Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-03
CHAPTER xVIv.
(Continued.)

One afternoon we went to hear
Senator Wright speak. He was to
answer Calhoun on a detail OF the
banking laws. The floors and gal
leries were filled. With what emo
ton I saw him rise and begin his
argument as all ears bent to hear
him! He aimed not at popular
sentiments in highly finished rhet-
oric, as did Webster, to be quoted
in the school-books and repeated
on every platform. But no words
of mine-and l have used many in
the effort-are able to convey a
notion of the masterful ease and
charm of his manner on the floor
of the senate or of the singular
modesty, courtesy, aptness and sim
plicity of his words as they fell
from his lips. There were the
thunderous Webster, the grandeur
of whose sentences no American
has equaled; the agile-mlnded Clay,
whose voice was like silver clar-
ion; the far-seeing, fiery Calhoun,
of "the swift sword-most formid-
able in debate-but l was soon to
learn that neither nor all of these
men-gifted of heaven so highly
could cope with the suave, incisive,
conversational sentences of Wright,
going straight to the heart of the
subject and laying it bare to his
hearers. That was what people
were saying as we left the senate
chamber, late in the evening; that,
indeed, was what they were always
saying after they had heard him
answer an adversary.
He had a priceless and unusual
talent for avoiding school-reader
English and the arts of declama-
ton and for preparing difficult
subject to enter the average brain.
The underlying secret of his power
was soon apparent to me. He
stood always for that great thing
IN America which, since then, Whit
man has called "the divine aggre-
gate" and seeing clearly how ev-
cry measure would be likely to af-
feet it's welfare, he FOLLOWED the
compass. 1t had led him to a
height of power above all others
and was to lead him unto the lone
Hest summit of accomplishment in
American history.
Not much in my term of service
there is important to this little task
of mine. / did my work well, if l
may believe the senator, and grew
familiar with the gentle and I'M
gentle arts of the politician.
One great fact grew in magni-
tude and sullen portent as the
months passed: the gigantic slave
holding interests of the south
viewed with growing alarm the
spread of abolition sentiment.
Subtly, quietly and naturally they
were feeling for the means to de-
fend and increase their power.
Straws were coming TO the surface
in that session which betrayed this
deep undercurrent of purpose. We
felt il and the senator was worried
I knew, but held his peace. He
knew how to keep his opinions I'M
til the hour had struck that sum-
moned them to service. The sena-
tor never played with his lance. BY
and by Spencer openly sounded the
note OF. conflict.
The most welcome year of my
life dawned on the first of January,
lCtt. IAllI L bN~
fore daylight that morning and
dressed and went out on the street
to welcome it.
I had less than six months to
wait for that day appointed by
Sally. I had no doubt that she
would be true to me. | had had
my days of fear and depression, but
always my sublime faith in her
came back in good time.
Oh, yes, indeed, Washington was
fair of beauty and gallantry those
days. I saw it all. l have spent
many years in the capital and l tell
you the girls of that time had man
ners and knew how to wear their
clothes, but again the magic of old
memories kept my lady on her
throne. There was one of them
just one of those others who,
sometimes thought, was almost as
graceful and charming and noble
hearted as Sally. and she liked me
I know, but the ideal of my youth
Flowed in the light of the early
morning, d, so to speak, and was
brighter than all others. Above all.