The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-01

A Close F.cLure By Julian Il w
thorns of a Bryan Rsc psioll.
MRS. BRYAN M DAN E9
BRYAN's p4YsicA- rRsNerH

Such a Scene Never Gen-id, : hiet Fig
ure Looked Worthy of tie Occa-
sion--A ~ an of iron Nerve ana
unconquerabie Dignity.
Chicago, Oct. Ell hear it suggested
that trip like this must be mdsaoton-
Gus. j find no monotony in it. There
is a superficial similarity between the
rushing, jost1ing, shouting, eager
crowds that line our way through the
prairies aud assemble in hundreds or
thousands at every station. Yet they
differ with an infinite difference.
To each new audience or circle of
spectators Bryan himself is now the
man of the people long looked for come
at last He is the seal of his own opin-
ions, which they have already heard or
read, and each word that he says that
has not been said before is received
with enormous recognition and SYM
pathy.
AS long as humanity is interesting
to human beings, spectacles like this
can never become monotonous. Never
can / cease to be affected by those
outstretched, approaching hands, crowd
ed together, striving to touch the hand
of the man OF their hope; hands knotty
and gnarled, but each one with heart
in it.
Strange, unknown creatures shoulder
their way to the platform on which
he stands; figures grimy with the soil
of the field and The smoke of the fac
tories; men who never will till now
have felt an interest in the politics OF
their country. They are poor men,
but in this election they cannot be
bought. The buried Titan is bestirring
himself. He feels dimly that he is
strong; he begins to realize that moth
ing is so strong as he. He is getting
to his feet.
Let no one underrate the significance
of these facts. Pictures worthy of
painters genius continually come and
go. just now we paused for a mo-
Inent at some small wayside station.
All that could be seen of the village
was few lights twinkling against the
gloom of the surrounding prairie. AT
the rear of the train, round the plat
form where Bryan stood, was jammed
together the whole populace of the
squalid little place, wild. unkempt
figures shown in intense contrast of
light and shadow by the lanterns of
the brakemen; twisted, homely faces,
staring eyes, grasping hands, and the
light shone against red placard on the
side of board shanty behind the
crowd, and on the roof of the shanty
half a dozen figures stood, bending for
ward in intent attitudes to see and
hear.
They were outlined against the
deep, clear violet of the eastern even
ing sky. Overhead hung a single great
star. Only the voice of Bryan was au-
dible for a moment 1t ceased; pierre
ing shout went up; the figures on the
roof tossed their arms wildly, and
the train moved away from them, talk
ing their leader from their hearing
and sight forever.
But they will never forget him, and
many q man, years hence, will recall
the stalwart figure of the silver candi-
date, with barred forehead, black hair,
and flashing eyes, as he saw it for a
moment on the platform of a train
when he was little child.
Nor can / ever forget these pictures
of the American people, seen for a
moment, then forever gone. 1t has
happened to few of us in our lifetime
to see the American people. 1T is a
memorable sight.
The reception and scene at Alton,
some two hours from Jacksonville,
would seem incredible, told in frigid
prose. The roaring of the crowd out
side the train long before the station
was reached was almost appalling to
hear. An open square, slipping upward
from the station, was overlooked from
its upper side by the decorated rostrum
from which Bryan was to speak. This
square was swaying wilderness of
people.
From them went up a voice of well
hot haxr ard
the Mississippi. Tt seemed impossible
that any one could reach the platform.
And to address a gathering like this,
to make them hear and understand, to
hold them silent and attentive, to win
the control, seemed a feat beyond hui
man power. Yet this was what Bryan
did, and then he seemed greater than
the crowd, and the spirit of the crowd
was incarnate in him.
Alton is but type of many. But 1T
may be said that the longer this cam
paign lasts and the better its true is
sues are understood, the deeper and
unquenchable the enthusiasm of the
people becomes.
Two old college mates of Mr.. Bryan
were discussing him in the smoking
car last night, and one of them said:
He would never go out with us
when we wanted him to come and make
a night of it. He would say that be
didn't know what fortune the future
might have in store for him, but what
ever it was, he was determined to dc
nothing now which might in any way
impair his power to deal with effec
lively then"
The other remarked that Bryan. like
other men in college, was always re
ligiously minded, but, unlike the 9th
ers. he was always respected by thoss
of another turn because of his trans
parent honesty and simplicity.
The boy in this case was father o
the man. Those who see him believ
in him His aspect and gesture, as h
faces the succession of seething crowd
that punctuate our journey, are as
surance to those who cannot hear hin