The Washington times., 1904-03-16

Wilder in the House at Washington was
a tradition OF the district It was a cur
rent jest in Little Rock that the prin-
cipaI products of the Fourth Congress
sional district were the Wilders
1t was a kindly. humorous face tina:
Judge Wilder turned on the spectators
"a face very like his sons but older and
less serious. II he had come to re-
slize that life must not be taken too
earnestly In the warm season.
The woman who sat by jefferson VII
der was very usual type OF the renters
wife. One might find fifty like her in
ride through the country Her should
ers were bowed from many days at the
pillow handles. She was dressed neanIy
in cheap cotton stuff Her eyes had the
weary. hopeless detection that comes TO
some women before their time. She had
been pretty once.
There were three children with her
baby OF about eighteen months. a boy
coming on three. and a girl who was
perhaps eight. There were all tow head
ed. sallow little people. and the older girl
looked prematureIy aged. a younger edi-
ton OF her mother even to the droop-
ing corners OF her mouth. The boy
alone had energy to spare. His big eyes
wandered all over the room and took
in everything there was to see. He tug
ged at his mothers skirts and asked
embarrassing questions sudibIy. The
sad-eyed mother listlessly. from force OF
habit. threatened the restless youngster
with the iud-
III you all cayn't be quiet Buddie, I'll
wear you TO a FRAGILE she told him
fretfully
w., ,.,-,,,,s~ xK-i5a. CO, - bfs foot 20
close his case. the audience settled itself
comfortably TO listen. The boy was
trifie nervous. for ne knew that the real
cause at issue was Jefferson Wilder VS..
Failure. His sentences abourded with
the fforid and famboyant oratory in
which the South delights. He knew that
he was doing well. and he thrilled to
the finger tips with exultation. Again
and again his eyes went back to one
sallow. blanched face at the back of the
room-a face which was quite immob-e
except for the fine eyes. Wilder found
himself wondering in the midst of his
demonstrations how the man had acquired
that peculiarly clammy lack of color. He
looked as a man might who had been
buried alive for n time.
The boy took himself very seriously
more seriously than any other persons
in the room took him. except his client.
her old little girl. and the blenched
stranger in the back seat. These three
followed every syllable with a devotion
that was pathetic. Once. when the de-
nunciation II her worthless husband by
the young lawyer grew more than ordi-
narily bitter. the wife sprang to her feet
as II TO protest. but she fell back before
the many curious eyes that were 70
cused upon her.
The man in the back seat grew rest
less under the hot oloquence of the
young Southerner. He writhed beneath
tho words of unmeasured scorn that fell
from the lawyers lips. Every scathing
epithet fell On him like the lash of a
whip across shrinking flesh. The mis-
cry of his totured soul leaped out of
his speaking eyes.
There was a murnur of applause as
Wilder dropped quickly to his seat The
boyish attorney would not look round
but he knew that men were rising from
their seats and craning forward 10 get
another looS at hin. Older attorneys
came up TO offer half humorous but
wholly sincere congratulations TO the
young fellow. Jeff laughed them aside
gaily. but he felt the hot tears rising
to his eyes and he was boistcrously
happy.
He turned to see a man pushing his
way awkwardIy along the aisle to the
front. II was the man he had noticed
sitting near the door. He was dressed
roughly in the usual jeans. shhpeless
felt hat, and brogans. He had rather
= kindly face, though the lank. hanging