ul as he saw; Mr. Bascom was at the Speaker's desk, and Mr. Ridout
receiving a messenger from the Honourable Hilary at the door. The
Speaker, not without some difficulty, recognized Mr. Harper amidst what
seemed the beginning of an exodus--and Mr. Harper read his motion.

Men halted in the aisles, and nudged other men to make them stop talking.
Mr. Harper's voice was not loud, and it shook a trifle with excitement,
but those who heard passed on the news so swiftly to those who had not
that the House was sitting (or standing) in amazed silence by the time
the motion reached the Speaker, who had actually risen to receive it. Mr.
Doby regarded it for a few seconds and raised his eyes mournfully to Mr.
Harper himself, as much as to say that he would give the young man a
chance to take it back if he could--if the words had not been spoken
which would bring the offender to the block in the bloom and enthusiasm
of youth. Misguided Mr. Harper had committed unutterable treason to the
Empire!

"The gentleman from Brighton, Mr. Harper," said the Speaker, sadly,
"offers the following resolution, and moves its adoption: 'Resolved, that
the Committee on Incorporations be instructed to report House bill number
302, entitled "An act to incorporate the Pingsquit Railroad," by
eleven-thirty o'clock to-morrow morning'--the gentleman from Putnam, Mr.
Bascom."

The House listened and looked on entranced, as though they were the
spectators to a tragedy. And indeed it seemed as though they were. Necks
were craned to see Mr. Harper; he didn't look like a hero, but one never
can tell about these little men. He had hurled defiance at the
Northeastern Railroads, and that was enough for Mr. Redbrook and Mr.
Widgeon and their friends, who prepared to rush into the fray trusting to
Heaven for speech and parliamentary law. O for a leader now! Horatius is
on the bridge, scarce concealing his disdain for this puny opponent, and
Lartius and Herminius not taking the trouble to arm. Mr. Bascom will
crush this one with the flat of his sword.

"Mr. Speaker," said that gentleman, informally, "as Chairman of the
Committee on Incorporations, I rise to protest against such an unheard-of
motion in this House. The very essence of orderly procedure, of effective
business, depends on the confidence of the House in its committees, and
in all of my years as a member I have never known of such a thing.
Gentlemen of the House, your committee are giving to this bill