Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1911)
mi t 7 i' "rt'vip i 1111 i"TTri3TTBrk STKDDSSf IMfi MEM(M$0&L WW L JLJLC-VJEyJlXC-KW VMM. 81 JfATOX EFORE Charloo W. Fairbanks was elected vice-president of tlio United States ho hold a sent as senator, rep resenting tho stato of Indiana. When lio became vico-prcaldont, Mr. Fair banks' utterances necessarily were limited to such expressions as "calen dar," repeated sixty times a day, and "Docs tho senator from South Caro, Una yield to tho senator from Wis consin?" Whon ho was senator Mr, Fair banks spoko moro than seml-occaslou ally and had tho samo trials In at tempting to Ret tho floor that beset all tho other senators. From ono of Bonator Fairbanks' expert onccn It was thought that when ho became vice presldont, and as' a necessary conscquonco tho pre- siding ofilcdr of tho senato ho might from sheer sympathy try to dollvcr Bomo of thoso whoso deliberations ho guards from tho fato which once befell him. Ono of tho speeches of length which Mr. Fair banks made as a sonator was on tho quostion of Panama. Tho spaoch was dollvorod not long after tho recognition of tho indepondenco of tho republic of Panama by tho United States and at a time whon party fooling ran high. It was a long speech and tho senator gained much of tho fruit of glory, though ho had to wait a long time for it to rlpon, and this was tho way of It: Bonator Cullom had chargo of tho Panama natter on the floor of tho somite. Tho Indiana senator went to Mr. Cullom and oxpresBod hlrf wish to speak at a certain hour. Senator Cul lom said "All right," and apparently tho thing was fixed. The senate's business session was 6vor and the hands, of tho .clock showed a quarter to one. Senator Fairbanks buttoned his coat and started to rise from his seat. Mr. Fairbanks is a long man and the process of his rising Is likewise long. Hv was up finally, however, only to find the aged Morgan waa claiming President Fro Tern Frye's attention. A look otsomethlng llko despair came into the Indiana senator's face, for when Morgan of Alabama got started on a speech neither gods nor men knew when he would come to tho end. 8onator Morgan, however, drovo away tho look of despair from Senator Fairbanks' face by say ing: "I wish to inako a few remarka only." ( Mr, Fairbanks sank back In his seat and Mr. Morgan with only two pagos of notes on his dosk began to talk. lie kept at it for twonty minutes, carr.ti to what tho sonator thought was his climax and thon apparently started to roaumo his Boat The Indiana sonator had straightonod up again and half opened his mouth to begin, but tho southern sonator had straightened up again and had on his dosk two now pages of notes, which ho had drawn from a shelf underneath. Tho Indlanan sat down onco moro nnd the Alabaman wont on with his ronewod determina tion, Ho Bpoko until half past ono, camo to an othor aeomlng climax and thon mado a movement which mado ovory ono think he was going to sit down, and this movement was a signal for tho Hoosler senator to rlso again. Dut MnsMorgan hod two fresh pages of notos and at it he started anow. Mr, Fairbanks sighed and sat. Thp other senators who had been hold to tholr seats by tho belief that Mr. Fairbanks was to peak looked at tho aged but tireless Alabaman and ono nftor nnothor left for tho sonato reatau rant for tho luncheon hour was full corao. Fair banks, Morgan and Frye wore loft alono on tho floor of tho sonato, but tho gallorlos had a goodly throng, waiting to hoar from tho middle west on tho matter of Panama. Senator Morgan talked In twonty-nilnuto relays with two pagos of notes for oach twenty mln utos nnd talkod until tho fifth hour, Thon Sena., tor Fairbanks, wjo until that tlmo had hold tho fort, saw tho peoplo departing and tho minute of adjournment nJgh. Ho walked over to Sonator Morgan, hold out his band, and with tho graco for which ho Is fumous ho congratulated his southern colloaguo on tho strength of his apeoch, If not on its length and thon walked out and had luncheon and dinner at ono sitting. his isthmian address. Until tho hour came for its II iMSMfWI. II delivery he had an oyo p.tnglo for Senator Morgan. HpjHBflt V I his subject wns discussion was content to lK fefitifl B was whispered that, Mr. Morgan, wasn't fooling very ft jWi MmWWWWwmma I l rs i T itomtmi mam Senator Fairbanks found another occasion to make his Isthmian address. Until tho hour came for Its delivery ho had an oyo p.tnglo for Senator Morgan. Tho Alabaman, however, for onco In his llfo whon his pot subject was