and yet the word shot out
upon her like a tongue of lightning. At first she felt every nerve in
her frame relaxed--a mist clouded her eyes--she had a weary sense of
happiness, for she thought she was dying. The mist passed. She felt her
cheeks glowing, and was preternaturally calm. Mrs. Simcoe sat beside her,
weeping silently.

"Good-night, dearest aunty!" said Hope, as she rose and bent down to kiss
her.

"My child!" said the older woman, in tones that trembled out of an aching
heart.

Hope took her candle, and moved toward the door. As she went she heard
Mrs. Simcoe repeating, in the old murmuring sunset strain,

"Convince us first of unbelief,
And freely then release;
Fill every soul with sacred grief,
And then with sacred peace."

CHAPTER LXXVI.

A SOCIAL GLASS.

The Honorable Abel Newt was elected to Congress in place of the Honorable
Watkins Bodley, who withdrew on account of the embarrassment of his
private affairs. At a special meeting of the General Committee, Mr. Enos
Slugby, Chairman of the Ward Committee, introduced a long and eloquent
resolution, deploring the loss sustained by the city and by the whole
country in the resignation of the Honorable Watkins Bodley--sympathizing
with him in the perplexity of his private affairs--but rejoicing that the
word "close up!" was always faithfully obeyed--that there was always a
fresh soldier to fill the place of the retiring--and that the Party never
summoned her sons in vain.

General Belch then rose and offered a resolution:

"_Resolved--_That in the Honorable Abel Newt, our representative, just
elected by a triumphant majority of the votes of the enlightened and
independent voters of the district--a constituency of whose favor the
most experienced and illustrious statesmen might be proud--we recognize
a worthy exemplar of the purest republican virtues, a consistent enemy
of a purse-proud aristocracy, the equally unflinching friend of the
people; a man who dedicates with enthusiasm the rare powers of his youth,
and his profoundest and sincerest convictions, to the great cause of
popular rights of which the Party is the exponent.

"_Resolved_--That the Honorable Abel Newt be requested, at the earliest
possible moment, to unfold to his fellow-citizens his views upon State
and National political affairs."

Mr. William Condor spoke feelingly in support of the resolutions:

"Fellow-citizens!" he said, eloquently, in conclusion, "if there