to speak to you about me. I'm the first of the newspaper corre- [ spomlents come to interview you." Langdon's familiar smile broadened, j "Well, you don't look as though you'd bite. Reckon 1 can stand for It. Is it . very painful?" "1 hope it won't be, senator," Ilaines said, feeling instinctively that he was going to like this big, hearty citizen. "All right, Mr. Haines, just as soon as I've said good by to iny old friend. Colonel Stonenian, I'll be with you." And to his continued amazement Haines saw the senator walk away > with the old Union colonel, slap hint on the back, cheer him up and finally bid him good by after extending a cordial Invitation to coroe around to din- 1 nor. meet it is daughters and talk over old times. The antiquated Federal soldier marched away more erect, more brisk, than in years, completely restored to favor , in the eyes of the hotel people. Langdon turned to the reporter. "All right, Mr. Haines; my hands are up. Do your worst Senator Stevens spoke to me about you; said you were ' the smartest yocng uewspaper man in j Washington. You must come from the | south." Bud shook his head. "No, Just New York," be said. "Well, that's a promising town," drawled the southerner. "They tell me ; that's the Vlcksburg of the north." "I suppose you haven't been to New York of late, senator?" suggested the newspaper man. "Well, I started up there with General Lee once," responded Langdon reminiscently, "but we changed our minds and came back. You may have heard about that trip." Haines admitted that he had. "Since that time," went on Langdon, "I've confined my travels to New Orleans and Vlcksburg. Ever been in New Orleans about Mardi Gras time, i Mr. Haines?" "Sorry, but I don't believe I have," confessed the reporter reluctantly. The senator seemed surprised. "Well, sir. you have something to live for. I'll make It my special business to personally conduct you through ( one Mardi Gras, with a special understanding, of course, that you don't ' print anything in the paper. I'm a . vestryman in my church, but since " misfortune has come upon our 6tate I ( have to be careful." Haines searched his brain. He knew ^ of no grave calamity that had hap- j pened recently in Mississippi. ^ "Misfortune?" he questioned. Senator I.angdon nodded. "Yes, sir. the great old state of Mis- ( slssippl went prohibition at the last j election. I don't know bow it happened. We haven't found anybody in the state that says he voted for It, but the fact is a fact I assure you, Mr. Haines, that prohibition stops at my j 8 frout door, In Mississippi. So I've been j living a quiet life down on my planta- j tlon." "This new life will be u great change t for you, theu?" suggested the reporter. ] "Change! It's revolutionary, sir! When you've expected to spend your i old days peacefully in the country. | Mr. Haines, suddenly to find tint your < atate has called on you"? : ] A flavor of sarcasm came into < Haines' reply. t "The office seeking the man?" He (< could not help the slight sneer. Was t a man never to admit that he had j sought the office? Haines knew only too well of the arduous work neces- j t sary to secure nominations for high of- 't flee in conventions and to win an elec- j tion to the senate from a state legislature. In almost every case, he knew, < the candidate must make a dozen dif- i j Mnalo'i e/uin? T-At I.a r,l(?ht ' 1C1 CUk UCUIO IV ovvwtv * WWW, - I promise the same office to two or three i different leaders, force others Into line by threats, send a trusted agent to another with a roll of bank bills?the re- , clplent of which would immediately conclude that this candidate was the only man in the state who could save the nation from destruction. Had not Haines seen men who had sold their unsuspecting delegates for cash to the highest bidder rise in the convention hall and hi impassioned, dramatic voice exclaim in praise of the buyer, "Gentlemen, it would be a crying shame, a crime against civilization, if the chosen representatives of our grand old state of ? did not go on record in favor of such a man, such a true citizen, such an inspired patriot, as he whose name I am about to mention!" So the reporter may be forgiven for the ironical tinge in his hasty interruption of the new senator's remarks. Langdon could not suppress a chuckle at the doubting note In Haines' attitude. J "I think the man would be pretty tmall potatoes who wouldn't seek* the jfflee of United States senator, Mr. Flaines," he said, "if he could get It. When I was a young man, sir, politics n the south was a career for a gentlenan, and I still can't see how he could je better engaged than In the service >f his state or his country." "That's right," agreed the reporter, 'urther impressed by the frank sincerly of the Mlssissipplan. "The only condition in my mind. Mr. [laines. Is that the man should ask almself searchingly whether or not je's competent to give the service, i Rut I seem to be talking a