The Washington herald., 1907-10-18
Copyright 1907 by The Washington Herald Company

I and seemed the epitome OF the spring
] She was smiling and talking to the
French ambassador. who was leaning
over toward her To Alicias miserable
! eyes It seemed as If Lady Carlyon were
there to fiaunt her happiness her splen-
| did position her youth and beauty, in
the face Of the storm and shpwreck
which would that day befall Alicia March
and her husband.
/ 1t was still half an hour before the Vice
/ Presidents gaYel would fall, and II was
one of the most painful half hours in Ali
cia Marchs life. She covered behind her
/ neighbOrs and dreaded 10 be seen, while
| Lady Carlyon seemed to court the atten-
ton Of which she was the object. Pre-
cisely at y o'clock the Senate was called
TO order and the chaplain offered a short
prayer. Just az the prayer was con-
Guided, Senator March entered the cham
Der. Except for his Ceathly pallor he gave
no indication Of what he had undergone.
nor of the ordeal before him. He walked
TO his desk ana sat down; every eye was
/ fixed upon him, but there was some pre-
tence OF beginning routine business. When
he rose and, catching the Vice Presidents
/ eye, asked to be heard upon a point Of
the highest privilege, the Vice President
/ bowed, and Instantly silence like that Of
death fell upon the Senate chamber Sen
at0r March spoke in a perfectly composed
manner, and hts voice. though low and
agreeable, had carrying power which
made II distinctly audible In every part Of
the vast hall and galleries. He alluded
TO the publication Of the charges affect
/ ing him, and then declared without
quaver, that there was enough Of truth
/ in them 10 make it advisable that he
should resign his seat IN the Senate, add
/ ing that he had already teiegraphed his
resignation to the governor Of the State
/ he had nothing to say In extenuation, and
/ only one thing TO say In explanation; this
last was that he alone was concerned in
the a. F, & o. transactions.
There have been certain innuendos."
/ he said. raising his voice slightly.
! against an innocent person. a perfectly
innocent and helpless person. whom
I now appear to defend. To bring, even
/ by implication. the name Of this person
/ into this matter was most cruel and un-
1 justihable, and ! hereby protest against
| IL with all my might / ask no consider
alton for myself, but I demand II for
/ that misjudged and blameless person who
/ has been attacked under the cover Of the
public press. I leave this chamber never
/ 10 return 10 IL, If a lifetime OF regret
can atone for what I now feel, was no;
( the proper use OF my position as senator,
/ these acts Of mine Will be atOned. I can
| say no more, and can say no less"
/ The whole incident did not occupy five
minutes. The breathless silence was
maintained as Senator March came out
! into the aisle and bowed low to the Vice
/ President, by whom the bow was scrupu-
/ lously returned. and at the same moment,
acting by q common impulse. every SEN
ator rose 70 his feet. this was followed
by sound Ike the waves upon the sea-
shore, foT every spectator IN the CALLER
les also rose. moved by that spectacle OF
the most high-minded OF men taking upon
I himself the burden Of another's guilt.
Senator March stopped for a moment and
glanced around the chamber ia which he
had had a place for nearly fifteen years.
! The great wave Of sympathy and respect
made itself obvious TO him The color
rushed % his pale face, and then as sud
I denly departed. leaving him whittier than
/ before. he walked with a steady step
toward the door. and the dOorkeepers. n
/ throwing the leaves wide open for him.
/ bowed low, with a salute which Senator
( March returned with unbroken courtesy.
/ Then the silence was broken by faint
cry and commotion IN the public gal
lery; Il was thought that some one over
come by the crowd and excitement had
tainted Not so; IL was Alicia March who
had uttered that faint cry. but the next
moment she had slipped through the door
and was making her way swiftly out OF
the place. No one stopped her or even
recognized her, and she made her way to
the ground-fioor entrance. where Senator
March's carriage was drown up. She saw
her husband pass out directly in front Of
her His step was still steady and HIS
iron cOmposure had not deserted him.
He entered the waiting carriage. which
was driven rapidly of. and when II was
out Of sight down the HILL Alicia crept
forth and stepped into the shabby cab.
in which the most luxurious Of women
had gone, as II were, to the place Of ex-
ecution.