Part 1.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. Squire Hawkins and His Tennessee Land—He Decides to Remove to Missouri CHAPTER II. He Meets With and Adopts the Boy Clay CHAPTER III Uncle Daniel’s Apparition and PrayeR CHAPTER IV The Steamboat Explosion CHAPTER V Adoption of the Little Girl Laura—Arrival at Missouri—Reception by Colonel Beriah Sellers CHAPTER VI Trouble and Darkness in the Hawkins Family—Proposed Sale of the Tennessee Land CHAPTER VII Colonel Sellers at Home—His Wonderful Clock and Cure for Rheumatism CHAPTER VIII Colonel Sellers Makes Known His Magnificent Speculation Schemes and Astonishes Washington Hawkins CHAPTER IX Death of Judge Hawkins CHAPTER X Laura Hawkins Discovers a Mystery in Her Parentage and Grows Morbid Under the Village Gossip CHAPTER XI A Dinner with Col Sellers—Wonderful Effects of Raw Turnips CHAPTER XII Philip Sterling and Henry Brierly—Arrangements to Go West as Engineers CHAPTER XIII Rail—Road Contractors and Party Traveling—Philip and Harry form the Acquaintance of Col Sellers CHAPTER XIV Ruth Bolton and Her Parents CHAPTER XV

Visitors of the Boltons—Mr Bigler “Sees the Legislature”—Ruth Bolton Commences Medical Studies CHAPTER XVI The Engineers Detained at St Louis—Off for Camp—Reception by Jeff CHAPTER XVII The Engineer Corps Arrive at Stone’s Landing CHAPTER XVIII Laura and Her Marriage to Colonel Selby—Deserted and Returns to Hawkeye CHAPTER XIX Harry Brierly Infatuated With Laura and Proposes She Visit Washington CHAPTER XX Senator Abner Dilwortliy Visits Hawkeye—Addresses the People and Makes the Acquaintance of Laura 186 CHAPTER XXI Ruth Bolton at Fallkill Seminary—The Montagues—Ruth Becomes Quite Gay—Alice Montague CHAPTER XXII Philip and Harry Visit Fallkill—Harry Does the Agreeable to Ruth CHAPTER XXIII Harry at Washington Lobbying For An Appropriation For Stone’s Landing —Philip in New York Studying Engineering CHAPTER XXIV Washington and Its Sights—The Appropriation Bill Reported From the Committee and Passed CHAPTER XXV Energetic Movements at Stone’s Landing—Everything Booming—A Grand Smash Up CHAPTER XXVI

The Boltons—Ruth at Home—Visitors and Speculations CHAPTER XXVII Col Sellers Comforts His Wife With His Views on the Prospects CHAPTER XXVIII Visit to Headquarters in Wall Street—How Appropriations Are Obtained and Their Cost CHAPTER XXIX Philip’s Experience With the Rail—Road Conductor—Surveys His Mining Property CHAPTER XXX Laura and Col Sellers Go To Washington On Invitation of Senator Dilworthy CHAPTER XXXI Philip and Harry at the Boltons’—Philip Seriously Injured—Ruth’s First Case of Surgery CHAPTER XXXII Laura Becomes a Famous Belle at Washington CHAPTER XXXIII Society in Washington—The Antiques, the Parvenus, and the Middle Aristocracy CHAPTER XXXIV Grand Scheme For Disposing of the Tennessee Land—Laura and Washington Hawkins Enjoying the Reputation of Being Millionaires CHAPTER XXXV About Senators—Their Privileges and Habits CHAPTER XXXVI An Hour in a Book Store CHAPTER XXXVII Representative Buckstone and Laura’s Strategic Coquetry CHAPTER XXXVIII Reception Day in Washington—Laura Again Meets Col. Selby and the Effect Upon Her CHAPTER XXXIX

Col. Selby Visits Laura and Effects a Reconciliation CHAPTER XL Col. Sellers’ Career in Washington—Laura’s Intimacy With Col. Selby is Talked About CHAPTER XLI Harry Brierly Becomes Entirely Infatuated With Laura—Declares His Love and Gets Laughed At CHAPTER XLII How The Hon Mr Trollop Was Induced to Vote For Laura’s Bill CHAPTER XLIII Progress of the Bill in the House CHAPTER XLIV Philip in Washington—Visits Laura CHAPTER XLV The Passage of the Bill in the House of Representatives CHAPTER XLVI Disappearance of Laura, and Murder of Col. Selby in New York CHAPTER XLVII Laura in the Tombs and Her Visitors CHAPTER XLVIII Mr Bolton Says Yes Again—Philip Returns to the Mines CHAPTER XLIX The Coal Vein Found and Lost Again—Philip and the Boltons—Elated and Then Cruelly Disappointed 443 CHAPTER L Philip Visits Fallkill and Proposes Studying Law With Mr Montague—The Squire Invests in the Mine—Ruth Declares Her Love for Philip CHAPTER LI Col Sellers Enlightens Washington Hawkins on the Customs of Congress CHAPTER LII

