Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-04
CHAPTER XIV.

Inc closing Oh tne - congress was not un.
like the closing of the several preceding con-
gresses There was the same unbusiness like,
impractical haste; the same hurried, unjust
and utterly inadequate adjustment of unfin-
ished, ill-digested business, that would not have
been tolerated for q moment by the sovereign
people in any private interest they con-
troled. There were frauds rushed through;
there were long-suffering, righteous demands
shelved; there were honest, unpaid debts dis
honored by scant appropriations; there were
closing scenes which only the saving sense Of
American humor kept from being utterly
vile. The actors, the legislators themselves,
knew it, and laughed at it; the commentators,
audience, the great American people, knew it
and laughed at it. And nobody for an in
slant conceived that it ever, under any cir
cumstances, might be otherwise.
The claim of Roscommon was among the
unfinished business. The claimant himself,
haggard, pathetic, importune and obstinate,
was among the unfinished business. Various
congressman, more or less interested in the
success of the claim, were among the unfin-
ished business. The member from Fresno,
who had changed his derringer for speech
against the claimant, was among the unfin-
ished business The gifted Gashwiler, uneasy
in his soul over certain other unfinished bust
ness in the shape of his missing letters, but
dropping oil and honey as he mingled with
his brothers, was king of misrule and lord of
the unfinished business. Pretty Mrs. Hopkin-
son, prudently escorted by her husband, but
imprudently ogled by adniring congressman,
lent the charm of her presence to the finishing
of unfinished business. One or two editors,
who had dreams of finished financial bust
ness arising out of unfinished business, were
there also, like ancient bards. to record with
paean or threnody the completion Of unfin-
ished business Various unclean birds, scent
ing carrion in unfinished business, lowered in
the halls or roasted in the lobby.
The lower house, under the tutelage of the
gifted Gashwiler, drank deeply of Roscom-
the half-empty bottle to the senate as unfin-
ished business. But, alasl in the very rush,
and storm, and tempest of the diminishing
business, an unlooked-for interruption arose
in the person of great senator whose power
none could oppose, whose right to free and
extended utterance at all times none could
gainsay. A claim for poultry, violently
seized by the army of Sherman during his
march through Georgia, from the hencoop of
an alleged loyal Irishman, opened constitu-
tional question, and with it the lips OF the
| great senator.
For seven hours he spoke eloquently, earn
estly, convincingly. For seven hours the old
issues of party and policy were severally
taken M and dismissed in the old forcible rhe-
| toric that had early made him famous. Inter
ruptions from other senator's, now forgetful
of unfinished business, and wild with reani-
mated party zeal interruptions from certain
senators mindful of unfinished business and
unable to pass the Roscommon bottle, only
spurred him to fresh exertion. The tocsin
sounded in the senate was heard in the lower
house. Highly excited members congregated
ut the doors of the senate and left unfinished
business to take care of itself.
Left to itself for seven hours, unfinished
| business gnashed its false teeth and tore its
wig in impotent fury in corridor and hall.
For seven hours the gifted Gashwier had con-
tinued the manufacture OF oil and honey,
whose sweetness, however, was slowly palling
upon the congressional lip; for seven hours
Roscofnrnon and friends beat with impatient
| feet the lobby and shook fists, more or less
discolored. at the distinguished senator. For
seven hours the one or two editors were Obliged
to sit and calmly compliment the great speech
which that night flashed over the wires OF a
| continent with the old electric thrill. And,
worse than all, they were obliged to record
with it the closing of the - congress, with
more than the usual amount of unfinished
business.
A little group of friends surrounded the
great senator with hymns Of praise and con-
gratulations. Old adversaFies saluted him
courteously as they passed by with the re-
spect Of strong men. little woman with
shawl drawn over her shoulders, and held
with one small brown hand, approached him
tunidly:
81 speak not the English WELL" she said
gently. shut have read much. / have read
| in the plays of your Shakespeare would
like to say to you the words of Rosalind to
Orlando when he did fight Sir, you have
wrestled well, and have overthrown more
than your enemies'n And with these words
she was gone.
Yet not so quickly but that pretty Mrs.
Hopkinson, coming--ss yictrix always comes
to Victor to thank the great senator, albeit
the faces of her escorts were shrouded in
| gloom-saw the shawled figure disappear.
aThere," she said, rinching Wiles mischiev-
ously, atherei that's the woman you were
afraid of. Look at her. Look at that dress.
All. heavens, look at that shawl Didn't
tell YOU she had no style"
aWho is sheln said Wiles sullenly.
Carmen de Haro of course, said the lady
vivaciously. awhat are you hurying away
so fort You're absolutely pulling me along"
Mr.. Wiles had inst caught sight Of the
travel-worn face Of Royal Thatcher among
the crowd that thronged the staircase
Thatcher appeared pale and distract; Mr.