NIGHT THE EIGHTH.

Reaping the whirlwind.

I was in Washington City during the succeeding month.  It was the short, or closing session, of a regular Congressional term.  The implication of Judge Lyman in the affair of Green and young Hammond had brought him into such bad odor in Cedarville and the whole district from which he had been chosen, that his party deemed it wise to set him aside, and take up a candidate less likely to meet with so strong and, it might be, successful an opposition.  By so doing, they were able to secure the election, once more, against the growing temperance party, which succeeded, however, in getting a Maine Law man into the State Legislature.  It was, therefore, Judge Lyman’s last winter at the Federal Capital.

While seated in the reading-room at Fuller’s Hotel, about noon, on the day after my arrival in Washington, I noticed an individual, whose face looked familiar, come in and glance about, as if in search of some one.  While yet questioning my mind who he could be, I heard a man remark to a person with whom he had been conversing: 

“There’s that vagabond member away from his place in the House, again.”

“Who?” inquired the other.

“Why.  Judge Lyman,” was answered.

“Oh!” said the other, indifferently; “it isn’t of much consequence.  Precious little wisdom does he add to that intelligent body.”

“His vote is worth something, at least, when important questions are at stake.”

“What does he charge for it?” was coolly inquired.

There was a shrug of the shoulders, and an arching of the eyebrows, but no answer.

“I’m in earnest, though, in the question,” said the last speaker.

“Not in saying that Lyman will sell his vote to the highest bidders?”

“That will depend altogether upon whom the bidders may be.  They must be men who have something to lose as well as gain—­men not at all likely to bruit the matter, and in serving whose personal interests no abandonment of party is required.  Judge Lyman is always on good terms with the lobby members, and may be found in company with some of them daily.  Doubtless, his absence from the House, now, is for the purpose of a special meeting with gentlemen who are ready to pay well for votes in favor of some bill making appropriations of public money for private or corporate benefit.”

“You certainly can not mean all you say to be taken in its broadest sense,” was replied to this.

“Yes; in its very broadest.  Into just this deep of moral and political degradation has this man fallen, disgracing his constituents, and dishonoring his country.”

“His presence at Washington doesn’t speak very highly in favor of the community he represents.”