Evening star., 1896-12-12

OF All the Ornamental Appendnses to
This Studio, the Most Striking Was
Bnrney's "Man."
would be unpopular: besides, he believed
| in the union If it were properly led. His
fight was against Gibbons not against the
OF ganization.
Gibbons was in his chair and he had
rapidly taken the measure of the speaker.
He saw that the address was having it's
effect, and that the crowd was slipping
away from his control. 1t was risky thing
to do with such powerful man, but he
made up his mind that Braunt must be
angered, when he would likely, in his vio-
lence, lose all the ground he had gained. So
Gibbons quietly, with his eye, gathered up
his trusty henchmen, who were scattered
In different parts of the hall, to give an
appearance of unanimity to the shouting
when the proper time came, and these men
had now gradually edged to the front dur
ing the speaking. One or two had silently
mounted the platform and held a whispered
conference with the secretary, after which
they and some others took their places be-
hind the seated committee. When Sart-
well was alluded to Gibbons arose.
"Mr. Chairman" he said, II cannot al
low
Braunt turned on him like a raging lion.
Don't you interrupt me-" he cried. roll
ing up his sleeves. ''or I'll dash you
through that window
Order order! said the chairman, family.
"Yes, an you atop O. him. shouted the
infuriated man. I've done it before
Respect the meeting, if you have no re-
gard for the chair" said Gibbons, calmly
You talk to us as If we were a parcel of
fools, cried man in front. Braunt, like
bafted bull. not knowing in which direc-
ton to rush, turned his eyes, blazing with
rage, upon the last speaker. He shook his
clenched fist and barred arm at the audi
ence.
What else are you?" he roared, at the
top OF his voice "A parcel O dommed fools,
all o ye. Led by the nose by still bigger
fool than any O. ye. Yes; set O. chatter
ing idiots, that's what we are, with not
enough brains among the lot O. We to turn a
grindstone. 1 know we. beer-sodden gang,
pint mugs full"
By this time those in the hall were in a
state of evaporation bordering on frenzy.
A small door to the right of the stage, con-
Meeting with an alley, had been opened
and a number Of the more timid, seeing a
storm impending, had quietly slipped out.
The meeting was now seething mob, cry
ing for the blood Of the man who stood
there defying them and heaping contumely
upon it,
Gibbons, his lips pale but firm, took a
step forward. We have had enough of
this" he said. Get off the PLATFORM
Braunt turned as If on pivot and rushed
at the secretary. The latter stepped nimbly
back. and one of his supporters, with a
running jump and hop, Planted his boot
sGuarely in Braunt's stomach. The impetus
was so great and the assault so sudden and
unexpected that Braunt, powerful as he
was doubled up like a two-foot rule and
fell backward from the platform to the
floor.
Instantly a dozen men pounced upon him
and hustled him, in spite of his striking
out right and left, through the open door
into the alley. The door was closed and
bolted in the twinkling Of an eye-Braunt
outside and his assailants within. 1t was
all so neatly and so quickly done that the
police. who had been on the alert for some
time, only reached the spot when the door
was bolted The crowd with but the
vaguest general notion of what had hap
pened beyond the sudden backward COL
lapse of Braunt, raised wild cheer, for
which Gibbons was thankful. He did not
wish them to know that Braunt had been
taken in hand by the police outside and
he had been very anxious, if an arrest were
inevitable, that it should not take place in
the hall, for then even Braunt's violent
TRADE would not have prevented universal
sympathy turning toward him. While the
cheer was ringing up to the roof, Gibbons
had heard terrific blow delivered against
the door, a blow that nearly burst in the
bolt and made the faces of those standing
near turn pale. Another crashing hit shat
tered the panel and gave a glimpse for
one moment of bleeding knuckles. Then
there was an indication of a short sharp
struggle in the alley, and all was quiet
save the reverberating" echo of the cheer
Gibbons strobe to the front of the plat
form and held up his hand for silence
speaker made some remarks which ought
not to have been made, but let us all re-
member that hard words break no bones.
however, there has been enough talk for
one night and 1t is time to proceed to bus
mess Gentlemen, you have heard the re-
port of the committeeman is your pleas
ure?'
Il move" said a man, rising in the mid
die or the hail. that we go on strike
Il second that notion" cried several
voices.
Put the notion" whispered Gibbons to
the bewildered chairman.
Scimmins rose to his feet.
You have all heard the notion" he said.
"All in favor say aye"
A seemingly universal shout of Aye
rose. The chairman was on the point of
resuming his seat when Gibbons, in a quick
aside, said:
Contrary
IAN to the contrary" called out the
chairman, lowering between sitting and
standing.
There was no dissent, for Marsten had
left to see what had become of his friend,
and the timorous men had stolen aWay
when they detected signs of disturbance.
Notions carried, :" said Scimmins seat
Ing himself. with every indication of relief
unanimously" added Gibbons loudly,
result.
Chapter TX.
There are streets in Chelsea practically
abandoned to studios. Long, low buildings
OF one story. with many doors in front, and
great broadsides of windows at the back,
multi-paned windows, letting in from the
north the light that artists love, lined these
thoroughfares, which Barney in his jocular,
oh-hand manner called aurora borealis''
streets. because. as he always explained,
they were'so full Of northern lights"
Such studios were all very well for the
ordinary, everyday artist, who exhibited
at the Royal Academy and places of that
sort, but painter with a soul, and Incl
dentally, reliable bank account desired
something better than one of these barns:
SO Barney had taken a house and fitted 1t
up to meet his requirements. Craigenput-
toch House, as Barney called it, in tardy
recognition of the genius Of Thomas Car
lyle. was building Of three stories, stand
ing back from the street in grounds of its
own. The rooms on the upper floor were
allowed to remain as they were, and gave
Barney bed rooms for himself and his
friends. his hospitality being unique and
unlimited. All the partitions on the first
floor had been torn away, SO that this por-
ton of the house was formed into one vast
apartment with the exception of a space
f0r n nOf,lQ landing IN Uh foI, txz