“Well,” said Mr. Crewe, “you needn't have torn 'em up on my account. I travel on the pass which the Northeastern gives me as a legislator, and I'm thinking seriously of getting Mr. Flint to send me an annual, now that I'm in politics and have to cover the State.”
“We thought you were a reformer, Mr. Crewe,” the Honourable Brush Bascom remarked.
“I am a practical man,” said Mr. Crewe; “a railroad man, a business mark and as such I try to see things as they are.”
“Well,” said General Doby, who by this time had regained his usual genial air of composure, “I'm glad you said that, Mr. Crewe. As these gentlemen will tell you, if I'd had my wish I'd have had you on every important committee in the House.”
“Chairman of every important committee, General,” corrected the Honourable Jacob Botcher.
“Yes, chairman of 'em,” assented the general, after a glance at Mr. Crewe's countenance to see how this statement fared. “But the fact is, the boys are all jealous of you—on the quiet. I suppose you suspected something of the kind.”
“I should have imagined there might be some little feeling,” Mr. Crewe assented modestly.
“Exactly,” cried the general, “and I had to combat that feeling when I insisted upon putting you at the head of National Affairs. It does not do for a new member, whatever his prominence in the financial world, to be pushed forward too quickly. And unless I am mighty mistaken, Mr. Crewe,” he added, with his hand on the new member's shoulder, “you will make yourself felt without any boosting from me.”
“I did not come here to remain idle, General,” answered Mr. Crewe, considerably mollified.
“Certainly not,” said the general, “and I say to some of those men, 'Keep your eye on the gentleman who is Chairman of National Affairs.'”