The Red Cloud chief., 1907-04-05

WIFI suppressed inquiry lllp IdFtS OF
the men who entered through the con
stantly swinging doors. but not one
face. so eagerly scanned, carried the
message for which he waited. Monot-
onously and mechanically the time
passed. The government. adopting a
neutral attitude. carefully skirted all
dangerous subjects. while the opposi-
ton. acting under Fraide's suggestion.
assisted rather than hindered the pro
grammc of postponement. For the mo-
ment the eagerly anticipated reaSsem-
bling threatened dismal failure, and II
was with a universal movement OF
WEAKNESS and relief that at last the
house rose to dine.
But there are no possibilities so elias
tic as those of politics. At half past Z
the house rose in Il spirit of boredom
ana disappointment, and ut s o'clock
the Hobbies, the dining room, the entire
SPACE Of the vast building, was stirred
into activity by the arrival OF "A single
telegraphic message.
The new development for which
Fraide had waited came indeed, but it
came with n force he had little antici-
pated. With Il thrill of W and CON
sternation men heard and repeated the
astounding news that, while personal
ly exercising his authority on behalf of
British traders. Sir William Brice-
Field. consul general at Meshed, had
been fired ut by a Russian officer and
instantly killed.
The interval Immediately following
the receipt of this Jews was too con
fused for detailed remembrance. Two
ideas made themselves slowly felt-a
deep horror that such an event could
Obtrude itself upon our high civiliza-
ton and a strong personal dlsmay that
so honored. distinguished and esteem
ed n representative as Sir William
Brice-Field could have been allowed to
meet death in SO terrible a manner.
1t was in the consciousness of this
feeling. the consciousness that in his
OWL person he might voice not only
the feelings of his party, but those of
the whole country. that Loder rose an
hour later to make his long delayed
attack.
He stood silent for a moment, as he
had lone on an earlier occasion, but
this time his motive was different.
Reused beyond any feeling of self con
seriousness. he waited as by right for
the full attention of the house: then
quietly. but with self possessed firm
ness. he moved the motion for adjourn
ment.
Like n match to a train of powder
the words set flame to the excitement
that had smoldered for weeks, and in
an atmosphere OF stirring activity, a
scene of such tense and vital concen-
tration as the house has rarely wit
messed, he found inspiration for his
great achievement.
To give Loder's speech in mere words
would be little short Of futile. The
gift of Oratory Is too Elusive, too much
a matter of eye and voice and individ-
uality. to allow of cold reproduction.
To those who heard him speak on that
night of April Is the speech will re-
quire no recalling, and to those who
did not hear him there would be no
substitute in bare reproduction.
In the moment of action 1t mattered
nothing to him that his previous prepa-
rations were to n great extent rendered
useless by this news that had come
with such paralyzing effect. In the
sweeping consciousness Of his own
ability he found added joy in the free
dom 1t opened up. He ceased to con-
slider that by fate he was a Conserva.
tive. bound by traditional convention
alitiss. In that great moment he knew
himself sufficiently n man to exercise
whatever individuality instinct prompt
ed. He forgot the didactic methods by
which he had proposed to show knowl-
edge OF his subject, both as a past and
a future factor in European politics.
With his own strong appreciation of
present things he saw and graspcd the
vast present interest lying beneath his
hand.
For fifty minutes he held the interest
of the house, speaking insiStent," fcS'
lessly, commandlngly on the immnl's
need Of action. He un~hesitaJin"l
pointed out that the news which hIl
just reached England was not 50 m",
an appalling fact as a sinister w'r"'"
to those in whose keeping lay the s'f
of the country's interests. Last W.
a fine touch Of eloquence, he p0'l t.
ute to the stcadfast fidelity OF ST. h
as Sir william Brice- Field, VIII ~'
ever political compllcati0-s
home, pursue their duty uns"
on the Outposts OF the empire,
At his last words there wNs
the silence that marks a P1""
then all Mt once. with v
Drassiye force the storm Of -