How Senator Dilworthy Advanced Washington’s Interests CHAPTER LIII Senator Dilworthy Goes West to See About His Re—election—He Becomes a Shining Light CHAPTER LIV The Trial of Laura for Murder CHAPTER LV The Trial Continued—Evidence of Harry Brierly CHAPTER LVI The Trial Continued—Col Sellers on the Stand and Takes Advantage of the Situation CHAPTER LVII The Momentous Day—Startling News—Dilworthy Denounced as a Briber and Defeated—The Bill Lost in the Senate CHAPTER LVIII Verdict, Not Guilty !—Laura Free and Receives Propositions to Lecture—Philip back at the Mines CHAPTER LIX The Investigation of the Dilworthy Bribery Case and Its Results CHAPTER LX Laura Decides on her Course—Attempts to Lecture and Fails—Found Dead in her Chair CHAPTER LXI Col Sellers and Washington Hawkins Review the Situation and Leave Washington CHAPTER LXII Philip Discouraged—One More Effort—Finds Coal at Last CHAPTER LXIII Philip Leaves Ilium to see Ruth—Ruth Convalescent—Alice APPENDIX

ILLUSTRATIONS

FRONTPIECE COL. SELLERS FEEDING HIS FAMILY ON EXPECTATIONS 1. CONTEMPLATION 2. THE SQUIRE’s HOUSE S. THE U. S. MAIL 4. OBEDSTOWN MALES 5. HURRYING 6. THE SQUIRE’S KITCHEN 7. "FOR GOODNESS SAKE SI" 8. THE LAST COG WHEEL 9. GONE UP 10. TAIL PIECE 11. THE ORPHANS LAST GIFT 12. MRS HAWKINS AND CLAY AT THE GRAVE OF HIS MOTHER 13. "CHILDREN, DAR’S SUMFIN’ A COMIN 14. "HEAH I IS, LORD, HEAH I IS!” 15. TAIL PIECE 16. NOT ENCOURAGED 17. SHE’S GAINING 18. "BY THE MARK TWAIN!” 19. FAST TOGETHER 20. ONE OF THE VICTIMS 21. THE PROCESSION—FORWARD MARCH! 22. THE HAPPY WIFE 23. LAURA 24. READY TO SELL 25. STOCK RISING 26. A FAMILY COUNCIL 27. TAIL PIECE 28. ATTEMPTED CORNER IN SPECIE 29. A BRILLIANT IDEA 30. BIG THINGS SHOWN UP 31. COL. SELLERS BLOWING BUBBLES FOR WASHINGTON 32. GEN BOSWELL’S OFFICE 33. TAIL PIECE 34. CONSOLATION 35. THE DYING FATHER 36. TAIL PIECE 37. LAURA SEEKING POR EVIDENCES OF HER BIRTH 38. EVER TRUE 39. A HEALTHY MEAL 40. PHILIP AT THE THEATRE 41. WHAT PHILIP LEARNED AT COLLEGE 42. THE DELEGATE’S INTERESTING GAME 43. THE PERSON OF IMPORTANCE 44. "NOT THAT"

45. RUTH’S MOTHER MAKES ENQUIRIES 46. THE LETTER 47. CARING FOR THE POOR 48. ANATOMICAL INVESTIGATIONS 49. RUTH LOOKING AT THE “NEW ONE” BY CANDLE LIGHT 60. "ONLY FOR YOU, BRIERLY" 51. AN ACCLIMATED MAN 51. NO THANKS! GOOD BYE! 52. "BRESS YOU, CHILE, YOU DAR NOW" 53. CAMP LIFE 54. STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER 55. JEFF THOMPSON AS A NIGHTINGALE 56. BOUND FOR STONE’S LANDING 57. STONE’S LANDING 58. WAITING FOR A RAILROAD 59. "IT AIN’T THERE" 60. TAIL PIECE 61. CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON 62. LAURA SWOONED 63. TAILPIECE 64. NOT EASILY REFERRED 65. ORDER, GENTLEMEN 66. THE SENATOR’S WALK 67. RESIDENCE OF SQUIRE MONTAGUE 68. INSIDE THE MANSION 69. RUTH DISSIPATING 70. TAIL PIECE 71. ANTICIPATION 72. REALITY 73. PHILIP HEARS HARRY ENTERTAINING RUTH 74. AN ENTERTAINING FELLOW 75. HARRY EXPLAINS BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE 76. PHILIP STUDYING 77. "KEEP OUT OF HERE, SIR!” 78. AN OLD ONE 79. A PROMENADE OUTFIT 80. REARED BY A GRATEFUL COUNTRY 81. BENEFIT OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE 82. TAIL PIECE 83. VISIONS OF A HAPPY MAN 84. EXODUS OF THE NATIVES 85. HARRY BRIERLY FLIES FROM THE MOB

