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quails； in other words； with nothing that had to do with the spiritual
welfare of any citizen； but with clothing and food and material comforts。
My education was progressing。。。。
Though my father revered Plato and Aristotle； he did not； apparently；
take very seriously the contention that that government alone is good
〃which seeks to attain the permanent interests of the governed by
evolving the character of its citizens。〃 To put the matter brutally；
politics； despite the lofty sentiments on the transparencies in
torchlight processions； had only to do with the belly； not the soul。
Politics and government； one perceives； had nothing to do with religion；
nor education with any of these。 A secularized and disjointed world！
Our leading citizens； learned in the classics though some of them might
be； paid no heed to the dictum of the Greek idealist； who was more
practical than they would have supposed。 〃The man who does not carry his
city within his heart is a spiritual starveling。〃
One evening； a year or two after that tariff campaign； I was pretending
to study my lessons under the student lamp in the sitting…room while my
mother sewed and my father wrote at his desk； when there was a ring at
the door…bell。 I welcomed any interruption； even though the visitor
proved to be only the druggist's boy； and there was always the
possibility of a telegram announcing； for instance； the death of a
relative。 Such had once been the case when my Uncle Avery Paret had died
in New York； and I was taken out of school for a blissful four days for
the funeral。
I went tiptoeing into the hall and peeped over the banisters while Ella
opened the door。 I heard a voice which I recognized as that of Perry
Blackwood's father asking for Mr。 Paret； and then to my astonishment； I
saw filing after him into the parlour some ten or twelve persons。 With
the exception of Mr。 Ogilvy； who belonged to one of our old families； and
Mr。 Watling； a lawyer who had married the youngest of Gene Hollister's
aunts； the visitors entered stealthily； after the manner of burglars；
some of these were heavy…jowled； and all had an air of mystery that
raised my curiosity and excitement to the highest pitch。 I caught hold
of Ella as she came up the stairs； but she tore herself free； and
announced to my father that Mr。 Josiah Blackwood and other gentlemen had
asked to see him。 My father seemed puzzled as he went downstairs。。。。 A
long interval elapsed； during which I did not make even a pretence of
looking at my arithmetic。 At times the low hum of voices rose to what
was almost an uproar； and on occasions I distinguished a marked Irish
brogue。
〃I wonder what they want？〃 said my mother； nervously。
At last we heard the front door shut behind them； and my father came
upstairs； his usually serene face wearing a disturbed expression。
〃Who in the world was it； Mr。 Paret？〃 asked my mother。
My father sat down in the arm…chair。 He was clearly making an effort for
self…control。
〃Blackwood and Ogilvy and Watling and some city politicians；〃 he
exclaimed。
〃Politicians！〃 she repeated。 〃What did they want？ That is； if it's
anything you can tell me；〃 she added apologetically。
〃They wished me to be the Republican candidate for the mayor of this
city。〃
This tremendous news took me off my feet。 My father mayor！
〃Of course you didn't consider it； Mr。 Paret；〃 my mother was saying。
〃Consider it！〃 he echoed reprovingly。 〃I can't imagine what Ogilvy and
Watling and Josiah Blackwood were thinking of！ They are out of their
heads。 I as much as told them so。〃
This was more than I could bear； for I had already pictured myself
telling the news to envious schoolmates。
〃Oh； father； why didn't you take it？〃 I cried。
By this time； when he turned to me； he had regained his usual expression。
〃You don't know what you're talking about； Hugh；〃 he said。 〃Accept a
political office！ That sort of thing is left to politicians。〃
The tone in which he spoke warned me that a continuation of the
conversation would be unwise； and my mother also understood that the
discussion was closed。 He went back to his desk； and began writing again
as though nothing had happened。
As for me； I was left in a palpitating state of excitement which my
father's self…control or sang…froid only served to irritate and enhance；
and my head was fairly spinning as； covertly； I watched his pen steadily
covering the paper。
How could hehow could any man of flesh and blood sit down calmly after
having been offered the highest honour in the gift of his community！ And
he had spurned it as if Mr。 Blackwood and the others had gratuitously
insulted him！ And how was it； if my father so revered the Republican
Party that he would not suffer it to be mentioned slightingly in his
presence； that he had refused contemptuously to be its mayor？。。。
The next day at school； however； I managed to let it be known that the
offer had been made and declined。 After all； this seemed to make my
father a bigger man than if he had accepted it。 Naturally I was asked
why he had declined it。
〃He wouldn't take it；〃 I replied scornfully。 〃Office…holding should be
left to politicians。〃
Ralph Hambleton； with his precocious and cynical knowledge of the world；
minimized my triumph by declaring that he would rather be his
grandfather； Nathaniel Durrett； than the mayor of the biggest city in the
country。 Politicians； he said； were bloodsuckers and thieves； and the
only reason for holding office was that it enabled one to steal the
taxpayers' money。。。。
As I have intimated； my vision of a future literary career waxed and
waned； but a belief that I was going to be Somebody rarely deserted me。
If not a literary lion； what was that Somebody to be？ Such an
environment as mine was woefully lacking in heroic figures to satisfy the
romantic soul。 In view of the experience I have just related； it is not
surprising that the notion of becoming a statesman did not appeal to me；
nor is it to be wondered at； despite the somewhat exaggerated respect and
awe in which Ralph's grandfather was held by my father and other
influential persons； that I failed to be stirred by the elements of
greatness in the grim personality of our first citizen； the iron…master。
For he possessed such elements。 He lived alone in Ingrain Street in an
uncompromising mansion I always associated with the Sabbath； not only
because I used to be taken there on decorous Sunday visits by my father；
but because it was the very quintessence of Presbyterianism。 The moment
I entered its 〃portals〃as Mr。 Hawthorne appropriately would have called
themmy spirit was overwhelmed and suffocated by its formality and
orderliness。 Within its stern walls Nathaniel Durrett had made a model
universe of his own； such as the Deity of the Westminster Confession had
no doubt meant his greater one to be if man had not rebelled and foiled
him。。。。 It was a world from which I was determined to escape at any
cost。
My father and I were always ushered into the gloomy library； with its
high ceiling； with its long windows that reached almost to the rococo
cornice； with its cold marble mantelpie