“Well, business interests have driven our party to make friends with the South. The South has disfranchised Negroes and lynched a few. The darkies say we’ve deserted them.”
Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool laughed.
“What extraordinary penetration,” she cried.
‚ÄúAt any rate,‚Äù said Mr. ¬ÝEasterly, drily, ‚Äú Mr. ¬ÝVanderpool‚Äôs first step toward Paris lies in getting the Northern Negroes to vote the Republican ticket. After that the way is clear.‚Äù
Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool mused.
‚ÄúI don‚Äôt suppose you know anyone who is acquainted with any number of these Northern darkies?‚Äù continued Mr. ¬ÝEasterly.
‚ÄúNot on my calling-list,‚Äù said Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool, and then she added more thoughtfully:
‚ÄúThere‚Äôs a young clerk in the Treasury Department named Alwyn who has brains. He‚Äôs just from the South, and I happened to read of him this morning‚ÅÝ‚Äîsee here.‚Äù
Mr. ¬ÝEasterly read an account of the speech at the Bethel Literary.
‚ÄúWe‚Äôll look this young man up,‚Äù he decided; ‚Äúhe may help. Of course, Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool, we‚Äôll probably win; we can buy these Negroes off with a little money and a few small offices; then if you will use your influence for the part with the Southerners, I can confidently predict from four to eight years‚Äô sojourn in Paris.‚Äù
Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool smiled and called her maid as Mr. ¬ÝEasterly went.
“Zora!” She had to call twice, for Zora, with widened eyes, was reading the Washington Post.