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