The Dermott news., 1919-06-05
CHAPTER XVIII.
On the Summit.

VII ZIG summit
My mental assets would give me
poor rating, | presume, in the COM
merCe of modern scholarship when |
Went to Washington that autumn with
Senator and Mrs. Wright. Still II was
no Smatterihg that | had. but rather
few broad areas of knowledge which
We're firmly in my possession. My best
asset VAS not mental but spiritual. if |
may be allowed to say it, in all mod
esty. for, therein claim no special adj
vantage, saving. possibly, an unusual
strength of character in my aunt and
uncle. Those days the candles were
lighting the best trails of knowledge
ali over the land. Never has the gen
al spirit Of this republic been IS
high and admirable rs then and little
later. Il was to speak, presently. in
the immortal voices of Whittier Emer-
son, Whitman. Greeley and Lincoln
The dim glow ef the candles had en-
tered their souls and cut Of them came
q light that flied the land and was
seen Of MI mon.
The railroads on which we Travelled
from Utica. the great cities through
which We passed. were a wonder and
an inspiration II me | VAS awed by
the grandeur Of Washington itself. l
took lodgings with the senator and his
wife
Nov Bart" said he. when we had
arrived, I'm going 10 turn you loose
here for a little while before | put har-
less on You. Go about for week or
St and get The lay of the land and The
feel of IT, Mrs. Wright Will be Your
guide until the general situation has
worked It's way into your conscious
hes.
II seemed 10 me that there WAS not
room enough ia my consciousness Ter
the great public buildings and ibc pie
lures and the statues and the vast ma
elmer. Of the government Beauty
ana magnitude have a wonderful Of
feet Whom thcy spring fresh upon the
vision of youth OUT Of the haet, coau-
Try. | saHs 81 The look Of them in my
letters and soon l bean to thiut about
them and tmperfcelly To understand
AAt' ittt ~ itttti iitt tt = IiH' ~ at anu
dramatic stages in my consciousness.
one afternoon we went To hear Sen
9tor Wright speak. He was To an
swer Calhoun on n detail OF the bank
ing laws. The Aaor and galleries were
filed. With what emotion saw him
rise and begin his argument rs all ears
bent 10 hear him, He aimed not AT
popular Seutimcut. in highly finished
rhetoric. rs did Webster. to be quoted
in the school books and repeated on
every platform. Hut mo words Of mine
and | have Used many in the effort
are able To convey IA notion of the
ma~terful ease and charm of his man.
ncr on the floor of the semitic or Of the
singular modesty, courtesy. aptneSS
and simplicity Of his words rs they
fell from his Hips There were the
thGnderous Webster. the grandeur of
y hose sentences no American has
edualed; The agile-miuded Clay. whose
voice WAS like silver clarion: The far
Seoiue fiery Calhoun. Of the swift
sword most Formidable in debate
but | was soon 10 learn that neither
nor all of these mcn-giftcd of heaven
So highly could cope with the suuye.
inytsise. conversational sentences OF
Wright, going straight 10 the heart of
the subject and laying it bare 10 his
hearers. That was what people We're
saying as we left the senate chamber.
late in the evening; that indeed. was
what they We're always saying after
they had heard him answer an ad-
ytrSary.
ITO RE CONTISf+r.D1