her hand: "Mrs. North is wonderfully improved, by the way; has not
been so well in twenty years. Senator Burleigh: he is out flat-footed
against free silver since the failure of the bi-metallic envoys, and
his State is furious. Senator Shattuc is for it, so they probably
don't speak. Senator Ward might be induced to fall in love with Lady
Mary and turn his eloquence on the Senate in behalf of a marriage
between Uncle Sam and Britannia. There is no knowing what your
_salon_ may accomplish, and that would be a sight for the gods.
Senator Maxwell will inveigh in twelve languages against recognizing
the belligerency of the Cubans. Senator French will supply the
distinguished literary element. Senator March represents the
conservative Democrat who is too good for the present depraved
condition of his State. If you want to immortalize yourself, invent a
political broom. Senator Eustis: he thinks the only fault with the
Senate is that it is too good-natured and does not say No often
enough. Who are the Representatives? The only Speaker, the immortal
Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means--don't place me near
him, for I've just paid a hideous bill at the Custom House and I'd
scratch his eyes out. Mr. Montgomery: he and Lady Mary are getting
almost devoted. Trust a clever woman to pinch the memory of any other
woman to death. The redoubtable Mr. Legrand, also of Maine, upon whom
the shafts of an embittered minority seem to fall so harmlessly; and
Mr. Armstrong--who is he? I thought I knew as much about politics as
you, by this time, but I don't recall his name."

"I met him at Narragansett, and had several talks with him. He is a
Bryanite, but very gentlemanly, and his convictions were so strong and
so unquestionably genuine that he interested me. I want the best of
all parties. We can't sit up and agree with each other."