habitual serenity,
noted that a fund of good will was accruing to the party through the
personal popularity of the new executive, and smilingly assured the
reporters, who scented a quarrel, that Shelby was the right man in the
right place. He found no thorn in a special message reminding the
fortnight-old Legislature that, with the chief financial measures yet
untouched, the bills already introduced called for the outlay of
millions; nor did the speedy pruning of several sinecures, one of which
was held by that tried veteran, Jacob Krantz, dash his cheery
confidence. Krantz and the ousted were quietly found corporate
business openings of glittering promise, and the campaign slogans were
proved no mere catch-vote generalities.

Meanwhile the ancient city of Albany privily assorted its impressions
of Shelby's wife, and awaited the dictum of Mrs. Teunis Van Dam.
Although it was by deeds, rather than speech, that she made her
judgments public, Mrs. Van Dam among her intimates did not deny herself
the luxury of a stout opinion vigorously expressed.

"Mrs. Shelby's a fool," asserted the old lady in her positive way to
Canon North, "but, after all, one of our own church people and the
governor's wife."

"Either claim is weighty," smiled North; "tenderness for the family
skeleton, respect for the state. United they're irresistible." For a
social autocrat the canon took his position simply. Indeed he would
have been rather astonished to learn that he was anything of the kind.
"But the governor--he's genuine," he continued musingly; "I'm drawn to
the man. He seems to me a power to be reckoned with--presidential
timber, perhaps. Of course all our governors are heirs apparent by
virtue of their office; but unlike so many of them, he isn't of a
stature to be dwarfed by the suggestion. I think him rather
Lincolnesque in a way, though I don't press the comparison. Perhaps
it's merely his smile--have you noticed it?--the 'sad and melancholy
smile on the lips of great men' that Amiel tells us is the badge of the
misunderstood."

"Pshaw!" returned Mrs. Van Dam. "I've known two or three great men who
wore sad smiles. When a disordered liver wasn't at the bottom of it
'twas the wife."

North gave over the argument.

"Nobody would impeach Shelby's liver," he laughed. "He's as robust as
a patent medicine witness after taking."

"Oh, I don't accuse Mrs. Shelby," rejoined Mrs. Van Dam, quickly. "The
governor's smile isn'