Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-13
. ARTHUR sEWALL.

/ American flag over the latter's head.
People Jumped to their feet and shouted.
Cheer followed cheer, and for a minute
or two pandemonium reigned. The crowd
went twild with enthuiasm and lung
power was drawn on to an alarming ex-
tent. But this demonstration had, it's
ending in the desire of the people to hear
the speech to which they had been look
ing forward SO anxiously, and when the
man with the flag came down to where
Mr.. Bryan was sitting and fastened the
standard in a corner of the stand the
cheering ceased, and everybody watched
with interest while Mr.. Bryan helped
the banner-waver to fix the staff In
place..
/, Although the cheering thousands in
the hall were hot of body and hoarse
of throat, they rose as man when
Chairman Danforth stepped forward
and introduced Mr.. Bryan. Then came
a demonstration that far exceeded those
that had followed the mention of Bryan's
name previously in the evening. The
scene presented was strongly reminis-
cent of the tumult that reigned in the
coliseum at Chicago when Bryan fin
ished the effort that established his rep
,utation as a great orator Men and
women rose to their feet and cheered
On the platform, in the boxes, in the
galleries people were shouting like mad
men. Men waven their coats and their
handkerchiefs as only women can.
Nearly every person who Joined in this
noisy tribute to the democratic candidate
was standing on his chair, waving and
shouting. The band struck lively air
and added to the din. Mr.. Bryan held up
his hand for silence. 1t was like an in
centive to yell louder The crowd would
not be thwarted. Mr. Bryan made an ef-
fort to speak. His voice was drowned In
a wild howl Again he held up his hand,
t1,a a1,n .-f.,er In 20 atuh
Somebody began to shake the floor by ris-
ing and receding quickly on his toes. 9th
ers followed and set the example, and
that thunderous rumble which sounds
like the approach of an army of war.
chariots rose above the cheers of the null
titude. This was too much for the nom-
inee. He said that his audience was
bound to have It's way, and he gave up his
attempt to check the enthusiasm. He sat
down wearily, but In second jumped
up again with hand upraised for silence.
The shouters were getting weary by this
time, but the restraining hand made them
take last lease on their efforts. Sena-
tor Jones shouted. Il appeal to this
crowd to be in order" But he was not
listened to, and the crowd did not cease
until 1t felt like 1t.
Mr.. Bryan rose and stepped to the
front and center of the speakers plat
form In his hand he held manuscript
copy of his speech. His face was pale,
but he was cool and calm.
He began to speak slowly, but was
obliged to stop, for the demonstration
had several renewals before 1T died
There were Kisses for quiet before some
of the wildly enthusiastic admirers of
the young candidate could be subdued.
He began again and man in the gallery
gave another incentive to enthusiasm by
shouting three cheers for Bryan"
Then he began IN earnest His Voice
was firm, but it showed signs of hoarse-
ness. 1t was plain that the physician
who attended him at Mr.. st. Johns
house had not been able to bring the
wonderful voice to the perfect condition
II was in when the Chicago speech was
made. The strain of the speech-making
journey from Chicago to Pittsburg had
been too great to allow such quick re-
covery Of the use of the vocal organs,
and Mr.. Bryan could not make himself
heard so distinctly as in the coliseum.
But 1t was only in the galleries in the
rear Of the garden that everything he
said could not be heard, and after his
speech had proceeded a while many in
these points of disadvantage began leav-
ing until they became comparatively
empty before the effort was concluded
Mr. Bryan read from manuscript, but
occasionally he dropped the sheets of pa
per and spoke earnestly and vehemently
without looking at them. During Nh