members
of that House, he wondered how many of them represented their neighbors
who supposedly had sent them here--and how many Mr. Lovejoy's railroad,
Mr. Worthington's railroad, or another man's railroad.

But gradually he forgot the battle-flags, and his mood changed. Perhaps
the sight of Mr. Speaker Sutton towering above the House, the very
essence and bulk of authority, brought this about. He aroused in
Wetherell unwilling admiration and envy when he arose to put a question
in his deep voice, or rapped sternly with his gavel to silence the
tumult of voices that arose from time to time; or while some member was
speaking, or the clerk was reading a bill at breathless speed, he
turned with wonderful nonchalance to listen to the conversation of the
gentlemen on the bench beside him, smiled, nodded, pulled his whiskers,
at once conscious and unconscious of his high position. And, most
remarkable of all to the storekeeper, not a man of the three hundred,
however obscure, could rise that the Speaker did not instantly call him
by name.

William Wetherell was occupied by such reflections as these when
suddenly there fell a hush through the House. The clerk had stopped
reading, the Speaker had stopped conversing, and, seizing his gavel,
looked expectantly over the heads of the members and nodded. A sleek,
comfortably dressed mail arose smilingly in the middle of the House, and
subdued laughter rippled from seat to seat as he addressed the chair.

"Mr. Jameson of Wantage."

Mr. Jameson cleared his throat impressively and looked smilingly about
him.

"Mr. Speaker and gentlemen of the House," he said, "if I desired to
arouse the enthusiasm--the just enthusiasm--of any gathering in this
House, or in this city, or in this state, I should mention the name of
the Honorable Alva Hopkins of Gosport. I think I am right."

Mr. Jameson was interrupted, as he no doubt expected, by applause from
floor and gallery. He stood rubbing his hands together, and it seemed to
William Wetherell that the Speaker did not rap as sharply with his gavel
as he had upon other occasions.

"Gentlemen of the House," continued Mr. Jameson, presently, "the
Honorable Alva Hopkins, whom we all know and love, has with unparalleled
generosity--unparalleled, I say--bought up three hundred and twelve
seats in Fosters Opera House for to-morrow night" (renewed applause),
"in order that every member of this august body may have the opportunity
to witness that