up for discussion was content to sit still nnd say .nothing. In tho press gallorlos it was whispered that Mr. Morgan, wasn't fooling very well that day. In tho particular caso of thq Panama matter Sona tor Cullom, bolng tho' chairman on tho commlttoo on forelgu relations, hnd chargo of tho legisla tion on tho floor of tho sonnto. Tho trials of Sonator Cullom on that occasion woro tho trials of tho pilot on ovory measuro of magnltudo that Is lnunchcd for a passage through either houso or sonato. Nearly ovory senator and representative wishou to mako a spoech on tho big things that ard boforo congress. Of courso nil of them cannot speak, but tho trials of tho man In chargo begin when tho membors nsk that' thoir apeaking may bo postponed for a day Or two. Tho Intending speakers hnvo tholr frailty of vanity. They want to speak when tho galleries aro not crowdod, nnd if tho galleries aro not crowded thoy ask that thoy may speak on another day. Whon tho Panama matter waa up; Senator Cul lom finally becamo angry and tired with tho Bena- . tors who asked that yot another day be set for tho making of their spooches. The Ulnols senator did not wish Sonator Morgan to have all the tlmo to himself, nnd Morgan could bo countod on to take every mlnuto that "was dropped to him to talk about the glorlos of the NIcaraguan route for a canal, about tho Imbecility of using tho Panama routo and about tho Republican sin of tho recognition of the republlo on tho Isthmus, Tho Panama mattor Is only an Instance In point Many a speech on tho railroad rato bill was put off because tho attendance was not what It should havo been from tho viewpoint of the man who was to speak. Congressmen have tholr human weaknesses. Tho last great duty which Senator Piatt of Connecticut porformed for his country waB his work as presiding officer of the senate court dur ing tho trial of Judgo Charles Swnyno, Unques tionably tho strain of that trial shortened Senator Piatt's llfo. Ho prosldod with dignity and with tho rarest impartiality. Tho hours of tho court's session woro long, and yot tho agod Connecticut sonator rofusod to ileave his soat ovon for the getting of necessary food until tho session ot each day wns ondod. Prior to tho oponlng of the trial Senator Piatt stood In tho vice-president's placo and told his colleagues that It was their duty not to lose a word of tho testimony lest they bring In an un just verdict. Tho roault of this was that with ono or two exceptions tho senators sat in tholr sonta and hoard important nnd unimportant testi mony, listening to every argument of counsel, and lest anything should escape them they mado Insistent demand that ovory witness should speak so that all men In tho chamber might hear. It Is probable that boforo one-quartor of tho trial proceedings of tho caBO against Charles Swayne waa ended oyery senator had mado up his mind as to tho guilt or tho innocence of tho accused, but tho bollof ot guilt or innoconco formed early did not prevent tho attendance of any member of that high court during tho entlro tlmo of tho trial. Judge Swnyno was acquitted. His acquittal was not mado a party mattor, as many foarod It was to bo, On somo of tho counts against him ho was acquitted unanimously. On others whoro there was a minority which bolloved him guilty both Domocrnta and Republicans formed a. part of that minority. Sonator Jacob H. Galllnger Is known In con gress as tho chlof of the humanitarians and as the father of many roforme, 1113 great war had been over a fow yoarB and in soft gloaming of May tho fairest wreaths that the bright Holds yield fell annually upon horo graves, in the callcys of Virginia tho marks of that torrlblo strife remained, for tho scars of battlo aro hard to obliterate, nnd tho roses of Peace, though thoy grow over tho cannon ruts, nro now and then blown aside, showing tho work of tho crimson demon. Tho homo of the Morrows was ono of simplicity, though sot among hills which had reverberated to tho boom ing ot tho great guns, and tho near by rlvor sang Its song ot peace as it sought tho boo. Dy lucky accident tho llttlo homo and Its surroandlngs hnd oscaped tho 'ravages of war. Hester Morrow stood upon tho old vlno-embowercd porch, and looked out Among tho measures which tho Nqw Hampshlro man has ndvocatod in congress for tho bettortng of things on earth aro measures Intendod to se cure proper caro for tho Insane, to provent tho docking of horsos' tails', to provent cruelty to nil animals, to provido for dollnquont nnd dependent children, to train women nurses