The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-06-19
CHAPTER XVIII.
On the Summit.

My mental assets would give me
poor rnting, I presume, in the COM
merce cf modern scholarship when ]
went to Washington that autumn with
Senator and Mrs. Wright. Still It was
no smattering that had, but rather a
few broad areas Of knowledge which
were firmly in my possession. My best
asset was not mental but spiritual. II
may be allowed to eay 1t. In all mod
esty, for, therein claim no special ad-
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 lnnd. Never has the gen.
eral spirit Of this republic been so
high and admirable as then and little
later. 1t was to speak, presently, In
the immortal voices of Whittier. Emer.
son, Whitman. Greeley and Lincoln.
The dim glow of the candles had Gu.
tered their souls and out of them came
a light that filled the land and was
seen of all men.
The railroads on which we Travelled
from Utica. the great cities through
which we passed. were q wonder and
an inspiration to me. was awed BY
the grandeur Of Washington ITSELF.
took lodgings with the senator and hil
wife.
"Now, Bart" said he. when we had
arrived, "I'm going to turn you loos(
here for little Voile before put har
ness on you. Go about for week o.
so and get the lay Of the land and tn,
feel of 1t. Mrs. Wright will be you
guide until the general situation hal
worked Its way into your conscious
. ness"
! 1t seemed to me that there was no
room enough in my consciousness 70
the great public buildings and the ris
lures and the statues and the vast ma
chlnery Of the government. Beaut,
J and magnitude have q wonderful Of
feet when they spring fresh upon tn
vision of youth out of the back coun
, try. / sang of the look of them In mi
} letters Qnd soon began to think abou
: them and imperfectly to understan
them. They had their epic. lyric an
dramatic stages In my consciousness
q One afternoon we went to hear Ser
! at0r Wright speak. He was to nr
swer Calhoun on detail Of the bani
ing laws. The floor and galleries wcr
filed. With what emotion I saw hir
rise and begin his argument as all ear
bent to hear himi He aimed not q
] popular sentiments in highly finishe
J. rhetoric. as did Webster. to be quote
D In the school books and repeated o
9 every platform. But no words Of min
Q and l have used many In the effol
a ARE able to convey a notion Of tn
' masterful ease and charm Of his maj
y ner on the floor of the senate or of II
singular modesty. courtesy. aptnes
and simplicity Of hSe words as the
!. fell from his lips. There were Ii
thunderOus Webster. the grandeur I
d whose sentences no American hi
3 equaled; the agile-minded Clay, who.
i voice was like silver clarion; the In
Q seeing. fiery Calhoun. Of "the swI
sword'-most formidable in debate
o but I was soon to learn that Meth,
nor all of these men-gifted Of heavs
SO highly-could cope with the suav
Q incislve. conversational sentences
Wright. going straight to the heart
/ the subject and laying 1t bare to h
Q hearers. That was what people we
Q saying as we left the senate chambe
late In the evening; that, indeed. WI
8 what they were always saying aft
Z they had heard him answer an q
u versary.
Cro BE coNTINUEDJ