It was related of
North that he always thriftily passed his cigars by his own hand and
counseled the recipient: "Help yourself! Take all you want! Take two!"
The guests adopted the comfortable attitude that Corson had dropped down
home to Marion to pay a debt which he owed to his constituents, and they
all jumped in with alacrity to help him pay it.
While the orchestra played and the ware of the buffet clattered, the
joyous voices of the overwhelming majority gave Senator Corson to
understand that he was the idol of his people and the prop of the state.
The minority kept her mouth closed and her teeth were set hard.
The minority was racked by agony that extended from finger-tips to
shoulder.
The minority was distinctly groggy.
This minority was compassed in the person of a single young and handsome
matron who was Mrs. J. Warren Stanton in her home city Blue Book, and
Doris in the family register of Father Silas Daunt, and "Dorrie" in the
good graces of Brother Coventry Daunt.
In addition she was the close friend, the social mentor, the volunteer
chaperon for Lana Corson, whose mother had become voicelessly and meekly
the mistress of the Corson mausoleum, as she had been meekly and
unobtrusively the mistress of the Corson mansion.
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