86. ENJOYING THE BONFIRE 87. BROTHER PLUM 88. RUTH AT HOME 89. MAP OF THE SALT LICK BRANCH OF THE PACIFIC R. R. 90. RESULT OF A STRAIGHT LINE 91. AT HEADQUARTERS 92. TOUCHING A WEAK SPOT 93. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE, $10,000, 94. MALE LOBBYIST, $3,000 255 95. FEMALE LOBBYIST, $3,000 96. HIGH MORAL SENATOR, $3,000 97. COUNTRY MEMBER, $500 98. DOCUMENTARY PROOF 99. COLONEL SELLERS DESPONDENT 100. TAIL PIECE 101. THE MONARCH OF ALL HE SURVEYS 102. PHILIP THRUST FROM THE R. R. CAR 103. THE JUSTICE 104. "MINE INN" 105. A PLEASING LANDLORD 106. PHILIP HIRED THREE WOODSMEN 107. TAIL PIECE 108. TAIL PIECE 109. BRO. BALAAM 110. THE FIRE PANIC 111. RUTH ASSISTS IN DRESSING PHILIP’S ARM 112. THE FIRST RECEPTION 113. VANITY COLLAPSED 114. THE ATTACHES OF THE ANTIQUES 115. HON. OLIVER HIGGINS 116. PAT O’RILEY AND THE “OULD WOMAN" 117. HON. P. OREILLE AND LADY 118. AN UNMISTAKABLE POTATO MOUTH 119. THE THREE PATIENTS 120. TAIL PIECE 121. DELIBERATE PERSECUTION 122. "IT IS ONLY ME" 123. "ALL CONGRESSMEN DO THAT" 124. A TRICK WORTH KNOWING 125. COL. SELLERS ENLIGHTENING THE BOHEMIANS 126. LAURA

IN THE BOOK STORE 127. VERY AGREEABLE 128. PLAYING TO WIN 129. SHE SAID “PARDON" 130. "IT’S HE! IT’S HE!” 131. REFLECTION 132. ONCE MORE FACE TO FACE 133. COL. SELBY KNEELS AND KISSES HER HAND 134. JOLLY GOOD COMPANY 135. SUPPER OR BREAKFAST? 136. TAIL PIECE 137. A LADY-KILLER TAMED 138. CONSUMING LOVE 139. A CONVERT TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS 140. OPENING NEGOTIATIONS 141. NOT JUST YET 142. WELL POSTED 143. MR. TROLLOP THINKS IT OVER 144. DILWORTHY GIVES LAURA HIS BLESSING 145. UNNECESSARY PRECAUTION 146. WHERE THE PROTECTION IS NEEDED 147. AN OBJECT OF SYMPATHY 148. CHILDREN OF HOPE 149. THE EDITOR 150. PHILIP LEAVING LAURA 151. CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE 152. THE HOUSE 153. COL SELLERS ASLEEP IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 154. A HEARTY SHAKE 155. SENATOR DILWORTHY TRANQUIL 156. "SHE AIN’T DAH, SAR" 157. AS THE WITNESSES DESCRIBED IT 158. THE LEARNED DOCTORS 159. IMPORTANT BUSINESS 160. COL. SELLERS AND WASHINGTON IN LAURA’S CELL 161. PROMISED PATRONAGE 162. NO LOVE LIKE A MOTHER’S 163. CLEANED OUT BUT NOT CRUSHED 164. THE LANDLORD TAKING LESSONS 165. TAILPIECE 166. "WE’VE

