Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-07-20
A Job In the
Senate 3,
Chamber Sweet
Copyright. 1905, by Frank II. Sweet

the door, expectant, impatient, though
the visitors gallery would not be open
to the public until IL She drew from
her belt the one remaining link Of
| former opulence 1t still lacked ten
minutes, and she slipped the watch
back with scarcely breathed sigh.
| Why had she come here at all. she
thought accusingly? She would he bet
| ter visiting the stores in search OF a
position as clerk; there were surely
some business houses she had not yet
| been in And-and besides
Her eyes were brighter, and flush
| came and descended 10 her lips In
| soft, evancscent smile that was more
| like the smile of the old days before
| the usefulness came.
She had been standing ut the post
office door, and he had looked precisely
as he had that day when he parted
from them in the Arizona canyon, he q
pennilcss prospcctor and her father an
extensive mine owner. And he had not
forgotten. Even before she saw him
he had sprung from carriage With
out FtplfN 10 MS hplNC~. oht "''' N'iAi
ing up the postoiice steps with out
stretched hands.
Good heavens. You here. Muriel-
Miss Ashburton." he had cried, with Il
gladncss in his voice which he did not
attempt to conceal and which brought
an answering color to her face and
light to her eyes. There had been
l.,g,ty
and hand pressure. but she had often
thought of him in these later dreary
years and was glad 10 know he had
remembered her. II looked for you
crywhere-evcrywh he had con-
tlnued. "but without Il c!ew | was
AFRAID yon had gone from my life.
Eut parIon me; we cannot talk here,
and | have great deal to say. May
! call on you Mt once-this evening!
Is your father here
MY father is dead" she had man
aged TO say. Her brain had been III
whirl. htx heart in tunuf. What
did it all mean? What was this inn
pctuous mailman saying. Implying: by
n strong effort she had controlled her
self
YES, YOU may call" she had an
swered in a low voice. II will he
glad to see you" And she had given
him the number of the house in which
she rented one small room.
Thank you. viii he there early. l
would ask to go back with you now,
but | have an appointment which is
already overdue. Isn't it providential,
though. this meeting? have been in
Washington only three days, and to
turn up against you like this
Have you employment here?" she
had asked for want of something bet
ter to say.
"Yes, temporarily; job In the SEN
ate chamber. You remember / was a
jack of all trades from a farm boy to
an impecunious prospector, with occa-
sional dabs at fresco painting and jour
nalism to help me through college, But
will not detain you here in the wind
any longer" !
She had watched him spring into the
carriage and drive away, an odd light
in her eyes and warm color in her
checks. AS she went down the side
walk she laughed softly. Eight years
before she would not have been like
this. Evidently he was without any
regular employment, just doing some
temporary work in the senate chamber
-fresco painting probably, for he had
spoken of being familiar with that. At
first, from his being in the carriage
holding the horses she had thought he
might be Il coachman, waiting for his
employers return. But after all. what
did it matter? Coachman or painter or
impecunious prospector he was warm
hearted and honest and ambitious She
coulu read that in his eyes and in the
strong. full grasp Of his hands. And
he had remembered her and-und cared
for her 1t was beautiful to know that
in the hurrying, Indifferent world there
was one who still thought of her and
cared for her a little. The manner or
lack of employment was such small
matter compared with that Knowl-
edge of life soon leveled such petty dis
tinctions
Almost unconsciously her steps had
turned toward the capitol The only
alternative seemed IA continuation OF
her search for employment, and, some
how, she Slrank from that just now.
even though she had been restricting
herself TO Il single meal day for
week. She would celebrate the finding
OF friend II was opening day at the
senate chamber and would be unusual
ly interesting, and perhaps She might
see this friend himself or some of the
work he had been doing
TteFe "aS "a 2uid@u <tsr IN ,he itae
ahead Of her, and she felt herself being
pushed forward, The door was open
nj last, and foot by foot, yard by yard.
she was being impelled toward IT, But
when she entered every seat was taken,
and she could only crowd herself into
the narrow space behind the last row.
She could see the chaplain and n few
of the senators on the far side Of the
chamber and upon the few desks in
sight gorgeous display Of flowers.
Presently she heard the opening
prayer and bowed her head Then
there was a confusion of voices. with.
quick, crisp sentences from one desk
and another, followed by a short recess