‚ÄúYou‚ÅÝ‚Äîand not stuff, but ‚ÄòEducation‚Äô will be your natural theme. Indeed, they have so engineered it that the party chiefs expect from you a defence of their dropping of the Educational Bill.‚Äù
“What!”
“Yes, and probably your nomination will come before the speech and confirmation after.”
Bles walked the floor excitedly for a while and then sat down and smiled.
“It was a shrewd move,” he said; “but I think I thank them for it.”
“I don’t. But still,
“ ‘ ’Tis the sport to see the engineer hoist by his own petar.’ ”
Bles mused and she watched him covertly. Suddenly she leaned over.
“Moreover,” she said, “about that same date I’m liable to lose my position as teacher.”
He looked at her quickly, and she explained the coming revolution in school management.
He did not discuss the matter, and she was equally reticent; but when he entered the doors of his lodging-place and, gathering his mail, slowly mounted the stairs, there came the battle of his life.
He knew it and he tried to wage it coolly and with method. He arrayed the arguments side by side: on this side lay success; the greatest office ever held by a Negro in America‚ÅÝ‚Äîgreater than Douglass or Bruce or Lynch had held‚ÅÝ‚Äîa landmark, a living example and inspiration. A