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unscrupulous men rich； sir。 For years I furnished this city with good
groceries； if I do say it myself。 I took a pride in the fact that the
inmates of the hospitals； yes； and the dependent poor in the city's
institutions； should have honest food。 You can get anything out of the
city if you are willing to pay the politicians for it。 I lost my city
contracts。 Why？ Because I refused to deal with scoundrels。 Weill and
Company and other unscrupulous upstarts are willing to do so； and poison
the poor and the sick with adulterated groceries！ The first thing I knew
was that the city auditor was holding back my bills for supplies； and
paying Weill's。 That's what politics and business； yes； sir； and the
law； have come to in these days。 If a man wants to succeed； he must turn
into a rascal。〃
I was not shocked； but I was silent； uncomfortable； wishing that it were
time to take the train back to the city。 Cousin Robert's face was more
worn than I had thought； and I contrasted him inevitably with the
forceful person who used to stand； in his worn alpaca coat； on the
pavement in front of his store； greeting with clear…eyed content his
fellow merchants of the city。 Willie Breck； too； was silent； and Walter
Kinley took off his glasses and wiped them。 In the meanwhile Helen had
left the group in which my mother sat； and； approaching us； laid her
hands on her father's shoulders。
〃Now； dad；〃 she said； in affectionate remonstrance； 〃you're excited about
politics again； and you know it isn't good for you。 And besides； they're
not worth it。〃
〃You're right； Helen；〃 he replied。 Under the pressure of her hands he
made a strong effort to control himself； and turned to address my mother
across the room。
〃I'm getting to be a crotchety old man；〃 he said。 〃It's a good thing I
have a daughter to remind me of it。〃
〃It is a good thing； Robert；〃 said my mother。
During the rest of our visit he seemed to have recovered something of his
former spirits and poise； taking refuge in the past。 They talked of
their own youth； of families whose houses had been landmarks on the
Second Bank。
〃I'm worried about your Cousin Robert； Hugh；〃 my mother confided to me；
when we were at length seated in the train。 〃I've heard rumours that
things are not so well at the store as they might be。〃 We looked out at
the winter landscape； so different from that one which had thrilled every
fibre of my being in the days when the railroad on which we travelled had
been a winding narrow gauge。 The orchardsthose that remainedwere
bare； stubble pricked the frozen ground where tassels had once waved in
the hot； summer wind。 We flew by row after row of ginger…bread； suburban
houses built on 〃villa plots；〃 and I read in large letters on a hideous
sign…board； 〃Woodbine Park。〃
〃Hugh； have you ever heard anything againstMr。 Watling？〃
〃No； mother；〃 I said。 〃So far as I knew； he is very much looked up to by
lawyers and business men。 He is counsel； I believe； for Mr。 Blackwood's
street car line on Boyne Street。 And I told you； I believe； that I met
him once at Mr。 Kyme's。〃
〃Poor Robert！〃 she sighed。 〃I suppose business trouble does make one
bitter；I've seen it so often。 But I never imagined that it would
overtake Robert； and at his time of life！ It is an old and respected
firm； and we have always had a pride in it。〃 。。。
That night； when I was going to bed； it was evident that the subject was
still in her mind。 She clung to my hand a moment。
〃I； too； am afraid of the new； Hugh；〃 she said； a little tremulously。
〃We all grow so； as age comes on。〃
〃But you are not old； mother；〃 I protested。
〃I have a feeling； since your father has gone； that I have lived my life；
my dear； though I'd like to stay long enough to see you happily married
to have grandchildren。 I was not young when you were born。〃 And she
added； after a little while； 〃I know nothing about business affairs； and
nownow that your father is no longer here； sometimes I'm afraid〃
〃Afraid of what； mother？〃
She tried to smile at me through her tears。 We were in the old sitting…
room； surrounded by the books。
〃I know it's foolish； and it isn't that I don't trust you。 I know that
the son of your father couldn't do anything that was not honourable。 And
yet I am afraid of what the world is becoming。 The city is growing so
fast； and so many new people are coming in。 Things are not the same。
Robert is right； there。 And I have heard your father say the same thing。
Hugh； promise me that you will try to remember always what he was； and
