! A Gentleman ! From Mississippi -By THOMAS A. WISE From the Vlay by FrtdericK "R- Toombj COPYRIGHT. 1000. BY THOMAS A. WISE 11 _ CHAPTER XXI "jf you can't buy a senator, tukeat r>' him." SENATOR PEA BODY was the most surprised man in Wash ington when he heard the jun ior senator from Mississippi itate that no one was to enrich him self out of the government naval base project. He heaped a mental anathema on the head of Stevens for saddling soch a man on the senate "machine," for Langdon would of course never had been put on "naval affairs" (Just now ?ery important to the machine) with out the "O. K." of Steveus, who had won a heretofore thoroughly reliable reputation as a Judge of men, or of what purported to be men. The thought that at this time, of all times, there should be a man on the commit tee on naval affairs that could not be "handled" was sufflcleut to make him who reveled in the title of "boss of the ?enate" determine that he must get another chief lieutenant to replace Ste tous. who had proved so trustworthy la the past. Stevens had lost his cun ning! As the vote of Langdon could not be lecured by humbug or in exchange for favors and as it could not be "deliv ered," Peabody, of course, was willing to pay in actual cash for the vote. This was the final step, but one in po litical conspiracies of this nature?cash. But Langdon would not take cash, so Peabody had to resort to the last agency of the trained and corrupt ma nipulator of legislation. lie would threaten. Moreover, he knew that to make threats effective, if it is possible to do so, they must be led up to systemat ically?that is, they should be made at the right time. The scene must be set, as in a play. Senator Peabody glared at Langdon as though to convince the latter that to stand in his way would mean polit ical destruction. so nobody is going to make a cent, ?h? Well, I suppose you want all the profits for yourself." Turning to Ste vens, who had just entered, the Penn sylvanian cried: "Do you but listen to our suddenly good friend Langdon. He wanrs to be the only man to make money out of the naval base. lie won't listen to any ether member of the naval committee making a cent out of it. Why, be"? "Great God, sir!" exclaimed Langdon. "You are going too far, I'eabody. You State what is false, and you know it, you?you"? "Then you are willing that others Should have their rightful share?" put In Stevens. "Oh, I understand now, senator." "No, no, no!" cried Langdon. "You flo not understand. Senator Stevens, snd I must say I am ashamed to speak Of you by the honorable title of sena tor, sir. I will not listen to any person enriching himself at the government expense, and I am your enemy, you, Pea body, and you, Stevens, beyond re call. You both know you misrepresent me." langdon walked over to Stevens and faced him directly. "Do you remember, Stevens, Lorimer Hawkslee, back in wartime?" "Yes," said Stevens, puzzleil, "I re Member him?a very fine gentleman." The old planter sneered. "Yes, a very fine gentleman! You remember he got rich out of contracts Xor supplies furnished to the Confed srate government when it wasn't any too easy for the Confederate govern ment to pay and when he was in that government himself. I never quite thought that the act of a gentleman, Stevens. It seemed to me to be very like dishonesty. I refused to speak to Lorimer Hawkslee in the Carroll hotel at Vicksburg, and when the peo ple there asked me why I told them. I want to warn you, Stevens, that I'm likely to meet you some time In the Carroll hotel at Vicksburg." Stevens backed away angrily. "I catch your Insinuation, but"?be re ceived a warning glance from Pea body and broke Into a pleasant smile calculated to deceive the old planter? "this once I will overlook it because of our old friendship and the old days in Mississippi." "You are a fine talker, Langdon," ?aid I'eibod.v, coming to Stevens' res cue, "but I can readily see what you are driving at. Tou want an Investi gation. You think you will catch Borne ?f us with what you reformers call ?the goods,' but forget evidently the ?ntlrcly simple facts that your family bas Invested In AJtacoola lands more heavily probably than any one else among us. You want to raise a scan dal. do you? Well, go on and raise it, but remember that you will have to ?xplain how It happened that there is 150,000 invested in the name of your aen and $25,000 In the name of your daughter, Miss Carolina, not to men tion a few thousands put in by the gentleman who, X am given to under stand, is to be your son-in-law. Con gressman Norton. "How about that. Norton?" Feabody taked. turning to the congressman, who