STRUCK IT" 167. THE MINE AT ILIUM 168. THE HERMIT 169. TAIL PIECE 110. ONE CHANCE OPEN 171. WHAT HE EXPECTED TO BE 172. ALAS! POOR ALICE 173. HOW HE WAS DRAWN IN 174. EVERYTHING 175. TAIL PIECE 176. "COME NOW, LETS CHEER UP" 177. A SHINING EXAMPLE 178. THE SEWING SOCIETY DODGE 179. DILWORTHY ADDRESSES A SUNDAY SCHOOL 180. TAIL PIECE 181. THE JUDGE 182. LAURA ON TRIAL 183. MICHAEL LANIGAN 184. PATRICK COUGHLIN 185. ETHAN DOBB 186. MR HICKS 187. SEARCH FOR A FATHER 158. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LULL 189. TERM EXPIRED 190. RE-ELECTED 191. THE “FAITHFUL OLD HAND" 192. A FIRE BRAND 193. TAIL PIECE 194. COL. SELLERS AND WASHINGTON RETURN HOME AFTER THE VOTE 195. A COURT-IN SCENE 196. POPULAR ENDORSEMENT 197. ONE OF THE INSULTED MEMBERS 195. TOUCHED BY THE SIRUGGLES OF THE POOR 199. MR NOBLE ASKS QUESTIONS 200. THE WORN OUT STYLE OF SENATOR 201. THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE 202. THE LAST LINK BROKEN 203. THE TERRIBLE ORDEAL 204. RETROSPECTION 205. GOOD-BYE TO WASHINGTON 206. TAIL PIECE 207. THE PARTING BLAST OFFERED 208. THE LAST BLAST 209. STRUCK IT AT LAST 210. THE RICH PROPRIETOR

211. THE SICK CHAMBER 212. ALICE

CHAPTER I.

June 18—. Squire Hawkins sat upon the pyramid of large blocks, called the “stile,” in front of his house, contemplating the morning.

The locality was Obedstown, East Tennessee. You would not know that Obedstown stood on the top of a mountain, for there was nothing about the landscape to indicate it—but it did: a mountain that stretched abroad over whole counties, and rose very gradually. The district was called the “Knobs of East Tennessee,” and had a reputation like Nazareth, as far as turning out any good thing was concerned.

The Squire’s house was a double log cabin, in a state of decay; two or three gaunt hounds lay asleep about the threshold, and lifted their heads sadly whenever Mrs. Hawkins or the children stepped in and out over their bodies. Rubbish was scattered about the grassless yard; a bench stood near the door with a tin wash basin on it and a pail of water and a gourd; a cat had begun to drink from the pail, but the exertion was overtaxing her energies, and she had stopped to rest. There was an ash-hopper by the fence, and an iron pot, for soft-soap-boiling, near it.

This dwelling constituted one-fifteenth of Obedstown; the other fourteen houses were scattered about among the tall pine trees and among the corn-fields in such a way that a man might stand in the midst of the city and not know but that he was in the country if he only depended on his eyes for information.

“Squire” Hawkins got his title from being postmaster of Obedstown—not that the title properly belonged to the office, but because in those regions the chief citizens always must have titles of some sort, and so the usual courtesy had been extended to Hawkins. The mail was monthly, and sometimes amounted to as much as three or four letters at a single delivery. Even a rush like this did not fill up the postmaster’s whole month, though, and therefore he “kept store” in the intervals.

The Squire was contemplating the morning. It was balmy and tranquil, the vagrant breezes were laden with the odor of flowers, the murmur of bees was in the air, there was everywhere that suggestion of repose that summer woodlands bring to the senses, and the vague, pleasurable melancholy that such a time and such surroundings inspire.

Presently the United States mail arrived, on horseback. There was but one letter, and it was for the postmaster. The long-legged youth who carried the mail tarried an hour to talk, for there was no hurry; and in a little while the male population of the village had assembled to help. As a general thing, they were dressed in homespun “jeans,” blue or yellow—here were no other varieties of it; all wore one suspender and sometimes two—yarn ones knitted at home,—some wore vests, but few wore coats. Such coats and vests as did appear, however, were rather picturesque than otherwise, for they were made of tolerably fanciful patterns of calico—a fashion which prevails thereto this day among those of the community who have tastes above the common level and are able to afford style. Every individual arrived with his hands in his pockets; a hand came out occasionally for a purpose, but it always went back again after service; and if it was the head that was served, just the cant that the dilapidated straw hat got by being uplifted and rooted under, was retained until the

next call altered the inclination; many hats were present, but none were erect and no two were canted just alike. We are speaking impartially of men, youths and boys. And we are also speaking of these three estates when we say that every individual was either chewing natural leaf tobacco prepared on his own premises, or smoking the same in a corn-cob pipe. Few of the men wore whiskers; none wore moustaches; some had a thick jungle of hair under the chin and hiding the throat—the only pattern recognized there as being the correct thing in whiskers; but no part of any individual’s face had seen a razor for a week.

