PART III.--IN CONGRESS
CHAPTER X
WHO LOBBIED FOR IT
It was a midsummer's day in Washington. Even at early morning, while the
sun was yet level with the faces of pedestrians in its broad, shadeless
avenues, it was insufferably hot. Later the avenues themselves shone
like the diverging rays of another sun,--the Capitol,--a thing to be
feared by the naked eye. Later yet it grew hotter, and then a mist arose
from the Potomac, and blotted out the blazing arch above, and presently
piled up along the horizon delusive thunder clouds, that spent their
strength and substance elsewhere, and left it hotter than before.
Towards evening the sun came out invigorated, having cleared the
heavenly brow of perspiration, but leaving its fever unabated.
The city was deserted. The few who remained apparently buried themselves
from the garish light of day in some dim, cloistered recess of shop,
hotel, or restaurant; and the perspiring stranger, dazed by the outer
glare, who broke in upon their quiet, sequestered repose, confronted
collarless and coatless specters of the past, with fans in their hands,
who, after dreamily going through some perfunctory business, immediately
retired to sleep after the stranger had gone.
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