good deal. I Suppose we get to the interview. Ex- j )ect your time is short. We'd better j ^etrin." "I thought we were lu the iuter- j riewr" smiled the correspondent. "In it!" exclaimed Lanpdon. "Well, I f this is it. it isn't so bad. I see you ! lse a painless method. When I was lown In Vicksburg a reporter backed ue up in a corner, slipped his hand In lis hip pocket and pulled out a list of luestiotis just throe feet four inches ong. "He wanted to know what I thought . oncerning the tariff on aluminium hyIrntes and how I stood about the openng of the Tento Pu reservation of the . Comanche Indians, and what were m.v j deas about the differential rate of i aauls from the Missouri river. "He was a wonder, that fellow! Kinder out of place on a Mississippi iaper. I started to offer him a job, .tut be was so proud I was afraid he wouldn't accept It. However, it gives ! rou my idea of a reporter." "if you've been against that, 1 ought :o thank you for talking to me," laugh- i Hi Haines. "Then you don't want to know anyhiug about that sort of stuff?" said Langdou, with a hugh sigh of relief. "No, senator," was the amused reily. "I think generally if I know what nf n min ! man i* I ran toll a jreat deal about what he will think j >n various questions." Langdon started interestedly. "You mean. Mr. II.lines, if you know whether I'm honest or not ?ou can fit a. ' "My hand* are up. Do your tcoral." ne up with a set of views. Is that the dea? Seems ko me you're the sort of nan I'm looking for." The other smilingly shook his head. "I wouldn't dare fix up a United States senator with a set of views," he ?ald. "I only mean that 1 think what i man Is is important. I've been dong Washington for a number of years, ['ve had an exceptional opportunity to >ee how politics work. I don^ beleve In party politics. I don't believe n parties, but I do believe In men." Langdon nodded approvingly, then a twinkle shone in his eyes. "We don't believe In parties in Mississippi," he drawied. "We've only 3ne? the Democratic party?and a few tickers." Haines grinned broadly at this description of southern politics. "What was this you were saying ibout national politics?'' continued the dlsslsslpplan. "I'm a beginner, you enow, and I'm always ready to learn." "This is a new thing?a reporter eachlng a senator politics," laughed laines. Senator Langdon Joined in the merrinent. "I reckon reporters could teach United States senators lots of things, Mr. laines, if the senators had sense enough to go to school. Now, I come jp here on a platform the chief principle of which is the naval base for ne gUil. i\ow, bow are we gviug iu )ut that through? My state wants It" "You're probably sure It will be a wonderful thing for the country aDd he sooth," suggested Haines. "Of course." "But why do you think most of the rongressmen and senators will vote 'or It?' The southerner took off his bat, leaned back and gazed across the lobby ihoughtfully. "Seems to me the benefit to the south md country would be sufficient reason, tfr. Haines," he finally replied. The newsnaDer man's brain worked apidly. Going over the entire conversation with Langdon and what he lad seen of him, he was certain that he Mlsslsslppian believed what he laid?that, moreover, the belief was leeply rooted. His long newspaper raining had educated Haines In the rays of men, their actions and mental jrocesses ? what naturally to expect 'rora a given set of circumstances. He 'elt a growing regard, an afTectlon, for bis unassuming old man before him, vho did not know and probably would )e slow to understand the hypocrisy, :he cunning trickery of lawmakers ivho unmake laws. "Sufficient reason for you, senator," Saines added. "Ton have not been In Polities very long, bare you?" he ineried dryly. A wry smile wrinkled the MIsslssIpMan's face. _ "Been In long enough to learn some unpleasant things I didn't know before." He remembered Martin Sanders. "Will you allow me to tell you a few more?" asked Haines. I.angdon inclined his head in acquiescence. "Reckon I'd better know the worst and get through with it." "Well. then, senator, somebody from Nebraska will vote for what you want in the way of the naval base because he'll think then you'll help hir i demand money to dredge some mi -'dy creek that he has an interest in. "Somebody in Pennsylvania wiil vote for it because he owes a gruel"? rnd flm Phllnrlolin'ii . , ?aun iv iiut i iuw * iiiniuv|7 fpeople. "You'll cot tlie Democrats because It's for the south, but If your >Iil was for the west coast they might fight It tooth and nail, oven with the Japanese fleet cruising dangerously near. "And the ItepublKnns may vote for It because they see a chance to claim glory and perhaps break the solid south in the next preside>-ii~i-~campaign. You catoli the id'' n "What!" exclaimed tt Langdon. "Well, who in hades wilt- k because it's f 45 ro . and retu|rn IA oast Line, CONFEDERATE VETNE 8th-10th. CiU J mil-. 4i_.l 1: u ! UlU U.I1U