As Mr. Parker observed, Miss Sherwood did not do the Grand Duchess, giving
the Carlow tenants a treat. She felt no duchess symptoms within herself,
and though, of course, she had various manners tucked away to wear as one
suits garments to occasions--and it was a Rouen "party-gown" wherewith she
chose to abash poor John Harkless at their meeting--here in Carlow, she
was a woman of affairs, lively, shrewd, engaging, capable; she was herself
(at least she was that side of herself). And it should be explained that
Harkless had based his calumny regarding the tariff on a paragraph or two
that crept inadvertently into an otherwise statesmanlike article, and that
"H. Fisbee" understood the tariff as well as any woman who ever lived. But
the tariff inspired no more articles from that pen.
Rodney McCune had lifted his head, and those who had followed his stricken
enemy felt that the cause was lost, without the leader. The old ring that
the "Herald" had crushed was a ring once more, and the heelers had
rallied--"the boys were in line again." The work had been done quietly,
and Halloway was already beaten, and beaten badly. John Harkless lay sick,
and Rodney McCune would sit in Congress, for the nomination meant
election. But one day the Harkless forces, demoralized, broken, almost
hopeless, woke up to find that they had a leader.
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