had followed Stevens. "I corroberate all you've said," re marked Norton. "I can state positively that Senator Langden knew that his I money was going Into Altacoola land. 1 will swear to It if necessary," ami be glared bitterly at Carolina's father, feeling certain that the girl would cling to blw as opposed to ber parent. Langdou made a threatening move at the congressman. "1 consider my riddance of you mighty cheap at the price," he cried. "Come, come, Langdou," fumed I'ea body, "1 must get away from here to catch the midnight train. Let's get through with this matter. You must realize that you canuot tight me in Washington. Vou must know that men call me the 'king of the senate.' I can beat any measure you introduce. I can pass any measure you want passed. 1 can make you a laughing stock or a power. "Why, my friend from Mississippi, 1 can even have your election to the sen ate contested, have a committee ap pointed to investigate the manner of your election, have that committee de cide that you bought your way into the honorable body, the senate of the Unit ed States, and on the strength of that decision have you forfeit your seat! What a pretty heritage to hand down to posterity such a disgrace will be! Why, the very school children of the future will hear about you as 'Looter Langdou,' and their parents will tell them bow particularly degrading it was for a man of your reputation to drag into your dishonest schemes your son, sir, and your daughter. For who will believe that this money was not put in these lands without your con sent, without your direction, your or derV Did you not sign the mortgage on which ttiis $50,000 was raisedV" Senator Laugdon waved Ills hand dep reeatiugly. "I'm learning the under handed ways of you professional poli ticians. I'm getting wise. I'm learn ing 'the game,' so I know you're blufif ing me, Peabody. But you forget that the game of poker was invented in Mississippi?my native state." Pressing a button, I-angdon sum moned a servant and said: "Send in Mr. Haines. I guess I've got to have n witness for my side." "It's 110 bluff," spoke Stevens ns Haines entered. "Peabcdy can and will break you like a pipejtem: he's done It to other men before you who?who tried to dispute his power. But I'll try to save you. I'll ask him to be mer riful. You are not of any Importance In the senate. We do cot need to deal with you"? "Then why do you both spend so much time on me?" asked Lansdon in nocently. "Why doesn't Pea body go tc Philadelphia?" "Langdon." said Peabody, "you know my control of the senate is no piece of fiction. But 1 will forgive your obsti nacy, even forget it. I"? "Look here," cried Langdon, "just because I'm a fat man don't think that I can't lose my temper." He stopped and gazed at his two colleagues. "Now, you two men stay still on* moment, and I'll tell you what real.y will happen tomorrow," he exploded "and I'm only a beginner in the game that's your specialty. The naval base Is going to Altacoola"? "Good!" simultaneously cried both Peabody and Stevens. "You're coming in with us!" "No, I'm not, but I'll pass the bill so that nobody makes a cent, just as I said I would. I'll fool you both and make you both honest for once in spite of your natural dispositions." Stevens and the Pennsylvanlan stared at each other in disgust. "Furthermore," continued Langdon, "Altacoola ixust have the base because I've known for some time that Gulf City was Impossible. But some crook ed senators would have made money if they'd known It, so they didn't learn it Altacoola, that proud arm of our great gulf, will have those battleships floating on her broad bosom and the country will be the better off. and so will the sovereign state of Mississippi God bless it?but neither Senator Pea body of Pennsylvania nor Senator Ste vens of Mississippi is going to be any better because of it No, and if you men come to my committee room at 12:30 tomorrow noon you'll have a chance to hear how all that's coming about. If you are not there by that time I'll bring In a minority report In favor of Gulf City,Just to show you that I know how to play the game? this Washington game"? "Come, let's go. We can do nothing with him," said Pea body to the senior senator from Mississippi. "Well, senator. In the name of good ness, what are you going to do? How can you win for Altacoola without lei ting these grafters make money out ol It?" asked Haines in astonishment as the other two walked away. "What are you going to do at 12:30 tomorrow?" Langdon turned to him and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling despairingly. "I'm blamed If 1 know!" he ex claimed. CHAPTER