The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-20
!. MONDAY MORNING. ocToBER 90. 1890.

tne Wflstbands of his rcd flannel undorShtre
were plainly visible. He was only one Of
twenty similar pictures. Other Representa-
tives tried to cheer the weary hours with
songs and stories. Poor Taulbee, Of Ken
tucky, who was untimely sent to his long
home two years afterwards, stood in the
man aisle singing in low tone:
Thou sweet gliding Kedron, By thy silver stream.
Our saviour lid wander in tho moonlight
Taulbee was clereym an and sang moth
ing but psalms and hymns. In the cloak
room, however, there were more hilarious
times. Davidson, Of Florida, was the GEN.
ter of attaction. He sang:
She had fine waist and very fine figure,
Which charmed de heart of dis yere nigger;
But, alas alas! my rival came.
Ole bull Sam Johnsing was his name.
Suddenly the representatives were blinded
BY vivid flash OF lightning. It was fol-
lowed by q rattling peal Of thunder. The
sleeping city. Then came the sharp patter
Of rain. The elements without were war
ring.
Il was warm night and the lobby doors
and windows were open: A cool breeze
waited over the floor. The representatives
storm: It was tempest. The wind
was bowling like mad and the rain
was coming down in sheets. Huge
trees in the park below the esplanade
were bending to the gale. The heavens
were one great black blot. The electric
kled like diamonds. Sheets of rain, driven
BY the wind, swept up the hard walks around
the capitol like surf rolling upon the beach.
ZiR-zaR lightning rent the inky sky and
lllumined the landscape. The flashes were
almost binding. By holding your hand
above your eyes, however, glimpses of the
glorious panorama below were caught.
Away to the right of the portioo the
alabaster needle that is the pride Of the
city was revealed in the vivid light. The
instantaneous panoramic views appeared
and reappeared like pictures from an inn
mense stereopticon. As the storm grew
in intensity the clouds began to whiten. A
fierce wind sifted the rain into the faces of
the spectators .s upon the back portico, and
drove many back into the house. The
war of the elements did not disturb the
sleepers, however. They preserved their
knlckerbockers were sprawled over the
speakers steps in somn0lent repose. The
clerk was still drawling the roll-call, not
one member in thirty responding to his
name. The side galleries were empty.
Not ribbon Auttered in any part Of the
negroes, anthracite in blackness, wero
asleep near the clock.
Gradually the warning elements without
subsidized. Eolus scratched the great black
plot from the sky, and the heecy clouds in
its wake vanished. A Ribbous moon shone
at the zenith and threw mellow food Of
light upon the saturated landscape below
It.. 1t touched with renewed beauty the
scenery of two nights before.
The contending representatives trooped
anew to the portico., Lost in rapture they
gazed at natures loveliness. There were
low ordinations of delight. Poor Taulbee
hummed the hymn:
While shepherds watch their hocks By night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord dame down
And glo-o-ory shone around.
The calm beauty of the scene and Taub-
lees quaint music apparently had pacify-
ing effect. After few more roll calls
the contending factions came to an agree
ment, and before three o'clock in the morn
ing the house adjourned. The lights were
turned OF, and the members passed ont by
the marble arch Of the house wing and
slowly crossed the plaza on their way home-
ward: The magnificent marble structu re-
remained bathed in moonlight. its halls
and corridors echoine the tread of its
watchmen. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.
COpyrioht.