Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-05-19

But Cu2rqn had bcgua TO SPEAK.
The light Of the mans noble genius had
flushed his pale cheeks and flashed beauti-
fully in his steel blue eyes. His voice, that
had seemed weak and unsteady as he be
gan, rang out its bell like tones again Us he
saw the sullen faces soften under his match
less power.
'He has made your village blossom by his
love; he has brought smiles to your weary
children's faces: he has planted hope in a
thousand desperate hearts Do you ask me how
/ know. see it in your eyes. see 1T IN the
way your heads rest ON your broad shoulders
And viii you use your new manhood 10 do
him injuryp
But the man with the bandaged head had
reached the platform, and al this very mo-
ment, when the orator paused to let his
meaning sink into the hearts of the people,
he touched Curran on the shoulder and whis-
pered few hurried words in his ear.
The people saw their hero's face blanch.
He turned TO the fellow with q look that
would break mans heart, and seemed to be
asking him a question. As the agitator lis
tened to the reply his knees trembled under
him and he sank into chair, and still the
messenger of evil bent over him and kept
whispering with poisonous breath into his
ear. At last Bales stood back from his vic
TIM who bowed his head upon his hands.
Curran's whole body shook with the violence
Of his passion.
The inert people waited. They knew moth
ing else to do. Their hero might have died
before them, they would never have thought
to stir from their seats. But he rose ut last,
and Bales grinned diabolically behind him.
They would hear another story now.
Friends, you have heard what l said"
He spoke as If a great weight. was upon him
and his voice came slowly 81 repeat it, be
patient with your young master; he means
well by you.n
But Bales rushed forward and tearing the
har,f
platform at his feet Disease had settled in
his bruises and his face was frightfully
swollen and disfgured. He might have been
q ghoui or gnome instead of human
being.
Revenge him, men, he screamed, throw
ing up his arms, IF you have any spirit in
you. | have just told hin-some of you
knew it-how that boy has stole his wife and
spit on the laws, as if they were not for the
rich like him."
1t was more like a groan than shout that
went up from the crowd before him, which
only waited word from the bowed, broken
man they loved, to become bloodthirsty
mob. Would he give them that words He
had leaped to his feet and thrown out his
long right arm in its grandest gesture, and
the murmur of the people died down. His
face was as white as dead mans, an ashy
white, but his eyes flashed lightning.
"Whose wrong is it then, this hideous crea-
lures or mine q / will settle my own griev
ances, need no mob to right me-" Then
Curran paused moment When he began
again il was In a lower tone 'Besides, the
man is wrong,n his voice trembled like a
child's 81 have no-no." he almost broke
down, "'I have no wife-I AMI am not well,
l must go TO my bed, but before l go want
to be sure you will make no mistake tonight
or tomorrow He. folded his arms across
his broad chest in a sublime effort of self
control His blood boiled in mad fever, every
fO m
pictures floated before his dimmed vision but
he would not stir from his post till he had
conquered this mob. philip Breton has
shown himself fair to you, be fair with him.
If he never did another thing for you-he-he
has yet deserved your--your patience. You
Will excuse me now, will see you tomorrow,
hut need rest. Can depend ON your He did
not even look at them; his attitude, as he
waited with downcast eyes, was of q man
who talks in his sleep.
"Yes-yes," shouted the people, and then
NE turned and stepped off from the platform.
He came down the aisle very strangely. At
first he would hurry and noticeno one. Them,
as if by mighty effort, he would walk very
slowly, then faster again. Then he would stop
short and put out his hand TO some perfect
stranger.
Many eyes watched him curiously when he
separated from his eager friends at the door
of the hall and walked rapidly away. liz
Curran had turned off TO the road that led TO
Philip Breton's house on the hill he would
not have gone far alone, but he did not even
look that way so long as the half tanned mob
could see him. And the people scattered in
disappointment to their homes.
But Curran is no longer walking in his first
direction he has turned ON his heel and made
q route for himself across the fields His face
is pointed toward the lights that yet shine
down at him from the stone houseon the hill
And the roads are not straight enough for
the errand he is on, alor is walking fast
enough he breaks into q run. Now he falls
over low fence SO violently that a limb
might have been broken; but he only loses his
hat and runs on, his long hair shaking down
over his pale set face as he runs. His breath
comes like the putting of n locomotive; he
cap hear his heart throb louder than his foot
falla
What does he seek? What will he do when
he looks again on his faithless and dishonored
wife and on the man who has put this dead
LEST shame upon himl Punishment can wipe
cut nothing, vengeance never assuaged one
pang Of human anguish yet. But mercy or
pity or reason are fled from his maddened
soul tonight, while the furies whip him on.