the barbarian who shied the clod at Davy.

When Esther Lockwin took charge of that home she found Davy all issued
from the chrysalis of sores and swellings. If he had once been
beautiful, he was now more lovely. The union of intelligence,
affection, and seemliness was startling to Esther's mind.

It was a dream. It knit her close to her husband. The child talked of
his papa all day. Because his new mother listened so intently, he
found less time to write his articles, and no time at all out-doors.

"Don't let him study if you can help it," said Dr. Floddin.

The child stood at his favorite place in the window, waiting for old
Richard Tarbelle to come home.

"'Bon-Ton Grocery,' mamma; what is 'Bon-Ton?'"

"That is the name of the grocery."

"Yes, I see that. It's on the wagon, of course, but does Mr. Bon-Ton
keep your grocery?"

How, therefore, shall the book of this world be shut from Davy? But,
is it not a bad thing to see the child burst out crying in the midst of
an article?

"Don't write any more to-day, baby," the housekeeper would say.

"Come down and get the elephant I baked for yez, pet," the cook would
beg.

And then Richard Tarbelle would come around the corner with his basket,
his eye fastened on that window where the smiling child was pictured.

"Here, Davy. There was a banquet at the hotel last night. See that
bunch of grapes, now!"

"You are very kind, Mr. Tarbelle."

"Mrs. Lockwin, I have been a hard man all my life. When I had my
argument with the bishop on baptism--"

"Yes, Mr. Tarbelle, you are very kind."

"Mrs. Lockwin, as I said, I have been a hard man all my life, but your
little boy has enslaved me. Sixty-three years! I don't believe I
looked twice at my own three boys. But they are great men. Big times
at the _ho_-tel, Mrs. Lockwin. Four hundred people on cots. Here,
Davy, you can carry an orange, too. Well, Mary will be waiting for me.
Your servant, madam. Good day. I hear your husband is up for
Congress. Tell him he has my vote. Good day, madam. Yes, Mary, yes,
yes. Good-bye, Davy. Good-bye, madam."

CHAPTER VI

A REIGN OF TERROR

When a man is in politics--when the party is intrusting its sacred
interests to his leadership--it is expected that he will stay at
head-quarters. It is as good as understood that he will be where the
touching committees can touch him. His clarion voice must be heard
denouncing the evil plans of the political e