Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-27
CHAPTER VI.
OF THE MAKING OF LAW

The session, the shortest in the history of the state, and thus far the least eventful, was nearing its close; and the alarmists who had prophesied evil and evil only of the last political victory were fast losing credit with the men of their own camp and with the country at large.
 After the orthodox strife over the speakership of the house, and the equally orthodox wrangle over contest ed seats, the state assembly had set tied down to routine business, de- spatching it with such unheard-of celerity as to win columns of approval from the state press as whole; though there were not wanting few radical editors to raise the ante election cry of reform, and to ask pointedly when it was to begin.
 Notwithstanding the lack of alarms. however, the six weeks had been a period of unceasing vigilance on the part of interests which were supposed to be in jeopardy. Every alien cor poration owning property and doing business in the state had its full quota of watchful defenders on the ground; men who came and went, in the Hobbies of the capitol, in the visi- tors galleries, at the receptions; men who said little, but who saw and heard all things down to the small talk of the corridors and the clubs, and the gossip of the hotel rotundas. David Kent was of this silent army of observation, doing watchdog duty for the Western Pacific; thankful enough, if the truth be told, to have a thing to do which kept him from dwelling overmuch upon the wreck of his hopes But in the closing days of the session, when a despatchful as- sembly, anxious to be quit of its task. had gone into night sittings, the ano- dyne drug of work began to lose its effect.
 The Brentwoods had taken furnished apartments in Tejon avenue. two squares from the capitol, and Kent had called no oftener than good breed ing prescribed. Yet their accessibility, and his unconquerable desire to scar his wound in the flame that caused it, were constant temptations. and he was battling with them for the hun dredth time on the Friday night when he sat in the house gallery listening to a perfunctory debate which con- cerned itself with a bill touching state waterways.
 "Hesvensl This thing Is getting to be little short of desdlyl" fumed Crenshawe. his right-hand neighbor. who was also member of the corps of observation. I'm going to the club for a game of pool Won't you come alons7"
 Kent nodded and left his seat with the bored one. But in the great TO- tunda he changed his mind
 "You'li find plenty of better players than I am at the club he said in ex- tenuatIon. T think I'll smoke a vhiff or two here and go back. They can't hold on much longer for tonight
 Five minutes later. when he had lighted cigar and vas giancing over the evening paper. two other members Of the corporation committee of safety came down from the senate gallery and stopped opposite Rents pillar to struggle into their overooats
 Its precisely as wrote our people tuo weeks agO-a timidity scare. pure and sirple.- one Of them vas saying I've q mind to start home to-norrop. There is nothing doing here, CT go- ing 10 be done-
 No said the oshsr. If # wasn't for Horse Bil Tws7ty-rine. I'd % to- night TheT will sdio1ru to-norror or u07dsr.-
 HOzss Bi1 TrsntT-afns is u1ch ton Eszd to bzrT. was the rezssurizg re5cz-xsr- The cu-Eittee s c1rs- szf Ske hz'I uiI nos be heard of again st shss session If tksf is sI TO1 srs k1szlzE "a for