She wrote Washington to look for her and Col.
Sellers toward the end of November; and at about the
time set the two travelers arrived safe in the capital
of the nation, sure enough.
She
the, gracious lady, yet no paines did spare
To
doe him ease, or doe him remedy:
Many
restoratives of vertues rare
And
costly cordialles she did apply,
To
mitigate his stubborne malady.
Spenser’s
Faerie Queens.
Mr. Henry Brierly was exceedingly busy in New York,
so he wrote Col. Sellers, but he would drop everything
and go to Washington.
The Colonel believed that Harry was the prince of
lobbyists, a little too sanguine, may be, and given
to speculation, but, then, he knew everybody; the
Columbus River navigation scheme was, got through almost
entirely by his aid. He was needed now to help
through another scheme, a benevolent scheme in which
Col. Sellers, through the Hawkinses, had a deep
interest.
“I don’t care, you know,” he wrote
to Harry, “so much about the niggroes.
But if the government will buy this land, it will set
up the Hawkins family—make Laura an heiress—and
I shouldn’t wonder if Beriah Sellers would set
up his carriage again. Dilworthy looks at it
different, of course. He’s all for philanthropy,
for benefiting the colored race. There’s
old Balsam, was in the Interior—used to
be the Rev. Orson Balsam of Iowa—he’s
made the riffle on the Injun; great Injun pacificator
and land dealer. Balaam’a got the Injun
to himself, and I suppose that Senator Dilworthy feels
that there is nothing left him but the colored man.
I do reckon he is the best friend the colored man
has got in Washington.”
Though Harry was in a hurry to reach Washington, he
stopped in Philadelphia; and prolonged his visit day
after day, greatly to the detriment of his business
both in New York and Washington. The society
at the Bolton’s might have been a valid excuse
for neglecting business much more important than his.
Philip was there; he was a partner with Mr. Bolton
now in the new coal venture, concerning which there
was much to be arranged in preparation for the Spring
work, and Philip lingered week after week in the hospitable
house. Alice was making a winter visit.
Ruth only went to town twice a week to attend lectures,
and the household was quite to Mr. Bolton’s
taste, for he liked the cheer of company and something
going on evenings. Harry was cordially asked
to bring his traveling-bag there, and he did not need
urging to do so. Not even the thought of seeing
Laura at the capital made him restless in the society
of the two young ladies; two birds in hand are worth
one in the bush certainly.
