nce itself flattered her, and she was never tired of telling
her acquaintances how she had put such and such a senator's wife's
jewels away, or got a servant for a cabinet minister.

When her other duties were done she went directly to a small dingy
office building and entered a room, over which was the sign, "Joseph
Aldrich, Counselor and Attorney at Law."

"How do, Joe."

"Why, Miss Kirkman, I'm glad to see you," said Mr. Aldrich, coming
forward to meet her and setting a chair. He was a slender young man,
of a complexion which among the varying shades bestowed among colored
people is termed a light brown skin. A mustache and a short Vandyke
beard partially covered a mouth inclined to weakness. Looking at them,
an observer would have said that Miss Kirkman was the stronger man of
the two.

"What brings you out this way to-day?" questioned Aldrich.

"I'll tell you. You've asked me to marry you, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm going to do it."

"Annie, you make me too happy."

"That's enough," said Miss Kirkman, waving him away. "We haven't any
time for romance now. I mean business. You're going to the convention
next week."

"Yes."

"And you're going to speak?"

"Of course."

"That's right. Let me see your speech."

He drew a typewritten manuscript from the drawer and handed it to her.
She ran her eyes over the pages, murmuring to herself. "Uh, huh,
'wavering, weak, vaciliating adminstration, have not given us the
protection our rights as citizens demanded--while our brothers were
murdered in the South. Nero fiddled while Rome burned, while this
modern'--uh, huh, oh, yes, just as I thought," and with a sudden twist
Miss Kirkman tore the papers across and pitched them into the grate.

"Miss Kirkman--Annie, what do you mean?"

"I mean that if you're going to marry me, I'm not going to let you go
to the convention and kill yourself."

"But my convictions--"

"Look here, don't talk to me about convictions. The colored man is the
under dog, and the under dog has no right to have convictions. Listen,
you're going to the convention next week and you're going to make a
speech, but it won't be that speech. I have just come from Mr.
Hamilton's. That convention is to be watched closely. He is to have
his people there and they are to take down the words of every man who
talks, and these words will be sent to his central committee. The man
who goes there with an imprudent tongue goes down. You'd better get