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Show BEAVER _ COUNTY NEWS Looking In on Congress From. the House Gallery VICTOR eee hr b : STEWART IBD COMPANY ROUSSEAU WHAT THE HOUSE IS LIKE By CONGRESSMAN “GOOD NIGHT, SYNOPSIS.—Looking Muskeg, a Seemingly Swamp in the path of tibi railroad, Joe He spent the morning in his office, writing a report for the directors, The news would reach Clayton as soon as | it could be telephoned, but at least he would have another chance. It ‘was too late now to think of changing the route without throwing the company ae liquidation, And Kitty held conrol, . The thought of that strengthened his 1 resolve, He could not bring himself to go to Molly with the despondency upon him, but. busied himself that afternoon examining the wreck. For about a month he had had a ‘strange protege, One evening Jules Halfhead, the deaf-mute, appeared at the door of hts shack, and quickly as- MOLLY!” over Big impassable the Missa- Bostock, builder of the line, and Wilton Carruthers, chief of engineers, are considering the difficulties, A rife shot instantly kills Bostock and breaks Carruthers’ arm. Carruthers tries to carry the body to a post of the Hudson’s Bay company, where McDonald is the factor. McDonald's daughter, Molly, sees Carruthers ~ struggling in the muskeg and drags him from the Swamp, with his burden. Unaccountably, her father objects to her Weakened tions, saving Carruthers. by his wound Carruthers is and exer- disturbed by the appearance of Tom Bowyer, Bostock’s business rival and personal enemy. Bowyer insults Molly, and Carruthers strikes him. Carruthers declares his love for Molly. She promises to be his wife. Carruthers has to reach the town of Clayton to attend a meeting at which Bostock’s enemies plan to wrest control of the Missatibi from him. Molly goes with him. They are delayed by a storm. Attacked by his dogs, Carruthers’ life is Saved by Molly, who ts forced to kill the animals. “The snow, the They set out on foot for reaching it 7 ruthers tion. an almost dying condi- He is in time to foil Bostock’s enemies line in sumed for and Mrs. keep control Bostock. of He the finds enemies at work at Big Muskeg. Bowyer persecutes Molly with attentions. Lee Chambers asks Carruthers for work, saying he has broken with Bowyer. Carruthers takes him on. Kitty Bostock, deeply in love with Carruthers, comes to live at the Big Muskeg. Kitty avows her love to Carruthers, who tells her of Molly and gently re- pulses her. Molly’s love, Tom owyer seeks and is repulsed. He inveigles chagrined an the Kitty alliance for the purpose arating Carruthers CHAPTER and into of sep- Molly. VIII—Continued, Kitty rose. “I don’t know now that I’ve done right,” she said. “I hope you won’t come to have any feeling against me, dear. Only you didn’t seem to un‘ derstand—well, things. And what I’m saying hasn’t anything to do with Mr. . Bowyer, if you feel that you don’t care for him.” , “Care for that beast!” said Molly, & * s *» ) * s : Day by day the trestling grew, and the embankment appeared about it until the first part was hidden under the permanent way. Thousands of feet of logs had gone into the building. Each day the engine pushed the laden ballast trucks farther out upon the creaking, swaying structure. Then the pressure of the lever, tons of debris discharged through the frame of the woodwork, and the engine went snorting back toward the ballast pit, dragging the'empty trucks behind it. Kitty had gone back to Clayton. had said that she would’ return, She but Wilton doubted it. He still cherished the hope of friendship, when time had obliterated their joint memory of that afternoon. He could not bear to lose her. She seemed a part of Joe, and he found it hard to shake his mind free of his preconceptions. For the present, ' however, he recognized that her -remaining there would prove an embarrassment. He sent her back to Clayton with Ancersen, who had proved entirely trustworthy since ‘the first night, and was going in on business for him. And he had very little time to think of Kitty in the critical period that folowed. Wilton slept only a few hours ightly. For five days he could not ven go to the portage. On the sixth access appeared at hand. The sinkoles had been filled in and there was ot the slightest subsidence of the grade. Andersen returned that night and Wilton went to bed in confidence. Chambers was as confident as he. On the following morning, as he left his shack, the workmen came running toward him, jabberipg and gesticulating. The foreman, hurrying up behind them, shouted and pointed in excitement in the direction of the muskeg. When Wilton reached the shore he found that his worst fears had been exceeded. 