XXII. LOBBYISTS?AND ONE IN PARTICULAR. WASHINGTON has known many lobbyists In Its time, and It keeps on knowing them. The striking Increase In legisla tion that aims to restrict unlawful or Improper practices in business, the awakening of the oubllc conscience. has on used a greater demand than ever for Influence at the national capital, for these restrictive measures must Ix either killed or emasculated to a point of ttselessness by that process which I* the salvation of many a corrupt manlp ulator, the process of amendment. Predatory corjioratlons, predator* business associations of different sort* and predatory Individuals have theii representatives on the Held at Wash Ingtoti to ward off attack by any mean? that brains can devise or moucy pro cure and to obtain desired favors at a cost that will leave a profitable balance for the purchaser. When commercial tricksters, believing lu the lobbyists' favorite maxim, "The People Forget," feel that they have outlived the latest reform movement and see "the good old days'* returning, the professional politicians introduce a few refortu measures themselves, most stringent measures. They push these measures ahead until somebody pays up, then the bills die. The lobbyist knows til' about these "strike" bills, hut does not frown on them. No, no. Perhaps be helped draw up one of these bills sc that, with the aid of his inside knowl edge of his employer's business, the measure is made to give a greatei ?Scare than might otherwise have re sulted. The bigger the scare the big ger the fund advanced, of course, fot the lobbyist to handle. All this alsc helps the lobbyist to secure and retaiu employment. Not all the Washington lobbyists are outside of congress. The senator or congressman has unequaled facilities-" for oiling or blocking the course of a bill. Sometimes he confines himself to the Interests of his own clients, who ever they may be. But sometimes he notices a bill that promises to be a pretty good thing for the client of some other member if it passes. Then he begins to fight this bill so actively that he must be "let in on the deal" ''Becausc I'm Jul don't think I can't lost my temper." himself. This Is very annoying to the other member, but the experience is worth something. He has learned the value of observing other people's legis lation. The ?utsiders (members of the "third house*) and the Insiders have a boud of freemasonry uniting them; they ex change information as to what mem bers of both houses can be "reached," how they can be "got to" (through whom) and how much they want. This information is carefully tabulat ed. and now prices for passing or de feating legislation can be quoted to interested parties Just as the price of a carload of pork can be ascertained at a pi von time and place. Perhaps it is thi < system that leads grafting mem bers of short experience to wonder how knowledge of their taking what is termed "the sugar" got out and be came known to their associates. Did they not have pledge of absolute se crecy? Yes, but the purchaser never intended to keep* the information from those of his kind. Lobbyists must be honest with each other. Not all lobbyists are men. The wo man legislative agent has been known to occupy an important position in Washington, and she does yet. She Is hard to detect and frequently more un principled than the men similarly en gaged, if that is possible. A woman with a measure of social standing would naturally prove the most successful as a lobbyist In Wash ington because, of the opportunities her position would afford her to meet people of prominence. And Just such a one was Mrs. Cora Spangler, with whom the Langdons had been thrown In contact quite intimately since their arrival at the capital. Tretty and vivacious, Mrs. Spangler bore her thirty-seven years with un common ease, aided possibly by the makeup box and the modiste. Her dinners and receptions were attended by people of acknowledged standing Always a lavish spender of money, this was explained as possible because of a fortune left her by her late hus band. Congressman Spangler of Penn sylvania. That this "fortune" had consisted largely of stock and bonds of a bankrupt copper smelting plant In Michigan remained unknown, ex cept to her husband's family, one or two of her own relatives and Senator Peabody, who, coming from Pennsyl vania, had known her husband Inti mately. He It was who had suggested to her that she might make money easily by cultivating the acquaintance of the new members of both houses and their families, exerting her Influence in vari ous "perfectly legitimate ways," he argued, for or against matters pending In