why it must be so. You can’t make a life over–society wouldn’t let you
if you would–and mine must be lived as it is. There, sir, I’m not
offended; but it is useless for you to say anything more.”
Philip went away with his heart lightened about Harry, but profoundly
saddened by the glimpse of what this woman might have been. He told
Harry all that was necessary of the conversation–she was bent on going
her own way, he had not the ghost of a chance–he was a fool, she had
said, for thinking he had.
And Harry accepted it meekly, and made up his own mind that Philip didn’t
know much about women.
CHAPTER XLV.
The galleries of the House were packed, on the momentous day, not because
the reporting of an important bill back by a committee was a thing to be
excited about, if the bill were going to take the ordinary course
afterward; it would be like getting excited over the empaneling of a
coroner’s jury in a murder case, instead of saving up one’s emotions for
the grander occasion of the hanging of the accused, two years later,
after all the tedious forms of law had been gone through with.
But suppose you understand that this coroner’s jury is going to turn out
to be a vigilance committee in disguise, who will hear testimony for an
hour and then hang the murderer on the spot? That puts a different
aspect upon the matter. Now it was whispered that the legitimate forms
of procedure usual in the House, and which keep a bill hanging along for
days and even weeks, before it is finally passed upon, were going to be
overruled, in this case, and short work made of the, measure; and so,
what was beginning as a mere inquest might, torn out to be something very
different.
In the course of the day’s business the Order of “Reports of Committees”
was finally reached and when the weary crowds heard that glad
announcement issue from the Speaker’s lips they ceased to fret at the
dragging delay, and plucked up spirit. The Chairman of the Committee on
Benevolent Appropriations rose and made his report, and just then a blue-
uniformed brass-mounted little page put a note into his hand.
It was from Senator Dilworthy, who had appeared upon the floor of the
House for a moment and flitted away again:
“Everybody expects a grand assault in force; no doubt you believe,
as I certainly do, that it is the thing to do; we are strong, and
everything is hot for the contest. Trollop’s espousal of our cause
has immensely helped us and we grow in power constantly. Ten of the
opposition were called away from town about noon,(but–so it is
said–only for one day). Six others are sick, but expect to be
about again tomorrow or next day, a friend tells me. A bold
onslaught is worth trying. Go for a suspension of the rules! You
will find we can swing a two-thirds vote–I am perfectly satisfied
of it. The Lord’s truth will prevail.
“DILWORTHY.
Mr. Buckstone had reported the bills from his committee, one by one,
leaving the bill to the last. When the House had voted upon the
acceptance or rejection of the report upon all but it, and the question
now being upon its disposal–Mr. Buckstone begged that the House would
give its attention to a few remarks which he desired to make. His
committee had instructed him to report the bill favorably; he wished to
explain the nature of the measure, and thus justify the committee’s
action; the hostility roused by the press would then disappear, and the
bill would shine forth in its true and noble character. He said that its
provisions were simple. It incorporated the Knobs Industrial University,
locating it in East Tennessee, declaring it open to all persons without
distinction of sex, color or religion, and committing its management to a
board of perpetual trustees, with power to fill vacancies in their own
number. It provided for the erection of certain buildings for the
University, dormitories, lecture-halls, museums, libraries, laboratories,
work-shops, furnaces, and mills. It provided also for the purchase of