the National Capitol.”
Col. Sellers did not of course lose the opportunity to impress upon so
influential a person as the Senator the desirability of improving the
navigation of Columbus river. He and Mr. Brierly took the Senator over
to Napoleon and opened to him their plan. It was a plan that the Senator
could understand without a great deal of explanation, for he seemed to be
familiar with the like improvements elsewhere. When, however, they
reached Stone’s Landing the Senator looked about him and inquired,
“Is this Napoleon?”
“This is the nucleus, the nucleus,” said the Colonel, unrolling his map.
“Here is the deepo, the church, the City Hall and so on.”
“Ah, I see. How far from here is Columbus River? Does that stream
empty—-”
“That, why, that’s Goose Run. Thar ain’t no Columbus, thout’n it’s over
to Hawkeye,” interrupted one of the citizens, who had come out to stare
at the strangers. “A railroad come here last summer, but it haint been
here no mo’.”
“Yes, sir,” the Colonel hastened to explain, “in the old records Columbus
River is called Goose Run. You see how it sweeps round the town-forty-
nine miles to the Missouri; sloop navigation all the way pretty much,
drains this whole country; when it’s improved steamboats will run right
up here. It’s got to be enlarged, deepened. You see by the map.
Columbus River. This country must have water communication!”
“You’ll want a considerable appropriation, Col. Sellers.
“I should say a million; is that your figure Mr. Brierly.”
“According to our surveys,” said Harry, “a million would do it; a million
spent on the river would make Napoleon worth two millions at least.”
“I see,” nodded the Senator. “But you’d better begin by asking only for
two or three hundred thousand, the usual way. You can begin to sell town
lots on that appropriation you know.”
The Senator, himself, to do him justice, was not very much interested in
the country or the stream, but he favored the appropriation, and he gave
the Colonel and Mr. Brierly to and understand that he would endeavor to
get it through. Harry, who thought he was shrewd and understood
Washington, suggested an interest.
But he saw that the Senator was wounded by the suggestion.
“You will offend me by repeating such an observation,” he said.
“Whatever I do will be for the public interest. It will require a
portion of the appropriation for necessary expenses, and I am sorry to
say that there are members who will have to be seen. But you can reckon
upon my humble services.”
This aspect of the subject was not again alluded to. The Senator
possessed himself of the facts, not from his observation of the ground,
but from the lips of Col. Sellers, and laid the appropriation scheme away
among his other plans for benefiting the public.
It was on this visit also that the Senator made the acquaintance of Mr.
Washington Hawkins, and was greatly taken with his innocence, his
guileless manner and perhaps with his ready adaptability to enter upon
any plan proposed.
Col. Sellers was pleased to see this interest that Washington had
awakened, especially since it was likely to further his expectations with
regard to the Tennessee lands; the Senator having remarked to the
Colonel, that he delighted to help any deserving young man, when the
promotion of a private advantage could at the same time be made to
contribute to the general good. And he did not doubt that this was an
opportunity of that kind.
The result of several conferences with Washington was that the Senator
proposed that he should go to Washington with him and become his private
secretary and the secretary of his committee; a proposal which was
eagerly accepted.
The Senator spent Sunday in Hawkeye and attended church. He cheered the
heart of the worthy and zealous minister by an expression of his sympathy
in his labors, and by many inquiries in regard to the religious state of
the region. It was not a very promising state, and the good man felt how
much lighter his task would be, if he had the aid of such a man as
Senator Dilworthy.