These neighbors stood a few moments looking at the mail carrier reflectively while he talked; but fatigue soon began to show itself, and one after another they climbed up and occupied the top rail of the fence, hump-shouldered and grave, like a company of buzzards assembled for supper and listening for the death-rattle. Old Damrell said:

“Tha hain’t no news ’bout the jedge, hit ain’t likely?”

“Cain’t tell for sartin; some thinks he’s gwyne to be ’long toreckly, and some thinks ’e hain’t. Russ Mosely he tote ole Hanks he mought git to Obeds tomorrer or nex’ day he reckoned.”

“Well, I wisht I knowed. I got a ‘prime sow and pigs in the cote-house, and I hain’t got no place for to put ’em. If the jedge is a gwyne to hold cote, I got to roust ’em out, I reckon. But tomorrer’ll do, I ’spect.”

The speaker bunched his thick lips together like the stem-end of a tomato and shot a bumble-bee dead that had lit on a weed seven feet away. One after another the several chewers expressed a charge of tobacco juice and delivered it at the deceased with steady, aim and faultless accuracy.

“What’s a stirrin’, down ’bout the Forks?” continued Old Damrell.

“Well, I dunno, skasely. Ole Drake Higgins he’s ben down to Shelby las’ week. Tuck his crap down; couldn’t git shet o’ the most uv it; hit wasn’t no time for to sell, he say, so he ’fotch it back agin, ’lowin’ to wait tell fall. Talks ’bout goin’ to Mozouri—lots uv ’ems talkin’ that—away down thar, Ole Higgins say. Cain’t make a livin’ here no mo’, sich times as these. Si Higgins he’s ben over to Kaintuck n’ married a high-toned gal thar, outen the fust families, an’ he’s come back to the Forks with jist a hell’s-mint o’ whoop-jamboree notions, folks says. He’s tuck an’ fixed up the ole house like they does in Kaintuck, he say, an’ tha’s ben folks come cler from Turpentine for to see it. He’s tuck an gawmed it all over on the inside with plarsterin’.”

“What’s plasterin’?”

“I dono. Hit’s what he calls it. Ole Mam Higgins, she tole me. She say she wasn’t gwyne to hang out in no sich a dern hole like a hog. Says it’s mud, or some sich kind o’ nastiness that sticks on n’ covers up everything. Plarsterin’, Si calls it.”

This marvel was discussed at considerable length; and almost with animation. But presently there was a dog-fight over in the neighborhood of the blacksmith shop, and the visitors slid off their perch like so many turtles and strode to the battle-field with an interest bordering on eagerness.

The Squire remained, and read his letter. Then he sighed, and sat long in meditation. At intervals he said:

“Missouri. Missouri. Well, well, well, everything is so uncertain.”

At last he said:

“I believe I’ll do it.—A man will just rot, here. My house my yard, everything around me, in fact, shows’ that I am becoming one of these cattle—and I used to be thrifty in other times.”

He was not more than thirty-five, but he had a worn look that made him seem older. He left the stile, entered that part of his house which was the store, traded a quart of thick molasses for a coonskin and a cake of beeswax, to an old dame in linsey-woolsey, put his letter away, and went into the kitchen. His wife was there, constructing some dried apple pies; a slovenly urchin of ten was dreaming over a rude weather-vane of his own contriving; his small sister, close upon four years of age, was sopping corn-bread in some gravy left in the bottom of a frying-pan and trying hard not to sop over a finger-mark that divided the pan through the middle—for the other side belonged to the brother, whose musings made him forget his stomach for the moment; a negro woman was busy cooking, at a vast fire-place. Shiftlessness and poverty reigned in the place.

“Nancy, I’ve made up my mind. The world is done with me, and perhaps I ought to be done with it. But no matter—I can wait. I am going to Missouri. I won’t stay in this dead country and decay with it. I’ve had it on my mind sometime. I’m going to sell out here for whatever I can get, and buy a wagon and team and put you and the children in it and start.”

“Anywhere that suits you, suits me, Si. And the children can’t be any worse off in Missouri than, they are here, I reckon.”

Motioning his wife to a private conference in their own room, Hawkins said: “No, they’ll be better off. I’ve looked out for them, Nancy,” and his face lighted. “Do you see these papers? Well, they are evidence that I have taken up Seventy-five Thousand Acres of Land in this county—think what an enormous fortune it will be some day! Why, Nancy, enormous don’t express it—the word’s too tame! I tell your Nancy——”

“For goodness sake, Si——”