human
I'm half sorry, he said one day,
gpt
There was Armstrong, Edith suggested,
human
But it looks sort of silly for a fellow who has a wife to go to school, unless, said Jack, with a laugh,
gpt
I rather think, Jack --she spoke musingly--
human
You would have nice company!
gpt
But it's the noblest career--government, legislation, trying to do something to make the world better. Jack, I don't see how the men of New York can stand it to be governed by the very worst elements.
human
My dear, you have no idea what practical politics is.
gpt
I've an idea what I'd make it. What is the good of young men of leisure if they don't do anything for the country? Too fine to do what Hamilton did and Jay did! I wish you could have heard my father talk about it. Abdicate their birthright for a four-in-hand!
human
Or a yacht,
gpt
Well, I don't see why a man cannot own a yacht and still care something about the decent management of his city.
human
There's Mavick in politics.
gpt
Not exactly. Mavick is in office for what he can make. No, I will not say that. No doubt he is a good civil servant, and we can't expect everybody to be unselfish. At any rate, he is intelligent. Do you remember what Mr. Morgan said last winter?
human
No; you said he was a delightful sort of pessimist.
gpt
Mr. Morgan said that the trouble with the governing and legislation now in the United States is that everybody is superficially educated, and that the people are putting their superficial knowledge into laws, and that we are going to have a nice time with all these wild theories and crudities on the statute-book. And then educated people say that politics is so corrupt and absurd that they cannot have anything to do with it.
human
And how far do you think we could get, my dear, in the crusade you propose?
gpt
I don't know that you would get anywhere. Yet I should think the young men of New York could organize its intelligence and do something. But you think I'm nothing but a woman.
human
I had thought that; but it is hard to tell, these days. Never mind, when we go back to town I'll stir round; you'll see.