legislation. The standard Steel cor poration kept Mrs. Spangler well sup plied with funds deposited monthly to her account In a Philadelphia trust company. She avoided suspicion by reason of her sex and her many acquaintances of undisputed rank. Senator Peabody was never Invited to her home. nnti never attended a single dinner. rece[> tlon or muslcaie she had given, all of wbicb was a part of the [lollcy they hud mutually agreed on to deaden any suspicion that might some time arise as to her relation to the Standard Steel company. It was well known that I'eabody had beeu put into the senate by Standard Steel to look after Its Interests He had found Mrs Spattgler chiefly valuable Sites tar as a source of Infor tnatioii regarding the members of con gress, which she obtaim-d largely from their families lie was thus able to galu an idea of their associations, their particular Interests and their as plratlons in coming to congress, which proved of much use to hiui lu forming and promoting acquaintances, all for the glory of Standard Steel. Senator llolcouib of Missouri told Mrs. Spanglcr at an afternoon tc:i eou fideutiully that he was golug to vote against the ship subsidy bill. Senator 1'eabody was In formed o( t bis two bours biter by a uoie writ ton lu c i p b e r Wben tbe vote was called two Uu.vs later Sena lor Hokomb vot i'd for Ibe bill Standard Steel supplies steel fol oceau liners, an . tbelr building must be eui-our aged. Mrs Windsor wife of Couuress man uiu.sor 01 lie vat going to vote i?dlaua, remark wjatnxt the ship tult- ,,d to Mrg s ? gler at a recep tlon that she was "so glad Jiminie is going to do something for us women at last. He says we ought to get silk gowns ever so much cheaper next year.' Jimmie Windsor was a member of tin house committee on ways and means aud was busily engaged in the mattei of tariff revision When 1'resideut Anders of the Federal Silk ^company heard front Senator l'eabody thai Windsor favored lowering the tariff on silk a way was found to convince tin congressman that the American silk in dustry was a weakling and many in vestors would suffer If the foreign goods shoi lil lie admitted any cheapet than at present President Anders would be willing to do Senator l'eabody a favor some day. Sometimes Cora Spangler shuddered st the thought of what would become of her if she should make some slip some fatal error, and be discovered to her friends as a betra.verof confidences for money. A secret agent of Stand r.rd Steel! What a newspaper story she would make?"Society Favorite a Pdid Spy;" "Woman Lobbyist Flees Capital." The sensational Deadlines flitted through her mind. Then she would grit her teetli and dig her linger nails into her palms. She had to have money to carry on the life she loved so well. She must continue as she had begun. After all, she reasoned, noth ing definite could ever be proved re garding the past. Let the future care for itself. She might rnarEj' again and free herself from this mode of life, who knows? . So reasoned Cora Spangler for the hundredth time during the last two years as she sat in her boudoir at her UOMie. JMH* 1111*1 ? p c n t part ot the day with Carolina and Hope I-angdon and In the even ins had attend ed the mnsicale at their house. But she had been forced to leave early ow ing to a severe headache. Now. after an hour or two of rest, she felt better and was about to re tire. Suddenly the telephone Deu rang at a v writing tnble "HelloI fVho i? Itr near a window. She had two tele phones, one ill the lower hall and one in her boudoir?to save walking down stairs unnecessarily, she explained to her woman friends. But the number of this upstairs telephone was not In the public book. It had a private number, known to but two people ex cept herself. Taking down the receiver, she asked In low voice, "Hello, who Is it?" "Mr. Wall." It was the name Senator Pea bod v used in telephone conversation with ber. "Yes, congressman!" she responded She always said "Yes. congress man," in replying to "Mr. Wall," a prearranged manner of Indicating thai he was talking to the desired person. "I will need your services touior row," Senator Pea body said, "on a very Important matter, I am afraid Decline any engagements and hold yourself in readiness." "Yes." "I may send my friend 8. to explain things at 10:30 In the morning. If lit does not arrive at that time, telephone me at 10:35 sharp You know where Understand? I have put off going to Philadelphia tonight." "Yes." "That Is all; goodby." "Something very Important," she murmured nervously as she turned from the desk. "I don't like his tone of voice; sounds <1 ana heavens, then Stevens