“Well, how is the honorable to-day?” said Randolph, approaching from the doorway.  “I didn’t think a Congressman could be spared from Washington but rarely, especially when the papers say the country needs such a lot of saving.”

“Oh, this ‘saving the country’ talk goes all right in the story books,” replied Norton, who exercised considerable influence over the youth through a long acquaintanceship and by frequently taking him into his confidence, “but this country can take pretty good care of itself.  In Congress we representatives put the job of saving it over on the Senate, and the Senate hands back the job to us.  So what’s everybody’s business isn’t anybody’s; a fine scheme so long as we have a President who keeps his hands off and doesn’t—­”

“But how about the speeches and the bills?” broke in Randolph.  “I thought—­”

“Yes, yes; to be sure,” the Congressman quickly added.  “Nearly all of us introduce these so-called reform bills.  When they’re printed at government expense we send copies, carried free by the Post-office Department, to our constituents, and when we allow the bills to die in some committee we can always blame the committee.  But if there’s a big fight by our constituents over the bill we let it pass the House, but arrange to kill it in the Senate.  Then we do the same thing for the Senators.  Like in every other business, my boy,” continued Norton as he led the way into the house, “it’s a case of ’you tickle me and I’ll tickle you’ in politics.  And don’t let any one fool you about the speeches either.  They are pretty things to mail to the voters, but all the wise boys in Washington know they aren’t meant seriously.  It’s all play acting, and there are better actors in the Senate than Henry Irving or Edwin Booth ever were.”

“I don’t think my father looks at things in the way you do, Charlie.”

“No?  Well, maybe he doesn’t now, but he will later on when he takes his seat in the Senate.  If he isn’t wise enough to play around with the rest of the Senators he won’t get any bills passed, especially any bill carrying an appropriation or of any other particular importance.”

“What!” ejaculated the planter’s son.  “Do you mean to say that if father won’t do what the other Senators want him to do they will combine against him and destroy his usefulness, make him powerless—­a failure?”

The Congressman smiled patronizingly on the youth.  “Why, of course they will.  That’s politics, practical politics, the only kind that’s known in Washington.  You see—­”

“But the leaders of the great parties!” cried the young plantation manager, in amazement.  “Why don’t they prevent this?”