The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-15
Senator Quav,s snaeoh.


The city clocks. says the Washington Post,
ehimed the hour Of sixty minutes past 10.
Senator Quay heard the fateful kneH and
arose.
1t was hot day.
Through the open doors of the Senate cham
Der the music OF the Ginning bells came drift
ing with languoroUs sweetness. As the soft
cadences came in the people went out. They
knew their business. One old lady in
tie gallery remained.
she was fast asleep.
BY the side of the senator was a pile OF
PROOF slips and faithful. patient clerk. The
clerk wore graz clothes and a dark and
ualnty mustaehe II was his duty to deal
out the proof slips enc by one-to I'LL the
senator hand, so to speak from a fun deck.
IL was also mount cent upon him to listen
This was his hardest task
laden arr
The senator was talking.
NOBODY heard "a word he uttered. His was
the ghostly remnant Of voice--a vault-lIlxs
far-away sound like the echo of a policeman
tel!lng MS tale of love to a sympathetic
housemaid under the area steps 1t was a
dronlng sound. too, like the distant buzzing
OF bees In an apple orchard in springtime or
the whlrr OF a thrashing machine over on the
neft farm. 1t recalled noon siesta under
some shady oak in the pasture field with a
country scnool house near ty and me chill
dren studying aloud
he senator talked on and on.
Except Tor the coat which he wore all was
quiet. 1t was gaudy, boisterous hilarious
tmng-a brown AMI white plaid Norfolk
Jacket, worn negllgee fashion. and with The
belt rudey dismantled
Despite the loudness Of the coat the old
lady slept on.
An hour passed by
1t was high noon
Shrlil whistles Shreked a surcease of toll
10 the weary laDorer all over this broad and
happy land. Mr.. Quay sought neither food
nor sleep nor cold tea. The ineessant mur-
murlng OF his voice was like unto the worm
that dieth not. -
The uubroken landscape of empty benches
IN the galleries was now diversified py the an
pearance OF three men. TWO of them FASTENED
TO depart. The third remained. He gazed
upon the scene with vacant eyes ana once he
smiled ~
lie was deaf.
III
One o'clock
Senator PETER who listens to everybody
and everything, and who had sat for two
hours like Paul at the feet of Gamaliel. now
Succumoed to fatigue and sought the refresh
ing inspiration OF glass of lemonade in the
Iestaurant relow. Senator Hoar was engaged
In his usual occupation of irving TO make
more trouble among the brethren, Senator
Dixon was writing letters. So was Senator
walsh. Senator Pasco was arranging
pairs.
over in the corner group of democratic
senators told stories to each other Their in
OluGt6lI6 W inc STREAMS OF P1er1an OratOFV
which were gushing forth from the reputli-
can side, was emphasized by lipples of un-
feeling laughter man In the gallery with
a handkerchief around his neck, united its
snowy folds and wiped his brow.
He wore no collar
The faithful clerk, unable to go to lunch
chewed gum.
shiver of surprise spread itself over the
Senate. drowsy doorkeeper, startled by a
SUDDEN noise out OF a sound nap, and aware
that he had relaxed his hold upon duty
descended upon red-headed youth who was
leaning over the gallery with his hat Cpon
the railing, He warned the offender not to
tranSgress the rules of the Senate and the
ed-headed young man obeyed as one in a
trance.
Senator Walsh stopped writing letters.
Half dozen anxious senators. who had
been doing in the cloak room. hurried out to
learn the cause of the connection and the
Vice President raped locdIy for order.
They discovered that Senator Quay had
raised his voice.
grandfather Barrett, fast asleep in his big
arm chair, started as though afflicted with-a
sudden pain Opening his eyes long enough
to see that nowhere in the range of his sight
was the bearer or message, he carefully re-
moved ny that had settled upon the summit
OF his bdld mead. and once more sank to sleep.
Ihus the excitement suosided.
Three o'clock and twenty minutes
Inc unWearled sun slowly descended to-
ward the long. deep green range of Virginia
hills. The yellow disk had turned as red as
blood, as If some dire crisis in the history of
the universe were approaching. The torpe-
scent air grew heavy with pOrtent and with
sleep. The silence Mr.. Quay having changed
his cOat-Was now profound. save that the
CreaElng shoes OF meandering page cut with
their harsh grating the slum berous atmos-
pierre. couple of giddy girls. who had wan
dered into the silent and deserted ga lery bv
mistake: converscd in awed whispers Mr.
Quay 5 lips we're still moving Fainter now.
mere skeletons OF sound, the everlasting flow
OF words was pouring forth
But the end was approaching.
Senator HCac had for several minutes been
showing nervous signs of eruption Now he
broke forth. He suggested that no quorum
was present, and Mr. Power expressed a de-
sire to deliver "a few stray thoughts upon
wool look of relief spread over Mr. Quay
face. he sank into his seat, the faithful clerk
took fresh hold upon his ever present gum
and the roll was called
When it was concluded Mr.. Quay did not
arise.
He had finished the seventh instaIlment of
his speech.