and plays her cards with considerable discretion — but she will lose, for all that. There is no hurry; I shall come out winner, all in good time. She is the most beautiful woman in the world; and she surpassed herself tonight. I suppose I must vote for that bill, in the end maybe; but that is not a matter of much consequence the government can stand it. She is bent on capturing me, that is plain; but she will find by and by that what she took for a sleeping garrison was an ambuscade.”
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Now this surprising news caus’d her fall in ‘a trance,
Life as she were dead, no limbs she could advance,
Then her dear brother came, her from the ground he took
And she spake up and said, O my poor heart is broke.
The Barnardcastle Tragedy.
“Don’t you think he is distinguished looking?”
“What! That gawky looking person, with Miss Hawkins?”
“There. He’s just speaking to Mrs. Schoonmaker. Such high-bred negligence and unconsciousness. Nothing studied. See his fine eyes.”
“Very. They are moving this way now. Maybe he is coming here. But he looks as helpless as a rag baby. Who is he, Blanche?”
“Who is he? And you’ve been here a week, Grace, and don’t know? He’s the catch of the season. That’s Washington Hawkins — her brother.”
“No, is it?”
“Very old family, old Kentucky family I believe. He’s got enormous landed property in Tennessee, I think. The family lost everything, slaves and that sort of thing, you know, in the war. But they have a great deal of land, minerals, mines and all that. Mr. Hawkins and his sister too are very much interested in the amelioration of the condition of the colored race; they have some plan, with Senator Dilworthy, to convert a large part of their property to something another for the freedmen.”
“You don’t say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania. But he is different from others. Probably he has lived all his life on his plantation.”
It was a day reception of Mrs. Representative Schoonmaker, a sweet woman, of simple and sincere manners. Her house was one of the most popular in Washington. There was less ostentation there than in some others, and people liked to go where the atmosphere reminded them of the peace and purity of home. Mrs. Schoonmaker was as natural and unaffected in Washington society as she was in her own New York house, and kept up the spirit of home-life there, with her husband and children. And that was the reason, probably, why people of refinement liked to go there.
Washington is a microcosm, and one can suit himself with any sort of society within a radius of a mile. To a large portion of the people who frequent Washington or dwell there, the ultra fashion, the shoddy, the jobbery are as utterly distasteful as they would be in a refined New England City. Schoonmaker was not exactly a leader in the House, but he was greatly respected for his fine talents and his honesty. No one would have thought of offering to carry National Improvement Directors Relief stock for him.
These day receptions were attended by more women than men, and those interested in the problem might have studied the costumes of the ladies present, in view of this fact, to discover whether women dress more for the eyes of women or for effect upon men. It is a very important problem, and has been a good deal discussed, and its solution would form one fixed, philosophical basis, upon which to estimate woman’s character. We are inclined to take a medium ground, and aver that woman dresses to please herself, and in obedience to a law of her own nature.
“They are coming this way,” said Blanche. People who made way for them to pass, turned to look at them. Washington began to feel that the eyes of the public were on him also, and his eyes rolled about, now towards the ceiling, now towards the floor, in an effort to look unconscious.
“Good morning, Miss Hawkins. Delighted. Mr. Hawkins. My friend, Miss Medlar.”
Mr. Hawkins, who was endeavoring to square himself for a bow, put his foot through the train of Mrs. Senator Poplin, who looked round with a scowl, which turned into a smile as she saw who it was. In extricating himself, Mr. Hawkins, who had the care of his hat as well as the introduction on his mind, shambled against Miss Blanche, who said pardon, with the prettiest accent, as if the awkwardness were her own. And Mr. Hawkins righted himself.
“Don’t you find it very warm to-day, Mr. Hawkins?” said Blanche, by way of a remark.
“It’s awful hot,” said Washington.
“It’s warm for the season,” continued Blanche pleasantly. “But I suppose you are accustomed to it,” she added, with a general idea that the thermometer always stands at 90 deg. in all parts of the late slave states. “Washington weather generally cannot be very congenial to you?”
“It’s congenial,” said Washington brightening up, “when it’s not congealed.”
“That’s very good. Did you hear, Grace, Mr. Hawkins says it’s congenial when it’s not congealed.”
“What is, dear?” said Grace, who was talking with Laura.
The conversation was now finely under way. Washington launched out an observation of his own.
“Did you see those Japs, Miss Leavitt?”
“Oh, yes, aren’t they queer. But so high-bred, so picturesque. Do you think that color makes any difference, Mr. Hawkins? I used to be so prejudiced against color.”
“Did you? I never was. I used to think my old mammy was handsome.”
“How interesting your life must have been! I should like to hear about it.”
Washington was about settling himself into his narrative style, when Mrs. Gen. McFingal caught his eye.
“Have you been at the Capitol to-day, Mr. Hawkins?”
Washington had not. “Is anything uncommon going on?”
“They say it was very exciting. The Alabama business you know. Gen. Sutler, of Massachusetts, defied England, and they say he wants war.”
“He wants to make himself conspicuous more like,” said Laura. “He always, you have noticed, talks with one eye on the gallery, while the other is on the speaker.”
“Well, my husband says, its nonsense to talk of war, and wicked. He knows what war is. If we do have war, I hope it will be for the patriots of Cuba. Don’t you think we want Cuba, Mr. Hawkins?”
“I think we want it bad,” said Washington. “And Santo Domingo. Senator Dilworthy says, we are bound to extend our religion over the isles of the sea. We’ve got to round out our territory, and — ”
Washington’s further observations were broken off by Laura, who whisked him off to another part of the room, and reminded him that they must make their adieux.
“How