must now have knowledge of my?my?business"' (Uie calmed herself and straightened a dainty, slender Anger against hei cheek. "It must be something about that naval base bill. I'm suie. That's been worrying Peabody all session." she mused as she pressed a buttou to sum moii her maid. CHAPTER XXIII. "ttle boss of THE senate" GAINS a NEW ally. MltS. SPANGLEH would have tla?ter.Ml herself od guessing correctly as to Senator Pea body's uueasiuess had she heard aud seen all that had taken place lu his apartment at the Louis Napoleon hotel, where ho had hurried ly taken Senator Steveus on leaving the I.angdou bouse. Not only would the two seuators lose their immense profits on the Alta coola transaction If I.angdou persisted In Ills opposition, but they would lose as well the thousands of dollars spent by their agents in purchasing optious on hundreds of acres and, where the} could not get options, the land itself This land would be on their hands, un salable. If the base weut somewhere else. Moreover, they feared that Lang don's revolt would bring unpleasant newspaper publicity to their opera tlong. "There's only one course to pursue Stevens," snapped Peabody as they took off their overcoats. "That Is to be prepared as best we can for the very worst and meet It in some way yet to be determined. Hut tlrst w? must try to figure out what Langdou Is going to Uo whut it cau br that bo says he will tell us to morrow at 12:30 If we appear. lie uiust bave Rome thing very star tilDg up bis sleeve if he makes good bis assertions. 1 cau't see how"? "Nor 1," frown ed Stevens, "ami my |>olltlcal eye sight Is far bet terthan that fool w I.angdon's. Un 'Tm going to *crui )or tier ordinary clr Juke Steinert." cm instances we could lot blm go ahead with his minor Ity report for C!ulf City, but as things stand he'll have every newspaper re porter 111 Washington buzzing around and asking Impertinent questions"? "Yes, and you and I would have te go to Paris to live with our life lnsur ance friends from New York, wouldn't we?" laughed I'eahody sarcastically "I'm going to send for Jake Steinert.' he added. "Steinert T" Stevens ejaculated "What"? "Oh. that's all right. Maybe he can luggest something," said I'eabod.v, go ing ta the telephone. "We've too much ut stake to make a mistake, and Jake may see a point that we've overlooked. Luckily I saw him downstairs in the prill room as we catne through to the elevator." "Steinert Is all right himse'f.-' cou tinued Stevens, "but Ids methods"? "Can't be too particular now about his methods?or ours, Stevens, when a bull like Ungdon breaks loose In the . political china shop. Fortune and rep utation are both fragile." A ring of a bell announced the nrriv al of Jake Steinert, whose reputation ns a lobbyist of advanced ability had spread wide In the twenty years he had spent In Washington. Of medium height, sallow complexion, dark hair and dark eyes, his broad shoulders till ed the doorway as he entered. An Illy kept mustache almost hid a thiu lip ped. forceful mouth, almost as forceful as some of the language he used. His eyes darted tirst to Peabod.v and then to Stevens, waiting for either of them to open the conversation. The highest class lobbyists, those who "swing" the "biggest deals," con cern themselves only with men who ran "handle" or who control lawmnk era. They get regular reports and out line the campaign. Like crafty spiders they bide In the center of a great web. a web of bribery, threat, cajolery and Intrigue. Intent on every victim that Is lured Into the glistening meshes. Only the small fry mingle freely with the legislators in the open. In the ho tels and cafes and In the capitol corri dors. Jake Steinert did not belong In either of these classes; he ranked somewhere between the biggest and the smallest. He coupled colossal boldness with the moat expert knowledge of all the Intri cate workings of the congressional mechanism. Given money to spend among members to secure the defeat of a bill, be would frequently put most of the money in his own pocket and for a comparatively small sum defeat It by Influencing the employees through whose hands It must pass. "Sit down, Jake. Something to drink?" asked Pea body, reaching for a decanter. "No," grunted the lobbyist; "don't drink durln' business hours; only durin' the day." "Well, Jake," said the Pennsylvanian "you probably know something of what's going on In the naval affairs committee." "You mean the biggest Job of the session ?" "Yes." "Sure thing, senator. It's the work of an artist." "The boss of the senate" smiled grimly. "Now, suppose a committeeman named Langdon absolutely refused to be taken care of