ntinued fine. The Honourable Jacob was left behind
scratching his head, and presently he sought a front seat in which
to think, the back ones not giving him room enough. The brisk, cheery
greeting of the Honourable Brush Bascom fared no better, but Mr. Bascom
was a philosopher, and did not disturb the great when their minds were
revolving on national affairs and the welfare of humanity in general.
Mr. Speaker Doby and Mr. Ridout got but abstract salutations also, and
were correspondingly dismayed.

That day, and for many days thereafter, Mr. Crewe spent some time--as
was entirely proper--among the back seats, making the acquaintance of
his humbler fellow members of the submerged four hundred and seventy. He
had too long neglected this, so he told them, but his mind had been on
high matters. During many of his mature years he had pondered as to how
the welfare of community and State could be improved, and the result
of that thought was embodied in the bills of which they had doubtless
received copies. If not, down went their names in a leather-bound
memorandum, and they got copies in the next mails.

The delight of some of the simple rustic members at this unbending of
a great man may be imagined. To tell the truth, they had looked with
little favour upon the intimacy which had sprung up between him and
those tyrannical potentates, Messrs. Botcher and Bascom, and many
who had the courage of their convictions expressed then very frankly.
Messrs. Botcher and Bascom were, when all was said, mere train
despatchers of the Northeastern, who might some day bring on a wreck
the like of which the State had never seen. Mr. Crewe was in a
receptive mood; indeed his nature, like Nebuchadnezzar's, seemed to have
experienced some indefinable and vital change. Was this the Mr. Crewe
the humble rural members had pictured to themselves? Was this the Mr.
Crewe who, at the beginning of the session, had told them roundly it was
their duty to vote for his bills?

Mr. Crewe was surprised, he said, to hear so much sentiment against the
Northeastern Railroads. Yes, he was a friend of Mr. Flint's--they were
neighbours in the country. But if these charges had any foundation
whatever, they ought to be looked into--they ought to be taken up. A
sovereign people should not be governed by a railroad. Mr. Crewe was a
business man, but first of all he was a citizen; as a business man he
did not intend to talk vaguely, but to investigate thoroughly. An