what he would wish you to be！〃
〃I will； mother；〃 I answered。 〃But I think you would find that Cousin
Robert exaggerates a little； makes things seem worse than they really
are。 Customs change； you know。 And politics were never wellSunday
schools。〃 I； too； smiled a little。 〃Father knew that。 And he would
never take an active part in them。〃
〃He was too fine！〃 she exclaimed。
〃And now；〃 I continued； 〃Cousin Robert has happened to come in contact
with them through business。 That is what has made the difference in him。
Before； he always knew they were corrupt； but he rarely thought about
them。〃
〃Hugh；〃 she said suddenly； after a pause； 〃you must remember one thing；
that you can afford to be independent。 I thank God that your father has
provided for that！〃
I was duly admitted； the next autumn； to the bar of my own state； and was
assigned to a desk in the offices of Watling； Fowndes and Ripon。 Larry
Weed was my immediate senior among the apprentices； and Larry was a hero…
worshipper。 I can see him now。 He suggested a bullfrog as he sat in the
little room we shared in common； his arms akimbo over a law book； his
little legs doubled under him； his round； eyes fixed expectantly on the
doorway。 And even if I had not been aware of my good fortune in being
connected with such a firm as Theodore Watling's； Larry would shortly
have brought it home to me。 During those weeks when I was making my
first desperate attempts at briefing up the law I was sometimes
interrupted by his exclamations when certain figures went by in the
corridor。
〃Say； Hugh； do you know who that was？〃
〃No。〃
〃Miller Gorse。〃
〃Who's he？〃
〃Do you mean to say you never heard of Miller Gorse？〃
〃I've been away a long time；〃 I would answer apologetically。 A person of
some importance among my contemporaries at Harvard； I had looked forward
to a residence in my native city with the complacency of one who has seen
something of the world；only to find that I was the least in the new
kingdom。 And it was a kingdom。 Larry opened up to me something of the
significance and extent of it； something of the identity of the men who
controlled it。
〃Miller Gorse；〃 he said impressively； 〃is the counsel for the railroad。〃
〃What railroad？ You mean the〃 I was adding； when he interrupted me
pityingly。
〃After you've been here a while you'll find out there's only one railroad
in this state； so far as politics are concerned。 The Ashuela and
Northern； the Lake Shore and the others don't count。〃
I refrained from asking any more questions at that time； but afterwards I
always thought of the Railroad as spelled with a capital。
〃Miller Gorse isn't forty yet；〃 Larry told me on another occasion。
〃That's doing pretty well for a man who comes near running this state。〃
For the sake of acquiring knowledge； I endured Mr。 Weed's patronage。 I
inquired how Mr。 Gorse ran the state。
〃Oh； you'll find out soon enough；〃 he assured me；
〃But Mr。 Barbour's president of the Railroad。〃
〃Sure。 Once in a while they take something up to him； but as a rule he
leaves things to Gorse。〃
Whereupon I resolved to have a good look at Mr。 Gorse at the first
opportunity。 One day Mr。 Watling sent out for some papers。
〃He's in there now；〃 said Larry。 〃You take 'em。〃
〃In there〃 meant Mr。 Watling's sanctum。 And in there he was。 I had only
a glance at the great man； for； with a kindly but preoccupied 〃Thank you；
Hugh；〃 Mr。 Watling took the papers and dismissed me。 Heaviness；
blackness and impassivity；these were the impressions of Mr。 Gorse which
I carried away from that first meeting。 The very solidity of his flesh
seemed to suggest the solidity of his position。 Such； say the
psychologists； is the effect of prestige。
I remember well an old…fashioned picture puzzle in one of my boyhood
books。 The scene depicted was to all appearances a sylvan； peaceful one；
with two happy lovers seated on a log beside a brook； but presently； as
one gazed at the picture； the head of an animal stood forth among the
branches； and then the body； more animals began to appear； bit by bit； a
tiger； a bear； a lion； a jackal； a fox； until at last； whenever I looked
at the page； I did not see the sylvan scene at all； but only the
predatory beasts of the forest。 So； one by one； the figures of the real
rulers of the city superimposed themselves for me upon the simple and
democratic design of Mayor； Council； Board of Aldermen； Police Force；
etc。； that filled the eye of a naive and trusting electorate which fondly
imagined that it had something to say in government。 Miller Gorse was
one of these rulers be