The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-05-23

mick TO plead for a share. happen
ed TO be with him In the Capital City
Hotel bar when Cassidy came up, and
herhming and having, explained how
he and his fellow insurgents felt.
Domlnick's veins seemed cords
straining TO bind down demon strug'
Cling to escape. ats back to the
bench you go. Pat Cassidy-back to
the bench where | found YOU" he
snarled. with a volley Of profanity
and sewage. IL don't know nothing
about this here bill except that It's
for the good of the party. Go back
TO that gang OF damned wharf rats.
and tell EN-. II hear another squeak.
I'll put 'em where got EN-"
Cassidy shrank away with a fur
tive glance OF envy and hate at me,
whom Dominick treated with peculiar
conslderation-I think II was be-
cause ] was the only man OF educa-
tlon OF any pretensions 10 family
In Official position In his machine. He
used TO like TO class himself and me
together as I'VE gentlemen" In con.
trast TO them muckers." meaning my
colleagues.
Next day. Just before the voting
began. Dominlck seated himself at the
front OF the governors gallery-the
only person in t. I see him now as
he looked that day-black and heavy.
jawed and scowling. leaning forward
and both forearms on the railing. and
his big. fat chin resting on his up
turned. stubby thumbs lie was
there 10 see that each OF u.s. his crea-
lures. dependent absolutely upon him
for our political lives. should vote as
he had sold us In block. There was
no chance 20 shirk or even TO squirm.
AS the roll-call proceeded. one after
another. seven Of US. obeyed that will
frowning from the gallery-jumped
through the hoop OF fre under the
quiyering lash. I was the eighth on
the roll.
saylerl" How my name echoed
through that horrible sllencel
could not answer. Gradually every
face turned toward me- could see
them. could feel them. aud. 10 make
bad enough worse. yielded 20 an i'm.
perous fascination. the fascination OF
that incarnation OF brutepower-
power OF muscle and power OF Will
I turned my eyes upon the amazed.
furious eyes OF my master. II seem.
ed 10 me that his lips must give pass
age 10 the oaths and Nth swelling be-
meath his chest. and seethlng behind
his eyes.
"sayler!" repeated the clerk In a
voice that exploded within me.
Mo-" shou,ed-not in answer
10 the clerk. but In denial Of that in.
solont master.to-dog command from
the beast In the gallery.
The look In his eyes changed TO re-
lief and oontemp,uous approval.
There was a murmur OF derision from
my fellow members. Then I remem.
bered that a negative was. al that
stage Of the bill. q vote for It'll had
done Just the reverse OF what In.
tended. The roll-cali went on. and I
sat debating with myself Prudence.
inclination. the natural timidity OF
youth. tho utter futiiity Of opposition.
fear. above AL else. fear-these Join.
ed In bidding me let my vote stand
a. cast On the other side stood my
notion OF self.respect. felt must
then and there and for ever decide
whether I vas a thing or q man. Yet.
again and agAin had voted for meas.
Ues Just a. corrupt-had voted for
them with no protest beyond q cyni.
cal shrug and n wry look. Eve-J man.
even the larest N b. IL 20 continue
70 count a. one" must have a point
where he draws the line beyond which
he will not go. The liar must have
things be will not lie about. the thief
things he will not steal. the eompro-
miscr things he will not compromise.
the practical man OF the pulpit. IN
politics. In business. In the profcs.
sor's chair. or editorial tribune. things
he viii not sacrifice. whatever the
cost That IL practical honor" I
had reached my line OF practical
honor. my line between possible com.
promise and certain decentralization.
And realized a.
When the rolicali ended rose.
and. In q voice that knew was irm
and clear. said: Mr. Speaker. I
voted In the negative by mistake. I
wish my vote 10 be recorded In the
Affirmative. am against the bill"
Amid n fearful silence took my
seat With q suddenness that made
me leap. a Wild and crazy assembly.
man. motel a. the crank Of that ses-
sion. emitted . fantastic yell Of On.
thusiasuo approval. Again Shere vas
that silence: then the tension 81 the
assembly. ncor and crowded galleries.
burst forth In q storm OF hystsrical
laughter.
I wish I could boast how brave I
felt AZ reversed my vote. how In.
difercp< 10 that tempest Of moctery.
and how strong AZ ! went forth 10
meet my master and hear my death
warrant hut cant. In honssty-rm
only 4 human being. not a hero. and
these are my confessions. not my
professions So I must relate that
I