The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-12
RECEIVING THE BULLETINS.

4 y u
his chair at frequent intervals and
stood at the window looking down on
the busy thrOng on State street Chi
cago's most crowded thoroughfare.
But his nervousness compelled him to
constantly keep moving. The en-
trance of a messenger boy every min
ute or so with fresh bulletin was a
welcome interruption. In the inter
walls he paced back and forth between
his room and the parlor. Mr.. Bryan
neither drinks. smokes, nor chews. lie
took copious libation of iced water
but turned to nothing stronger to
steady his nerves.
When the result of the second ballot
was known Mr. Bryan's little band of
friends showed great Joy, They
turned to him and told him that his
nomination was already assured. Mr..
BRYAN. however, did not permit him
self to feel too sanguine. week ago
he came to Chicago. and when asked
about his ''boom'-and it was then
merely a weakling of boom and look
ed as if it might die of inanition-he
quietly said that he might perhaps,
under certain circumstances, he the
nominee. He said the same thing to-
dav. when his friends told him that he
was already as good as nominated.
Mr. Bryan quietly told them to wait
until the votes had been recorded in
his favor.
The third ballot continued to raise
the spirits Of those four Nebraskans
sitting in the Clifton House parlor.
Despite his nervousness, Mr.. Bryan
was the most composed of the group,
The others made no attempt to con-
ceal their satisfaction. They already
congratulated Mr., Bryan, not only as
the nominee. but as the next Presi-
dent He quietly tried to repress their
enthusiasm. When the bulletins an
nounced that Illinois had withdrawn
from the hall for a conference, that
PENNSYLVANIA was also in caucus, and
that Ohio delegates were comforting,
Mr. Bryan felt that in a few minutes
his fate would be told. The candidate
knew almost as soon as did the people
in the hall that Illinois, after a stormy
caucus, had decided for him.
THAT SETTLES IT"
Mr.. Bryan read the bulletin. and as
it fiuttered from his fingers to swell
the pile of white paper heaped on the
table, he quietly remarked, That set
ties it,"
When the fifth ballot was commenc-
ed the four men sat at the table with
faces almost immovable. There was
tally sheet of the States between
them, and long slip of paper on
which to do quick figuring Mr..
Bryan's hand holding his pencil shook,
and in intervals between bulletins, he
beat tattoo on the wood in front of
him. 1t was apparent to politicians
even less experienced than those four
men from Nebraska long before the
ballot was finished that the resistless
ground swell had swept Bryan into
the nomination With Wyoming the
vote stood 444. IS short of the total.
we will get it, said Bryan Ohios
turnover a few minutes later left the
matter no longer in doubt. The four
men got up from the table There
was no necessity for them to sit there.
Their work was over. Mr.. Bryan went
back to his room, taking his friends
with him.
In a space of time so short as to
seem almost incredible that the news
could have travelled, kilograms of con-
CALCULATIONS began TO roll in. And
quickly on the heels of the messenger
boys came the politicians, the public,
and the men who used TO go TO school
with Mr.. Bryan"
SCENES At THE CLIFTON HOUSE
Despite the police at the foot of the
stairs, great many persons managed
to get on the second floor. Some had
pull" others were guests" or said
so, and some had financial dealings
with the guardians of the law, but
once upstairs there was still another
barrier to storm. In the narrow and
dark corridor outside Mr.. Bryan's
room. stood two staIwart bluecoats,
who were mere neither TO be bribed or
caioled In front of them was mass
of perspiring, pushing enthusiastic
Democrats. who wanted to get at the
nominee. They could only get at him
By sending their names TO the inner
sentinel. one of Mr.. Bryan's old
friends.
While the hotel lobby was damned
| with a mass of shouting, jubilant
yociferous Nebraskans, shaking hands
yith themselves, and every one else
| making frequent trips to the bar ant
| livening the air with shouts OF Bryan
| 4 ouieflv dressed sweet-faced lrbtlt
1 woman. IlIlHHI III litI 1lfetItieAt N''~~'
| push her way Thorough the crowd. Hao
| the people known who she was they
would have cast their coats on the TO
| bacco-stained floor to spare her shoes
| Few knew that she was Mrs. Bryan.
| 1t looked as if Mrs. Bryan would ID
| unable to reach her husbands side
but fortunately one of the hotel pro
| prietors came TO her rescue, and es
corted her upstairs. Let Mrs. Bryan
pass" he said to the policeman OF
guard. and there was cranlng 0
neclls to see the wife of the man wh'
has 50 suddenly come into the blaz
of publicity. Quietly the liJtle womal
slipped through the ranks and into IN
arms of the husband who had beer
| waiting to share wih her the triumph
Of the hour.
BRYAN'S FUTURE PLANS.
When / saw MIR. Bryan little late
ne still wore his mascot coat and nj
pearl Fedora Thesmall, almost Shah
by, room was Uttered with paper, an'
the air was heavy with the smoke o