2 Two-thirds of the trestle-work had disappeared, including a great stretch of the foundation, over which the locomotives and ballast trucks had passed the day before. The subsidence was seventy or eighty yards in length. The top alone remained above the treacherous swamp, and the rails hung festooned in midair. The whole embankment would have to be reconstructed. As the mere mechanical process of dumping might serve merely to add to the weight superimposed upon the treacherous bottom, Wilton determined to lay down a corduroy over the sink-holes—a mattress of-tree-trunks. The depositing of the ballast on this would serve to compress the muskeg aud loose rock, makng a firm foundation, and the trunks, 4s they became water-logged, would ‘arden, increasing the strength of the {ghole structure as time went by. ’ But for a few hours he almost abanjoned hope. At the best, it meant holddng up the construction of the line, for the permanent way was now only a few miles behind, and he dared not start Opvrations on the east shore until he knew whether the musweg could be spanned. the care of it. He was nearly sen reappeared with the tool. The foreman wrenched out the staples and Wilton burst open the door. As he had expected, the shack was completely empty of all Chambers’ belongings, The two men looked at each other. Slow understanding came into Andersen’s face. “He was a bad yun,” said the Swede. “I guessed you knew your business, Mr. Carruthers, when you took on Tom Bowyer’s vight-hand man. It wasn’t for me to say nothing.” “Keep your mouth shut still, Andersen,” said Wilton, slapping him on the shoulder, “We'll just start working again, And keep your eyes open. Some time we'll get him, and Pll telephone Inspector Quain to pick him up if ever he sees him in Clayton.” before were broken. Not until he had reached the portage. Then he stopped and looked back, The door of the store was closed. The light still burned in the factor’s room and he saw Molly cross toward him and fling herself on He clenched his fists; but somehow the violence that relieved his feelings usually seemed to have no place here. He couldn’t understand. He went home slowly across the portage, The factor looked up when Molly entered, and was astonished to see the tears upon her face. When she kneeled down he put his hand clumsily ‘upon her hair. “What has happened, lass?’ he asked. “Was it Will Carrutlfers ye quarreled with?” “He will never come here again,” said Molly. A dull fire burned in the factor’s eyes. He seemed to be struggling between two impulses: One was to comfort his daughter; the other, his grattfication. \ “Ah weel, lass, ye’ll find another,” he said. But he abased his head before her indignant glance. At that moment the girl felt that her father and she were farther apart than they had ever been. felt the bone of the nose smash under his hand. : ing slowly and carefully. Jules, who was still watching him, suddenly turned and, with lightning “Why, he went back co Clayton this noon, Mr. Carruthers! He said he was going in for you.” Wilton’s up. a “The he ie With a muffled cry Lee Chambers flung up his hands, slipped backward and fell. As Wilton ran to the window ‘the ex-engineer leaped up and raced toward the trees. The thought of his treachery came into Wilton’s mind and drew a caricature of Lee Chambers on the woodwork of the wall. Wilton looked at it and drew in his breath. Then he nodded.: Jules nodded in return, smiled, and left the room. Wilton reflected deeply. If Chambers was a spy of Bowyer’s, why had he shown him the bedrock at all? On the other hand, assuming that Wilton must eventually discover it himself, Bowyer might have sent Chambers to make a virtue of a necessity and to secure a position at the eamp, where he could be of service to him. In any case, Wilton could afford to take no further chances with him. It would serve no purpose to accuse him of having tampered with the trestling. He would give him a post somewhere where he could do no’ harm, and thus get rid of him. Fighting down the burning rage in his heart, he went down the road toward the shack which the engineer occupied. This was a_ reconstructed shed. There was only one room in it, but Chambers had asked to have this rather than share the quarters of the other engineers. The’ men were back in the bunkhouses, but the door of the shed was padlocke@ Thinking that Chambers might be ‘n the camp, he made his way toward the other quarters. But presently he heard some one calling him and, turning, saw Andersen running after him. ‘Were you looking for Mr. Chambers, sir?” asked the foreman. “Yes. Where is he?” suspicions suddenly flamed key!” shouted, pulling he padlock. he took it with him,” said Andersen. at out pulled staples the “Have once!” Wilton waited, fuming. unti? Ander- “Good-Night, Molly,” He Said. had never had any difficulty in convincing her, in the usual lover’s way. “Molly, dear, I know I have neglected you,” he said penitently. “But you know that until the work’s finished I can’t ask you something. And I’ve been rushing it through, feeling that then I should have the right to.” “It’s not the work, Will,” she said, slowly. “I want you to release me.” The laughter died on his lips. He ‘put his hands upon her shoulders and turned her toward him. She raised her face; her lips were quivering, and the tears had fallen, leaving her eyes hard and bright. { “You mean that, Molly?’ asked Wilton gravely. “Every word, Will.” “Why?” “I have ceased to care for you.” She was keeping control of herself with a strong effort, and she shook more violently. She had nerved herself to offer an explanation, but now, face to face with him, she could not tell him that she had been moved by pity for him, and self-deceived, It was impossible for her to lie to Wilton. “Molly’—she saw that his face was set hard as on that night of the riot— “I don’t play with love. I love you and trust you. If you mean that, tell me again, and that will be enough for me.” “I—-meant it! Oh, can’t you understand that I have changed?” she cried desperately. “I can never care for ” you, Wilton He released her and turned away. “Good-night, Molly,” he said. Yet he went slowly out of the door, and, because the shock had come with stunning force, he was amazed that He could she did not call him back. all not make himself understood that his dreams and hopes of five minutes Copyright, of When I was three blind her knees beside. him. always to be found there in Wilton’s absence. Sometimes, however, he would betake himself back to the portCHAPTER IX age, and he was free of the camp, where he ran errands and messages for | The Face at the Window. the engineers, and was the butt of mild It was five days since Wilton had practical jokes. been to the portage. He had not meant Wiltot came to the conclusion, howto see Molly in his despoudency, but ever, that the Muskegon’s mind was as now the discovery of Chambers’ acute as any man’s, and that his appartreachery came with an invigorating ent simplicity was nothing but the outshock and aroused his fighting instinct ward aspect of his infirmity. against Bowyer. When Jules had cooked Wilton’s supHe took the road across the Muskeg. per that evening he came into the office Wilton saw the girl upstairs, at the in a state of excitement. The man had * * * & * factor’s side. A book was on her knees loved the work. He was often to be and a lighted lamp behind her, She When Wilton reached his shack he seen on the trestle, clinging for dear was not talking to him, however, but took off his coat and flung himself life to a plank as the trucks rumbled staring out of the window, and yet she down on his bed. He would not specupast within an inch of his head. When did not see Wilton as he came to the late on Molly’s motives. He would not he saw the wreck of the embankment door. think of her at all. He would neither that morning, the foreman said that he condemn her nor pity himself, At his knock she came downstairs had burst into tears. Now he was eviHe forced his mind back to his task, more slowly than usual. When she dently trying to describe something to The trestle—he would lay down a opened the door to him he saw that Wilton in pantomime; but Wilton could corduroy—he would drive the men all she was trembling. Her cheek was icy not follow his meaning. cold beneath his kiss. the summer, if need be, for Joe’s sake, Suddenly he seized a pencil from the Poor Joe! The presence of the dead “Come in, Will—I have something to desk and, stooping, began to draw a man seemed to fill the camp just as say to you,” she said. picture of the trestle upon the wall of old. Joe was the guiding spirit of He put his arm about her, and they with remarkable skill. this work. He had loved Joe more went into the store together. He could Wilton’s interest was at once truly than it. seemed possible to love feel that she was trembling all the aroused. “Yes,” he said, nodding to any woman, while. : Jules. “What about it?” He completed the few routine duties “What is it, Molly?” he asked, lookIt. was his habit to talk, although the of the office and went to bed. He had ing into her face and seeing tears in deaf-mute could not hear his voice. dozed off to sleep when something her eyes. “What is it, dear?” made him start up in bed and listen inJules had an instinctive faculty of un“I’m afraid that we’ve both made a derstanding. He looked at Wilton and ‘tently. He thought he had heard a mistake, Will,” she answered. nodded back. slight sound in the office. Wilton laughed. Once or twice Molly He next drew. four uprights—the It was so slight that even his trained had questioned his love for her, but he long, heavy trunks of considerable ears sent the message to his brain girth that were driven into the ground doubtfully. But it came again. Some one had very softly clicked back the to support the trestling. Then he made catch of one of the windows. a smudgy line across each. Then he He had the sense of a listener bedrew a hatchet. He looked up at Wilneath it, and, all alert, Wilton crept ton in pathetic’ eagerness, and nodded noiselessly to his feet and stood listenagain. ing in the darkness. Now there was no “You mean that some one tampered doubt.. The window was being pushed with the trestling?’’ shouted Wilton. very softly open. It was the window Jules, who had watched his lips, between the safe and his bedroom nodded eagerly. But, as he always noddoor. In the moonlight Wilton could ded when he was spoken to, little see that it was opening by inches. meaning could be attached to that. His own door was slightly ajar, and, Wilton wondered if that was what inch by inch, he pushed it open, too. he did mean. If the uprights had been He saw a pair of hands, white, not tampered with before they were set inwork-roughened, placed against the to the ground, by ax-cuts or otherwise, bottom of the window-frame. A face the, weight of the ballast would unappeared and was thrust cautiously indoubtedly have broken them. The side the room in reconnoissance. Wilbreak would not have been immediateton recognized Lee Chambers. ly apparent, but the trestling would in Satisfied, apparently, that Wilton such case be practically imposed upon was asleep in the next room, Chambers the surface of the swamp, without supbegan to climb over the sill. Wilton port. The ballast would have spread waited till he was balanced there, and over the muskeg, causing the entire then, leaping forward, he drove his fist structure to subside. with all his force into his face. He “Who did it?” asked Wilton, speak- movements, | | turned his