for tho navy nnd to condemn unsanitary buildings. Mr. Gal llnger Is a strong man with a soft heart It was said moro than onco - that Senator Mnthow Stnnloy Quay of Pennsylvania had a fow drops of tho Indians In his veins. If so, his blood told In ono lnstnnco nt any rate, for when Mr. Quay was 111 almost unto death ho roused himself from his body weariness and mado nN speech in behalf or tho Dolawaro Indians which with its eloquence hold tho sonnto nnd the gal leries chained for a too brief quarter ot nn hour. No ono know that "Keystono Quay' could be so eloquent. In less than two months after tho delivery of tho speoch ho was dead, but before ha died knowledge came to him that his eloquence hnd brought accomplishment, and that tho Dole waro Indians In whom ho wns Interested hnd rocclved from congress n sum of 'monoy which had been duo thom for years, but which thoy had mado vain attempts to securo up to tho tlmo that n sick man's ploa succeeded in righting a wrong. Thoro Is Bomo fun in tho senate on occasion, Senator Knuto Nelson of Minnesota onco said "Damn" openly. It slipped out before ho waa awnro of it, and no sooner had It put In nn np pearanco than tho MtnnoBotn ocnator put and passed a resolution of consuro of himself by himself. This llttlo mattor of n mild awoar word from tho Hps ot Mr. Nolson rocolved a good deal of comment at the time that tho word plumped out of his mouth, but almost simultaneously with its uttornnco thero was a colloquy between Sena tors Daniel of Virginia nnd Qalllnger of New Hampshire, which was a trlflo moro shocking, senntorlally spoaking, than several damns, i Senator Oalllnger, the moral mainstay of the sonato, was trying to got his colleagues to agreo to chango the namo of Mndlaon street In Wash ington to Church street A part of Mndlson street wns known as Samson street. Sonator Daniel did not llko tho Idea of dropping tho Virginia president's nomo oven for tho plouB namo of "Church," so ho objected. Ho askod his New" Hampshire brother about the matter and learned that thero waa bIx other Mndlson atreots In Washington, nnd finding from this that Virginia prldo might bo appeased in tho nomenclature matter, Danlol naked why tho wholo Btroot couldn't bo called Samson. "I don't know that I ought to toll tho reason publicly," said Galllnger, "but Samson, for whom tho Btroot was named, was a lino man and a part of Samaon street now has on it many low resorts." "I take it," said Sonator Danlol quickly, "that my colloaguo has this Information nt first hnnd." Tho Virginia sonator only meapt tho thing as a gentlo Jost but Jacob Galllngor, who is a very rock in tho steadfastness ot his morality, was rathor upsot Tho senato chanced tho namo of the stroot so quickly that tho proceedings fairly outran tho hands of tho stenographers, tho, inci dent waa closed and Galllngor's blush fled, Looked Out Upon a Scene of Exquis ite Loveliness. upon a sceno of exquisite loveliness. Eyorywhoro the last month of spring had' garbed the landscapo In match lees beauty. Of courso she remem bered, tho war, Whllo sho stood thero sho recalled how ono day a regiment of Union soldlors was hard pressed and how stubbornly they hold their ground around the house; how tho bravo 'wont down beforo tho missiles of battlo, and how in her young girl hood sho had tried to staunch tho life- tldo of a Boldlor. wounded to his death. In a little whllo tho girl, who had turned back Into tho house, camo forth modestly dressed and with a smile oil her lips. A fow minutoa later sho might havo been seen running hither and thither wltli tho sprlghtllness ot young maid onhood gathering flowers of many hues which grew In profusion whero Bho sought them. Hester had often despoiled tho woods of their treasures. Each Me mortal day sho had stolon forth to gather flowors whoro they novor failed to bloom. These Bho forinod into a rich wreath, and whon sho had finish ed it she repaired to a certain spot on tho rlvor'B bank undoi1 tho spread ing boughs of iT stately treo and placed her offering to valor on a louo gravo thoro. John Dunham that was tho .namo carved on the wooden head-board was a soldier ot tho Union, Ho hnd marched to battlo with high hopes, but fato had decreed that he should never return with his mcssmntos. Of his family, It ho had ono, tho girl knew, nothing. "Mother thinks," smiled Hostor, as she workod at her wroath, "that I ought to marry Jack, nut a girl should choose for hersolf, and, while Jack is a clover fellow, I havon't seen enough of tho world to 'aettlo down,' as Aunt Mary