He had always read a Democratic paper, but now he read two, and a Republican organ as well.

His other reading lessened markedly, and the time gained was spent in talking with men in the "district." He even went into the saloons and listened to the discussions.
"I don't drink," he had to explain several times, "because my mother doesn't like it." For some reason this explanation seemed to be perfectly satisfactory.

One man alone sneered at him.

"Does she feed yer still on milk, sonny ?" he asked.

"No," said Peter, "but everything I have comes from her, and that's the kind of a mother a fellow wants to please; don't you think so ?" The sneerer hesitated, and finally said he "guessed it was." So Peter was made one of them, and smoked and listened.