sardonic rage. He reached into and pulled out the which he kept there. he was at the window was gone. * * & - humor into red his desk drawer loaded revolver But by the time again Chambers * a . Three months later an engine pushed two ballast trucks from the west to the east shore of Big Muskeg. The swamp was spanned. The corduroy had been laid upon the sink-holes, and had borne the ballasting. The trestling ran from bank to bank and carried the metals firmly, but the foundation was only as yet laid half-way, and the final proof had yet to be made. However, Wilton had no doubts of the result. He had tried out the danger-spots. ‘The trestle would contain the ballast. His work had been accomplished. After the subsidence he had paid a flying visit to Clayton. He had not seen Kitty, and Kitty had not returned to the camp, but he had had a stormy meeting with the directors and, as he had foreseen, had been given his chance to try once more. There was, indeed, nothing else to be done. Bowyer had made the most of the disaster; but it was to Bowyer’s interest that Wilton should try again and fail. That would put the Missatibi promptly into liquidation. 1922, a boy I heard a story men who were taken to “see” an elephant. They were * led up to the animal and each felt the first part he came in contact with and went away, In describ. ing it afterward one of the blind men said that an elephant was like & rope, he haying felt the tail; said it palm leaf fan, he having felt its ear; and the third saia {t did not resemble either but was a big flat object something like a stone wall covered with a leathery skin with some hair on it. Each was speaking from his own point of view ana telling only of what he had seen—or rather GUY Western felt. It is that way with many things in life. We see only a very small part, U. HARDY Newspaper Union. — those in charge of the time may feel that they or for have some yield the man with none at reason gentleman their disposal, do not time, a grievance wish to The gentle.’ may conclude} that he will block the business house for a time by causing call. I have seen a member of ‘the! a rollj state: frankly on the floor that if he can-| not get the time desired he will feel! it his duty to raise the question of # quorum. Some times the gentleman} in control of the time will give in i yield the time desired, and sometimes! he will call the other gentleman’s bluff! These incidents do not occur very] often, Once in a while a little filibuster je resorted to by the minority or by an obstreperous member who wants te force consideration of some special matter. Then the roll calls come thick’ and fast. One day the committee on rules tried to get a rule adopted, giv-| ing four hours for debate on a cer-' tain bill. The minority took a notion to block the game and it took a day! and a half of roll calls to get the rule passed. ; yet having seen that, we think that we Some bills are passed by the majorare competent to judge, describe ana ity of those present without a roll call,’ criticise, But any member ¢an always demand! An hour or two in the gallery a quorum and if a quorum is not would certainly give one a very loppresent a roll call on the bill auto., Sided view of congress. Yet many matically follows, And even if a quo-| come, look on for a few moments and rum is present, twenty per cent of go away to tell of congress as they those present can always demand and have seen it, a good deal as the blind secure a roll call on any proposition. men told of the elephant and with Too Much Talking, of Course. , fully as much accuracy. There is much unnecessary talking. If you were a casual caller in the in the house. Nobody realizes that so gallery you might find the house full much as those who have to be present of members, or only half full, or even and listen to much of it. The same with only a few dozen present. You thing’is true wherever men and women might find it doing routine business congregate—especially where they: and as quiet and placid as a summer meet to consider matters of publi¢ calm; or excited to fever heat by a concern, As a reporter I have sat up partisan discussion between party past midnight listening to rambling,| leaders, or in a storm of agitation over unnecessary talk over some’ trivial a question of personal privilege or the matter at a small town council meetexercise of personal rights, The house ing where only eight or nine members! has its varying moods, as human behad to agree on a policy, ings have. Sometimes it works along Some freedom must be given to doing business rapidly and as smooththose who want to talk. Some opporly as clock work. And sometimes ‘tunity must be given for all sides to be everything seems to be on edge and heard, It requires consideration and everybody, on his nerves, when one explanation and talk sometimes to get could hardly get an amendment many minds to look at the subject through to dot an “i” or cross a “t” the same way. i without a fight and a roll call. There is too much unnecessary talk Cannot Always Be on the Floor, in the house, but I do not see how it Members need not sit on the floor could be eliminated. Who is to say} all the time. They have much to do what talk may be made and what talk/ besides. Much of the business of conshall not be made? Who Is so wise; gress is transacted: in the committees, that he may be set up as a censor? | The major committees are composed It is not