Page:The gold brick (1910).djvu/119

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only smiled and his gavel cracked—and they were still. Then in the stillness he said:

"'Gentlemen are as familiar with the rules as is the chair. They are well aware that the chair is powerless to order a roll-call after a viva voce vote, unless he is in doubt as to the result, the demand for the yeas and nays not having been preferred before the question had been put to the house. In this instance'—and the splendid old fellow swung his gavel to his ear, and the smile flickered out of his face—'in this instance the chair is not in doubt. The ayes seem to have it, the ayes have it, and the main question is ordered.' The hammer fell like a bolt, and then calmly leaning on it, his eye traveled around over the turbulent mob, until it lit on George Herrick and his little band of dazed reformers—and I knew he was thinking of the old man over in the mansion whom he hated with an Indian's hate—and as he looked George in the eye, the cold smile came back, and he said:

"'The question is: Shall the house concur with the senate in the passage of senate bill No. 106, notwithstanding the objections of the governor. Upon this question those in favor of the bill will