“Because they invented the system and because political party differences don’t amount to a whole lot much of the time in Washington.  The politicians do most of their criticizing of the other party away from Washington, where the voters can hear them.  But when circumstances sometimes force a man to rise to assail the other side in Congress he afterward apologizes in secret for his words.  Or, sometimes he apologizes beforehand, saying:  ’I’ve got to hand out some hot shot to you fellows just to please a crowd of sovereign voters from my district who have come up to Washington to see me perform.  So, of course, I’ve got to make a showing; Don’t mind what I say.  You know I don’t mean it, but the old fogies will go back home and tell their neighbors what a rip-snortin’ reformer I be.’”

“Is that the way you represent your district; Norton?” asked Planter Langdon, who at this juncture entered the room.

“No, no, Mr. Langdon—­I should say Senator now, I suppose.  I was merely telling Randolph how some legislators conduct themselves.”

The Senator-elect paused momentarily, gazing at the Congressman, who, dark-visaged, tall, black-haired, broad-shouldered and athletic, was visibly uneasy at having his conversation with Randolph overheard by the father.

“No doubt it won’t be all plain sailing in Washington for an old-fashioned man like me, but I believe in the American people and the men they send to Congress,” slowly spoke the planter.  “There’s Senator Stevens, for instance.  He has always stood for the rights of the people.  I’ve read all his speeches.  Just why he brought about my election it is hard to tell, for I’ve been a planter all my life, except when I fought under Beauregard.  I feel that he did it out of friendship, and I simply can’t say how much I appreciate the honor.  I am indebted to you, too, Congressman.”

Tactfully disclaiming any credit for his work, only Norton’s congressional training in repression enabled him to refrain from smiling at Langdon’s innocence, his belief in Stevens’ sincerity and his wonder over his election.  Stevens, the keen, cold and resourceful, who forced his officeholders to yield him parts of their government salaries; Stevens, who marketed to railway companies his influence with the Department of Justice; Stevens, who was a Republican in the committee room in Washington and a Democrat on the platform in Mississippi; Stevens, who had consummated the deal with Martin Sanders, boss of seven counties, to elect Langdon because of the planter’s trustfulness and simplicity of character, which should make him easy to influence and to handle in the all-important matter of the gulf naval base project!

The entry of Carolina Langdon and her younger sister, Hope Georgia, gave Norton a welcome opportunity to shift the trend of conversation.

“You ladies will have a gay time in Washington,” he began, after directing a particularly enthusiastic greeting to Carolina.  “You will be in great demand at all the big affairs, and I don’t think you will ever want to come back to old Mississippi, forty miles from a railroad, with few chances to wear your New York gowns.”