so bad In the house as im of from 21 to 35 members each. Some the senate. In the senate there isino of the committee meetings are as imlimit on debate. In the house debate portant and formal as the meeting of a is always limited, usually to one or state senate and with about equal two hours, occasionally to four hours, membership. Committees are freand perhaps twice in recent years toy quently meeting while the house is in 12 hours on very important measures. session. There is also much office Congress is often criticised for bework to be done and members take ading slow in doing business. Of course, vantage of every lull in proceedings it is slow. It is made up of human be-! to catch up with their office work. ings of many minds. They come from; There is always departmental work all parts of a great country stretch-. to be taken care of, but members as ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific.! a rule do not go down town in the The representatives represent peoples: afternoon when the house is in sesand communities as diversified and as: far apart in thoughts and interests aw sion. Most members stay within reach they are in distance. It requires time of the ‘roll call signals. for these representatives of these variWhether your member is on the ous minds and interests to welgh and floor or not, you may depend upon it consider and amena and whip Into that he knows pretty well what is goshape and finally agree upon proposed ing on and can easily be reached legislation that is to be written for a when his presence is required. and ten millions of people The greatest safeguard is thrown hundred and may run for all time. It necesabout legislation to keep anyone from putting something over. Much is done, sarily taxes time for a majority of 485 members to be brought to see by unanimous consent when a single things alike. : member can object and stop or stay This is one of the necessary results proceedings. A miember may at any of a republican form of government. time question the presence of a quoIt is not so in an autocracy. It is not rum and if the speaker does not find a so in Russia. There you get quick quorum present by actual count the action. By a decree from the autoroll is called. Signal belis ring in the erats the lands are confiscated. By a corridors, restaurant and house office decree anything can be done quickly. building so that members may appear But by parliamentary procedure it and answer to their names. Whentakes time for just and due considerever a member is fearful that someation. thing will be done which he doesn’t But after all congress is not so slow want done except by consideration of as compared with other governing the whole house, he can raise the quesbodies in a republic. Consider your tion of a quorum and a quorum must own city council, your own board of be secured before business is further county commissioness, your own state considered. legislature. Who has not tried for A quorum in the house consists of years and years to get a certain street a majority of its membership. There light placed, a street crossing fixed are 435 members when all are alive up, a city street cut through, a and there are no vacancies—al!lthough city park established, the city there are often two or three vacancies streets paved, a country road de on account of death or resignation, So fined or a_ bridge built or this or it usually requires 217 or 218 members that law amended, changed, repealed to make a quorum. When the house or passed? Let that Individual! who is doing business as the committee ot bas never seen these long delays In the whole 100 members make a quogetting worthy propositions put rum. through the governing body at home, Reasons for Demanding a Quorum. where every member knows the conThe point of no quorum is raised ditions Hike a book, throw the first often because a member wants a foll rock at congress. attendance when the question before the house is considered. It is raised sometimes because seme one present wants a good audience for an important speech. It is raised oecasionally merely in order to delay the game and is resorted to by the minority to use “It looks to me,” he rumi| up the time and postpone or defeat nated, “as if them two snakes’ll legislation that cannet be defeated by a majority vote. It is frequently used get the line!” when a filibuster is in progress, and L sometimes the roll is called. six or (TO BE CONTINUED.) 35 eight times a day. As it requires or 40 minutes to call the rou it can More Nature Faking. he seen how a few roll ealls will bloek Nature cannot jump from winter to the business of the day. summer without a e4pring, or from Occasionally the point of ne quorum summer to winter without a fall— will be raised out of spite. A member From the Tiger aay desire some time to speak and Requirements for Members. The Constitution provides that a representative most have attained the age of twenty-five, have been a citizen of the United States for seven years and shall be an inhabitant of the state in wich he js elected. ‘There is no Jaw specifying that a representative must be a resident of the district he represents, although it is very Unusual for a district to elect a representative residing in another district. It is done occasionally in New York City. A senator must be Uijrty years of age, at least nine years a citizem of the commtry and an inhabitant of the state electing him. — |