This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ..."Well, who've they got?" asked Mr. Twohig. Considerable attention was certainly beginning to centre in Mayhew, politically. He had cut loose now entirely from the reigning influence of the town, and stood free, independent, and resentful--to a certain degree a recognised centre for the opposition to the administration, and the Thorndike interests behind it. This dark young man with the easily excited glint in his eyes, was a fighter; he talked with an embarrassing directness in debate no matter what degree of local sacredness attached to the subject; his sharp and business-like questions broke into the maundering commonplace of formerly routine measures in a most unpleasant and distracting way. The clumsy administration forces fairly palpitated with bovine alarm, when he opened his attacks. One person took recognition of this new force in local affairs immediately. King Skeane saw possible future developments; and came artfully forward to Mayhew's support--standing in the background, counselling and guiding the new man; manipulating and confusing the opposition. The two men were thrown much together, and had ample opportunity to measure one another. Skeane found the younger man a good instrument--with certain very clearly denned limits; he was too direct to obtain the best results politically; and, when he chose, thoroughly obstinate; beyond a certain point, into certain well-established commonplaces of political practice, he refused to move. From Skeane Mayhew himself learned much; the measure of patience and astuteness which every politician who accomplishes must know; the justifiable concessions which are necessitated by every cause. But beyond that the difference of race-inheritance and training opposed itself. The Calvinist jarred with the Je...