The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-13
BY
IRVING BACHELOR
CHAPTER xvllI-continued.
Copyright, by Irving Rachellerl

GF1AF Eh ANtlL-SOHIJHuGQs
-1S-
He had a priceless and unusual tai
emit for avoiding school7reader English
and the arts of defamation and for
preparing a difficult subject to enter
the average brain. The underlying Sc
cret of his power was soon apparent
to 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. 1t
had led him to 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
of mine. I did my work well, II 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. 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 IN
dercurrent of purpose. We felt 1t 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.
I remember that arose before day
light that morning and dressed and
went out on the street to welcome 1t.
had less than six months to wait
for that day appointed by Sally. l had
no doubt that she would be true to me.
I had had my days of fear and depres=
fIer came back n good time
Oh, yes, indeed, Washington was ;
fair Of beauty and gallantry thos,
days. I saw it all. have spent man.
years in the capital, and 1 tell you tn,
girls of that time had manners ant
knew how to wear their clothes, bu
again the magic of old memories KEEP
my lady on her throne. There wa
one Of them-just one of those Others
who, sometimes thought, was almos
as graceful and charming and noble
hearted as Sally, and she liked me,
know, but the ideal Of my you'll
glowed in the light of the early morn
ing, so to speak, and was brighter thai
all others. Above all, had given m,
word to Sally, and-well, you know
the old-time Yankee of good stock wa
fairly steadfast, whatever else ma
be sid of him-often a little to
steadfast as were Ben Grimshaw an
Squire Fullerton.
The senator and went calling tina
New Years day. We saw all tn
great people and some of them wer
more cheerful than they had a RICH
to be. 1t was a weakness Of the time
/ shall not go into details for fear O
p wandering too far from my main roa(
Let me step aside moment to say
however, that there were two cloud
In the sky of the Washington societ
of those days. One was strong drln
and the other was the crude, rough
coated, aggressive democrat from tn
frontiers Of the West. These latte
were often seen in the holiday regal
of farm or village at fashionable funt
lions. Some of them changed slowly
and by and by reached the stage Q
white linen and diamond breastpin
and waistcoats of figured silk.
must be said. however, that their MT
tiyes were always above their taste.
The winter wore away slowly
hard work. Mr.. Van Buren, came dow
to see the senator one day from hi
country seat on the Hudson. The e.
president had been solicited to acceT
the nomination again. know thf
Senator Wright strongly favored th
plan but feared that the South woul
defeat him In convention, it being we
known that Van Buren, was opposed
the annexation of Texas. Howeve
he advised his friend to make figf
for the nomination and this the latte
resolved to do. Thenceforward unit
middle May gave my time largely
the inditing of letters for the senate
In Van Buren's behalf.
The time appointed for the CONVEX
ton in Baltimore drew near. One da
the senator received an intimation tha
he would be put in nomination If Va
Buren failed. Immediately he wrot
to Judge Fine of Ogdensburg, chail
! man of the delegation from the nortl
y ern district Of New York, forbidden
such use Of his name on the groun
that his aequiescence would involve dill
loyalty to his friend the ex-president.
He gave me leave to go to the COZ
vention on my way home to meet Sail.
had confided to Mrs. Wright the d,
tails Of my little love AFFAIR." had I