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Shop； I managed to push by the sad…eyed； eager…faced crowd of men and
women in the anteroom； and entered the secretary's room； conscious of
having left behind me a great deal of envy and uncharitableness of spirit。
As I opened the door I heard a monotonous flow of Western speech which
I thought I recognized。 There was no mistaking it。 It was the voice of the
Gashwiler。
〃The appointment of this man； Mr。 Secretary； would be most
acceptable to the people in my deestrict。 His family are wealthy and
influential； and it's just as well in the fall elections to have the supervisors
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and county judge pledged to support the administration。 Our delegates to
the State Central Committee are to a man〃but here； perceiving from the
wandering eye of Mr。 Secretary that there was another man in the room； he
whispered the rest with a familiarity that must have required all the
politician in the official's breast to keep from resenting。
〃You have some papers； I suppose？〃 asked the secretary； wearily。
Gashwiler was provided with a pocketful； and produced them。 The
secretary threw them on the table among the other papers； where they
seemed instantly to lose their identity； and looked as if they were ready to
recommend anybody but the person they belonged to。 Indeed； in one
corner the entire Massachusetts delegation； with the Supreme Bench at
their head； appeared to be earnestly advocating the manuring of Iowa
waste lands； and to the inexperienced eye； a noted female reformer had
apparently appended her signature to a request for a pension for wounds
received in battle。
〃By the way；〃 said the secretary； 〃I think I have a letter here from
somebody in your district asking an appointment； and referring to you？
Do you withdraw it？〃
〃If anybody has been presuming to speculate upon my patronage；〃 said
the Hon。 Mr。 Gashwiler； with rising rage。
〃I've got the letter somewhere here；〃 said the secretary； looking
dazedly at his table。 He made a feeble movement among the papers； and
then sank back hopelessly in his chair； and gazed out of the window as if
he thought and rather hoped it might have flown away。 〃It was from a Mr。
Globbs； or Gobbs； or Dobbs； of Remus；〃 he said finally； after a
superhuman effort of memory。
〃Oh； that's nothinga foolish fellow who has been boring me for the
last month。〃
〃Then I am to understand that this application is withdrawn？〃
〃As far as my patronage is concerned； certainly。 In fact； such an
appointment would not express the sentimentsindeed； I may say； would
be calculated to raise active opposition in the deestrict。〃
The secretary uttered a sigh of relief； and the gifted Gashwiler passed
out。 I tried to get a good look at the honorable scamp's eye； but he
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evidently did not recognize me。
It was a question in my mind whether I ought not to expose the
treachery of Dobbs's friend； but the next time I met Dobbs he was in such
good spirits that I forebore。 It appeared that his wife had written to him
that she had discovered a second cousin in the person of the Assistant
Superintendent of the Envelope Flap Moistening Bureau of the
Department of Tape； and had asked his assistance； and Dobbs had seen
him； and he had promised it。 〃You see；〃 said Dobbs； 〃in the performance
of his duties he is often very near the person of the secretary； frequently in
the next room； and he is a powerful man； sira powerful man to know； sir…
…a VERY powerful man。〃
How long this continued I do not remember。 Long enough； however；
for Dobbs to become quite seedy； for the giving up of wrist cuffs； for the
neglect of shoes and beard； and for great hollows to form round his eyes；
and a slight flush on his cheek…bones。 I remember meeting him in all the
departments； writing letters or waiting patiently in anterooms from
morning till night。 He had lost all his old dogmatism； but not his pride。
〃I might as well be here as anywhere； while I'm waiting；〃 he said； 〃and
then I'm getting some knowledge of the details of official life。〃
In the face of this mystery I was surprised at finding a note from him
one day； inviting me to dine with him at a certain famous restaurant。 I
had scarce got over my amazement； when the writer himself overtook me
at my hotel。 For a moment I scarcely recognized him。 A new suit of
fashionably…cut clothes had changed him； without； however； entirely
concealing his rustic angularity of figure and outline。 He even affected a
fashionable dilettante air； but so mildly and so innocently that it was not
offensive。
〃You see；〃 he began； explanatory…wise； 〃I've just found out the way to
do it。 None of these big fellows； these cabinet officers； know me except
as an applicant。 Now； the way to do this thing is to meet 'em fust
sociably； wine 'em and dine 'em。 Why； sir；〃he dropped into the
schoolmaster again here；〃I had two cabinet ministers； two judges； and a
general at my table last night。〃
〃On YOUR invitation？〃
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〃Dear； no！ all I did was to pay for it。 Tom Soufflet gave the dinner
and invited the people。 Everybody knows Tom。 You see； a friend of
mine put me up to it； and said that Soufflet had fixed up no end of
appointments and jobs in that way。 You see； when these gentlemen get
sociable over their wine； he says carelessly； 'By the way； there's So…and…so…
…a good fellowwants something； give it to him。' And the first thing you
know； or they know； he gets a promise from them。 They get a dinner
and a good oneand he gets an appointment。〃
〃But where did you get the money？〃
〃Oh；〃he hesitated；〃I wrote home； and Fanny's father raised fifteen
hundred dollars some way； and sent it to me。