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Harte, Bret, 1836-1902

"Drift from Two Shores"

"
The "All aboard!" of the railway omnibus at this moment tore me
from the presence of this gifted legislator and his protege; but as
we drove away I saw through the open window the powerful mind of
Gashwiler operating, so to speak, upon the susceptibilities of Mr.
Dobbs.
I did not meet him again for a week. The morning of my return I
saw the two conversing together in the hall, but with the palpable
distinction between this and their former interviews, that the
gifted Gashwiler seemed to be anxious to get away from his friend.
I heard him say something about "committees" and "to-morrow," and
when Dobbs turned his freckled face toward me I saw that he had got
at last some expression into it--disappointment.
I asked him pleasantly how he was getting on.
He had not lost his pride yet. He was doing well, although such
was the value set upon his friend Gashwiler's abilities by his
brother members that he was almost always occupied with committee
business. I noticed that his clothes were not in as good case as
before, and he told me that he had left the hotel, and taken
lodgings in a by-street, where it was less expensive.


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