Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-12-02
AS SEEN BY MARK TWAIN.
An Account of the Tumult In tho House of
Deputies Oh Thursday.

New York, Nov. 3O.-Mnrk Twain
cables to the World from Vienna:
In the Austrian House of Deputies
on Thanksgiving Day. In the midst Of
n denfening t,lmult. ! saw II motion
read which nobody heard, aud passed
by Nobody knows whom; for, indeed, II
was not passed mt all. 1t was aimed
mt tile ObstructiOnists and placed auto
cratic powers In the hands Of the press
dent. of the Parliament. This was II
victory for the government, but was
unlnwfully won and was simple
usurpntiOn.
he 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.
leries were packed.
l wnH In gallery exactly opposite
the presidents tribune ana had n per-
feet view.
There was not much noise then, but
the atmosphere was charged with sus.
pcnse md expectancy. All the vast
house was holding Its breath. a long
wait. then n stir. craning of nccks
and through door far in the right the
president and vice president entered.
The president rose and II hurricane
of insults and eXccratiOns burst from
the opposition and blew them TO their
places. The right answered back. AMI
both sides roared and shouted and
stormed.
Two dozen Socialists stood In a body
below the ministerial desks. shouted
mp ut the president and shook their
fists furiously at him. He addressed
some words 10 the housc-at least one
couhl see his lips move. and he spread
breast. lf lie Is II tyrant, lie has some
bcsecching persuasive gestures not
seen clcwherc hut 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 red crava;
reached up and snatchcd the prcsi-
dents papers. Another seized his bell.
In II moment they We're fighting and
struggling with uniformed servants of
the house. who elected them. AT the
same time others of their group
s;ormcd up the side of the tribune.
drove out the president and vice prcsi.
dent. and followed them across the
floor. hnmmcring 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 ;he
cravat gathered up an armful of the
presidents papers AMI threw them over
the front like n sort Of snow storm.
Meantime the whole house was howl,
Ing. yelling and hanging on the desks.
\ South African thunderstorm Is solid
silence compared with 1t.
''Iiascnls.' "ScOun,lrcls." those AMI
less delicate cpitlicts filed the air. All
OF n sudden that distant door opened
and down the floor OF the brilliant AMI
superb chamber came drifting the spec
iacle and flash Of sixty spiked he'll
me:s. II was the most thrilling sur
prise l ever saw. l would not have
missed 1t for the succession 10 the
throne.
Moreover. 1t was history and belongs
among the worlds memorable days.
This force was received with n tempest
Of cNecrations from the one party and
with victory notes from the other: yet.
1t was n heavy defeat for nll concerned
The handsome officer In command
cared nothing for the reception. He
went up into the throne and requested
the Socialist garrison TO retire. They
declined.
Then lie stepped aside and his men
pulled. haJIled and dragged the fighting,
struggling garrison down from their
fort and out OF the do0r-and the amnz-
ing drama was finished.