h the leading business men,--judges, lawyers, and the clergy. She
began to evolve ideas of her own and thanked Heaven every night that she
had been endowed with courage and will-power sufficient to keep her from
turning back from her municipal plough in a panic,--courage enough to
keep her head high and her aim straight in the path that lay in front of
her. She began to draw near the people, to feel a personal interest in
them, to realize the great brotherhood of humanity, and to wonder how
best she might hope to apply the highest social ideals to the everyday
life of her city. Did any man ever take possession of the mayoral chair
with purer hopes or more worthy ambitions?

In the meantime every mail brought her letters more or less
congratulatory in tone. Some predicted a glorious career ahead for her;
some half concealed their disbelief in her ability to fulfill the duties
she was to assume; some openly warned her of the perils of weakness and
demagogue government, or advised her against the institution of radical
reforms.

Socially, she was more in demand than before. Dinners and receptions
demanded her presence as chief guest, while her newly acquired gift of
speech-making was called into requisition on all sorts of occasions. But
the finest social affair of all was the dinner given in her honor by the
"Progressive Workers," on the night before her inauguration. To this
were invited all the notable men and women of Roma, the mayors of the
neighboring cities and the governor of the State, who really attended,
supported by a galaxy of uniformed officers which lent brilliancy by
their glittering stars and bars, if not by their wit and intellect.

Gertrude, arrayed in her finest Paris gown,--a white embroidered crepon
with garniture of exquisite lace,--received the guests at six o'clock,
in line with the governor and the mayors of six other cities, together
with Mrs. Bateman as president of the "P. W.'s", and Judge Bateman of
the City Reform Club. John Allingham had been invited, too, to stand in
line, as the head of the Municipal League, but until the last moment no
answer was received from him.

Gertrude had not seen him since election day. He had been ill after the
election was all over, and unable to go out for a fortnight; and
although he had been strongly tempted to write a note of congratulation
to the new mayor, he was kept back by pride--which in this case, it must
be admitted, was another name for obstinacy