The diamond drill., 1919-04-05


fell from his lips. There were the
thunderous Webster. the grandeur OF
whose sentences no American has
eaualed; the agile-minded Clay, whose
voice was like a silver clarion the far
seeing. fiery Calhoun. OF "the swift
sword'-most formidable In debate
/ hut | was soon 10 learn that neither
nor all OF these men-gifted OF heaven
so highly-could cope with the suave.
/ incislve, conversational sentences OF
Wright. going straight To the heart OF
the subject and laying II bare to his
hearers. That was what people were
I saving 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 ad,
versary.
He had a priceless and unusual tai
ent for avoiding school-reader English
! and the arts OF defamation and for
preparing difficult subject 10 enter
/ the average brain. The underlying se-
cret OF his power was soon apparent
! 10 me. He stood always for that great
thing in America which, since then.
Whitman has called "the divine aggre-
gate" and seeing clearly how every
measure would be likely TO Affect Its
welfare, he followed the compass II
had led him TO a height Of power
above all others and was to lead him
unto the loneliest summit of accom-
! plishment In American history.
Not much In my term OF service
there is important to this little task
or mine. did my work well, IL / may
believe the senator, and grew familiar
with the gentle and ungentle arts OF
the politician.
One great fact grew In magnitude
and sullen portent as the months
passed: the gigantic slave-holding In
terests of the South viewed with grow
ing alarm the spread OF abolition SEN
timent. Subtfy, quietly and naturally
they were feeling for the means to de-
fend and increase their power. Straws
were coming 70 the surface In that
session which betrayed this deep un-
dercurrent OF purpose. We felt IL and
the senator was worried, knew, but
held his peace. He knew how TO keep
his opinions until the hour had struck
that summoned them TO service. The
senator 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. 1874.
/ remember that arose before day
light that morning and dressed and
went out on the street TO welcome II.
had less than six months TO whit
foP that day appointed by Sally. had
no doubt that she would be true TO me.
/ had had my days Of fear and depres-
sion, but always my sublime faith In
her came back In good time.
Oh. yes. indeed. Washington was a
fair of beauty and gallantry those
days. i saw 1t all. have spent many
years In the capital. and tell you the
girls OF that time had manners 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,
know, but the ideal OF my youth
glowed In the light OF the early morn
ing, so TO speak, and was brighter than
all others. Above all, had given my
word TO Sally. and-well, you know
the old-time Yankee OF good stock was
fairly steadfast. whatever else may
be said OF him-often little toe
steadfast. as were Ben Grimshaw anC
Squire Fullerton.
The senator and I went calling that
New Years day. We saw oil the
great people and some OF them were
more cheerful than they had a righ
TO be. II was weakness of the time
, i shall not go into details for fear o.
, wandering too far from my main road
. Let me step aside n moment to say
!, however, that there were two clouds
, in the sky OF the Washington soclet.
, OF those days. One was strong drlnl
and the other was the crude, rough
coated, aggressive democrat from tn
frontiers of the West. These latte
, were often seen In the holiday RECALLS
) of farm or village qt fashionable func
tions. Some OF them changed slowly
, and by and by reached the stage o
, white linen and diamond breastpin
, and waIstcoats OF figured silk.
; must be saId however, that their me
/ tives were always above their taste.
: The winter wore away slowly 4
hard work. Mr.. Van Buren, came dow
1 20 see the senator one day from hi
. country seat on the Hudson. The e1
. president had been solicited to accep
r the nomination again. know tina
0 Senator Wright strongly favored IN
r plan but feared that the South woul
: defeat him I'm convention. Il being we
: known that Van Buren, was opposed
the annexation OF Texas. However
: he advised his friend TO make figh
, for the nomination and this the latte
!. resolved TO do. Thenceforward unit
middle May / gave my time largely I