The state herald., 1897-12-03
AS SEEN BY MARK TWAIN.
An Account Of the Tumult In the House of
Deputies on Thursday.

New York, Nov. 30.-AInrk Twain
cables to the World from Vienna:
In the Austrian House of Deputies
on Thanksgiving Day. in the midst ol
II deafening tumult, | saw u motion
read which nobody heard, and passed
by nobody knows whom; for, indeed, Il
was not passed nj all. II was aimed
ut the obstructiOnists and placed auto
cratic powers In the hands of the pres.
dent. of the Parliament. This was a
victory for the government, hut was
unlawfully won aud was II simple
usurpation.
Naturally, Saturdays session would
be historical. went early, arriving
when the house was empty. In half an
hour two or three hundred members
We're present on the floor and the gal
}erics We're packed.
] was in u gallery exactly opposite
the presidents tribune and had Il per
feet view.
There was not much noise then. bu'
the atmosphere was charged with sus-
pensc and expectancy. All the vast
house was holding its breath. a long
wait, then a stir. n craning of neckS
and through n door far In the right the
president and vice president entered,
The president rose and n hurricane
of insults and cXecrntions burst from
the opposition and blew them 10 their
places. The right answered back, AMI
both sides roared and shouted and
stOrmed.
Two dozen Socialists stood In Il body
below The ministerial desks, shouted
up nj the president and shook their
fists furiously at him. He addressed
some words TO the house-at least one
could see his lips move, and he spread
his large hands deprccatingly over his
breasG IL lie is n tyrant. he has sont
bcseeclling persuasive gestures no.
seen elewhere but among the angels
That holy gesture seemed TO madden
the Socialists.
All of them plunged over the barriers
and up through the ministerial desks
and benches. One In II red craval
reached up and snatchcd the presi-
dents papers. Another seized his bell
In u moment they We're fighting and
struggling with uniformed servants of
the house, who elected them. At the
same time others of their group
stormcd up the side Of tile tribune,
drove out the president and vice presi-
dent. and followed them across the
floor, hamIncring the latter with their
fists. But saw no blow actually reach
the president. The Socialists came
back, occupied the presidents tribune
and held 1t like fort. The man in the
cravat gathered up an armful of the
presidents papers and threw them over
The front like II sort of snow Storm.
Meantime the whole house WAS howl
ing. yelling and banging on the desks
\ South African thunderstorm * solid
silence compared with il.
"R;iscals." "Scoundrels." those AMI
less delicate cpithcts filled the air All
of, II sudden that distan, door opened
S1d down the floor of the brilliant and
l':pcrb chamber came drifting the spec
iaclc and dash Of sixty spiked hel-
meis. II was the most thrilling sur
prise | ever saw l would not have
missed ID for the succession TO The
throne.
Moreover. II was history and belongs
the worlds memorable days.
This force was received with n tempest
Of execraiions from-the one party and
with victory notes from the other; yei.
Il was Il heavy defeat for all concerned.
The handsome officer In command
cared nothing for the reception. lie
went up into tile throne and requested
he Socialist garrison 10 retire. They
declined.
Then he stepped aside and his men
,ullcd. hauled and dragged the fighting,
garrison down from their
Tort and out of the door-and the ainaZ-
ng drama was finished.