and insisted on band ing In a minority report tomorrow, with a speech that read like the Dec la ration of Independence?" Stelnert JerkW bis bud forward quickly. "Yoh mean what would I do If X wan?er? If 1 wan runnln' the Job?" "Yen." Btelnert leaned toward I'eabodjr. '?Where do 1 come In on this?" he asked suspiciously. '?Come, come, man," was the Irritable retort. "I never let a few dollar* stand between myself and my friends." "All right, senator." The lobbyist thrust himself down In his chair, puffed slowly at a cigar and gazed thoughtfully at the celling. "Few years ago." he began after ? minute or two, "there was a feller who was koi 11 to stjueal about a bond Issue. He bad bis speech all ready to warn the couuiry that he thought a crowd of the 1 pluto-eracy was goln" to get the bonds to resell to the public at advanced rates. Well, sir, " ar- if ranged to have a "He uas at the Insart carriage, a closed asylum." carriage, call that night to take hlra to see the president, for he was told the president sent the carriage for him. When he got out he was at the Insane asylum, an' I cau tell you he was bun dled into a padded cell in jig time, where be stayed for three days. 'He thinks he's a member of congress.' [ told the two huskies that handled him nn' gave 'em each a twenty case note. The doctor that signed the necessary papers got considerable more." Stevens' gasp of amazement caused the narrator genuine enjoyment. "I Know of a certain senator who was Srunk an' laid away in a Turkish bath when the roll was called on a cer tain bill. He was a friend of Pea body's," laughed the lobbyist to the Misslssipplan. "But in his case," said Stevens, "we must be very careful. Possibly some uf your methods in handling the men you go after"? "Say." Interposed Steinert, "you know I don't do all pursuin', all the goin' after, any more than others In my business. Why, senator, some of these congressmen worry the life out of us folks that sprinkle the sugar. They accuse us of not lettin' 'em in on things when they haven't been fed In some time. They come down the trail like greyhounds coursin' a coy ote." The speaker paused and glanced across at Pen body, who, however, was too busily engaged in writing in a tnemoradum book to notice him. "Why, Senator Stevens," went on the lobbyist, "only today a down east member held me up to tell me that he was strong for that proposition to give the A. K. and L. railroad grants of government timber laud In Oregon, lie says to me. he says: 'What 'n b?I do my constituents In New England care about things way out on the Pa cific coast? I'd give 'em Yellowstone National park for a freight sldin' if 'twas any use to 'em,' he says. So you see" ? "1 must go." broke In Stevens, ris ing and glancing at his watch. "It will soon be daylight." "If you must have sleep, go, but you must be here at 9 o'clock sharp In the moruitig." said Peabody. "Steinert will sleep here with me. We'll all have breakfast together here in my rooms ana a final consulta tion." "You won't pi .id anything really desperate, Pea body, will you? I think I'd rather"? "Nousense, Ste vens, of course not Our game will be to try to weaken Lang don, to prove to him In the morn ing that he alone * will suffer, be "Suppose Langdon cause our Iianlet) does not weaken t , , do not appear la the land deals. The options were signed and the deeds signed by our agents. Don't you see? Whereas his daughter and son and future son-ln-luw actually took land In their own names." "IIow clumsy!" "Yes. Such amateurism lowers the dignity of the United States senate," Peabody answered dryly. "But suppose T^angdon does not weaken?" asked Stevens anxiously as be picked up bis bat and coat. "Then we will go Into action with our guns loaded," was the reply. Continued next week. How Diseases Start. Nino times out of ten chronic dis eases like rheumatism, kidney trouble heart disease, skin disease, etc., start with a disorder of the stomach or bowels. To cure constipation, liv er trouble, Indigestion, sour stomach, heartburn, etc., take Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin, which cures and pre vents these diseases. It is absolute ly guaranteed to do what we claim, and if you want to try it before buy ing, send your address for a free sample bottle to Pepsin Syrup Co., 119 Caldwell BIdg., Monticello, 111. It Is sold by Hood Bros, at 50c and $1 a bottle. All Grist for Trusts. "We will teach those trusts a thing or two," said the statesman. "Don't do It," answered Senator Sorghum, "my observation Is that the trusts never learn anything new without making it a source of further profit."?Washington Star. ? ? ? ?<