says. I would like to know what Bort ot world lies beyond the rlvor over yonder; tho boys la blue camo from that part of tho coun try and, as yet, It is an unknown world to me." Sho had scarcely finished her wreath when Bho looked up and be held a young man coming through tho grove toward tho rippling river. "Jack!" cried Hostor. "No, it is not Jack. He Is a trlflo too tall for him, Perhaps ho Is ono of the strangers who havo como to town to keop the day." Sho had already been perceived; the strangor was coming toward her and, as halt a dozon flowers fluttered to tho ground at her feet, sho caught his eye and bowed. "You will pardon mo, miss," said tho young man, as he halted beforo tho surprised girl, and cavalierly re moved hlo hat "This is my first visit to this part of the country. I con cluded to tako a llttlo stroll before tho sorvloea begin, and " "It Is a beautiful morning and nug urs well for a pretty day," gently ln terruptod Hester, "I, too, havo .strolled out hero, 'but I do so every year after flowers for my hero." "You havo a horo, then?" "Yes, one who sleeps apart from his comrades." "Tho Grar fought bravely, Miss " "Dut my lono hero Is not of tho Gray, though, as yon sco, I am south ern and I honor tho gray-clad braves. Would you; llko lo see whoro my horo Bleeps?" "Only too woll would I look Upon tho grave of your Daynrd," was tho reply. "I am hero on what I fear is a hopeless mission. My father " "Was a soldier? Wo moot a good many peoplo whoso relatives Wero In tho war. I had relatives who woro tho Gray." "No doubt of that, miss." "Como with mo," and Hostor Mor row led tho way across tho grovo to tho hlstorio stream. Tho tall young man at her sldo stolo glances ot silent admiration at his companion as thoy paced along. Sho was as fresh and loVoly as tho flowers sho had Just gathered; her volco breathed song, and In her bluo eyes was a light ho had seldom Boon. At last tho girl paused and turned toward her companion. "This Is my Mecca on Memorial day," sho Bald, as sho Bllpped tho fragrant wreath from hor arm. "Here sloops tho northorn soldier guarding In death, as I tell my friends, tho river ho guarded so woll in llfo." At tho feet of tho couplo so strange ly mot was tho lono mound. Tho young stranger approached th grave and stopped at Its head as ho onco more looked at Hester. "Something thrills mo as I havo. not boen thrilled for years," ho whispered softly. "Dy tho way, mUs, you havo not told mo tho namo of tho ono who camps her.o. Or Is ho ono of tho unknown?" "No, ho Is not unknown. His com rades carved his uamo on tho head board. You havo but to part tho grass to read tho namo and regiment of the sleeper." Tho young man knelt rovorcntly whllo Hostor, stooping, placed hor wreath on tho mouno. Suddenly thoro camo from the stranger's Hps a cry that startled tho young girl. Whon sho looked up she perceived thnt ho had sprung erect and was pressing his hands to his; forohcad as If ho would keep In leash his wildly throbbing temples. . ' , "What Is it?" cried Hester. "Did you know " i "Found at last!" wns tho response. "For years I havo sought this spot, going hither and thither throughout tho south, always looking for a 'sol dier's head-board that boro tho namo of John Dunham of tho rth Mas sachusotts. At last my task la ended, and I can now go back to tho old homo and tell mothor where fatbor sleeps." "Your father?" cried Heater Mon row. "Do you mean to tolL mo" "This soldier was my father. His comrades camo homo, but he did not ' w Beheld a Young Man Coming Through tho Grove. And you for years have placed a wroath on his gravel You havo gath ered the treasures of wood and field and, loving this man, although ho may havo crossed swords with your peo plo, you havo crownod him beside tho rlvor that sings to tho sea. Let mo thank you, miss, not only for mysolf, but for my mother. Sho would moro than thank you If she wero here," Ho hold out his bands to Hostw and sho placed hera In thom, and for a moment thoy Blood ovor tho wreath by tho river, looking Into each other's eyes and feeling In their natures t thrill they bad novor felt before. At that moment thero camo from tho vlllago tho clear notes or tho chlmos, mingled with tho shrill, al most warllko call of tho resonant buglo, and when Harold Dunham and Hester Morrow wnlked from that soil tary gravo thoy doubtless realised that tho currents of their lives must coin mingle; and almost beforo tho wreath by tho rlvor hod lost Ita fragranco tho memories 'of that ono Memorial day had beon strongthonod at th altar.