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<v Speaker 1>This is section fifty two of The Gilded Age. This

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age,

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<v Speaker 1>A Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and C. D. Warner,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter fifty two. The weeks drifted by monotonously enough now

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<v Speaker 1>the preliminaries continued to drag along in Congress, and life

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<v Speaker 1>was a dull suspense to sellers in Washington, a weary

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<v Speaker 1>waiting which might have broken their hearts, maybe, but for

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<v Speaker 1>the relieving change which they got out of an occasional

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<v Speaker 1>visit to New York to see Laura. Standing guard in

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<v Speaker 1>Washington or anywhere else is not an exciting business in

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<v Speaker 1>time of peace. But standing guard was all that the

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<v Speaker 1>two friends had to do. All that was needed of

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<v Speaker 1>them was that they should be on hand and ready

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<v Speaker 1>for any emergency that might come up. There was no

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<v Speaker 1>work to do, that was all finished. This was but

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<v Speaker 1>the second session of the last winter's Congress, and its

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<v Speaker 1>action on the bill could have but one result its passage.

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<v Speaker 1>The House must do its work over again, of course,

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<v Speaker 1>but the same membership was there to see that it

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<v Speaker 1>did it. The Senate was secure. Senator Dilworthy was able

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<v Speaker 1>to put all doubts to rest on that head. Indeed,

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<v Speaker 1>it was no secret in Washington that a two thirds

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<v Speaker 1>vote in the Senate was ready and waiting to be

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<v Speaker 1>cast for the University bill, as soon as it should

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<v Speaker 1>come before that body. Washington did not take part in

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<v Speaker 1>the gaieties of the season, as he had done the

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<v Speaker 1>previous winter. He had lost his interest in such things.

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<v Speaker 1>He was oppressed with cares. Now, Senator Dilworthy said to

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<v Speaker 1>Washington that a humble deportment under punishment was best, and

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<v Speaker 1>that there was but one way in which the troubled

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<v Speaker 1>heart might find perfect repose and peace. The suggestion found

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<v Speaker 1>a response in Washington's breast, and the Senator saw the

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<v Speaker 1>sign of it in his face. From that moment one

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<v Speaker 1>could find the youth with the Senator even oftener than

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<v Speaker 1>with Colonel Sellers. When the Statesman presided at Great Temperance meetings,

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<v Speaker 1>he placed water Washington in the front rank of impressive

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<v Speaker 1>dignitaries that gave tone to the occasion and pomp to

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<v Speaker 1>the platform. His bald headed surroundings made the youth the

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<v Speaker 1>more conspicuous. When the Statesman made remarks in these meetings,

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<v Speaker 1>he not infrequently alluded with the effect to the encouraging

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<v Speaker 1>spectacle of one of the wealthiest and most brilliant young

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<v Speaker 1>favorites of society, forsaking the light vanities of that butterfly existence,

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<v Speaker 1>to nobly and self sacrificingly devote his talents and his

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<v Speaker 1>riches to the cause of saving his hapless fellow creatures

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<v Speaker 1>from shame and misery here and eternal regret hereafter. At

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<v Speaker 1>the prayer meetings, the Senator always brought Washington up the

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<v Speaker 1>isle on his arm and seated him prominently in his prayers.

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<v Speaker 1>He referred to him in the cant terms which the

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<v Speaker 1>Senator employed, perhaps unconsciously, and mistook maybe for religion, and

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<v Speaker 1>in other ways brought him into notice. He had him

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<v Speaker 1>out at gatherings for the benefit of the Negro, gatherings

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<v Speaker 1>for the benefit of the Indian, gatherings, for the benefit

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<v Speaker 1>of the heathen in distant lands. He had him out

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<v Speaker 1>of time, and again before Sunday schools, as an example

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<v Speaker 1>for emulation. Upon all these occasions, the Senator made casual

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<v Speaker 1>references to many benevolent enterprises which his ardent young friend

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<v Speaker 1>was planning against the day when the passage of the

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<v Speaker 1>University Bill should make his means available for the amelioration

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<v Speaker 1>of the condition of the unfortunate among his fellow men

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<v Speaker 1>of all nations and all climes. Thus, as the weeks

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<v Speaker 1>rolled on, Washington grew up into an imposing lion once more,

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<v Speaker 1>with a lion that roamed the peaceful fields of religion

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<v Speaker 1>and temperance, and revisited the glittering domain of fashion no more.

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<v Speaker 1>A great moral influence was thus brought to bear in

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<v Speaker 1>favor of the bill. The weightiest of friends flocked to

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<v Speaker 1>its standard, Its most energetic enemies that it was useless

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<v Speaker 1>to fight longer. They had tacitly surrendered, while as yet

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<v Speaker 1>the day of the battle was not come. End of

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<v Speaker 1>chapter fifty two