The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-04-19

! that was being spread over the front
Of tho NEWSPAPER office. Downstairs the
huge presses were laundering aroln"
and round at terrific speed, but they
could not turn out papers fast enough
to feed the mob that Surged about the
front of the building, and swallowed up
thp damp sheets as a hurricane does the
leaves of autumn. Meanwhile every tclc-
graph instrument in the city Was busllE
clicking with messages TO all parts IT
the country and the excitement seen il
New York on that memorable afternoon
was reproduced on q lesser scale III
thousands of other places.
The news that the swift little ocean
messenger had brought and which Gre
atcd such an unroar was the most start
ling that the great city had ever heard.
1t was nothing less than the announce
incnt tina the combined French and
Spanish fleet were even then proceed
ing across the Atlantic, not TO Cuba,
but with the object Of capturing New
York city. and that within the space Of
another day or VIZ they would be 1t
the gates of the metropolis.
Such was the astounding repor that
set the country in Il tuHult on that
quiet July day. 1t caused the people to
leave their shops. their fields and thor
homes to gather in excited and @cs-
ticulating groups: it caused President
aIcI\inley and his cabinet ut Washing
tom to hurry into secret conference and
Governor Black at Albany to issue 4
SDecial proclamation to the State militia
directing its members to report 10 their
commanding officers and to be ready
for marching orders 1T any moment.
At first it was thought that the news
could not he true: it was such a high
handed step. and there had been no
whisper Of il beforehand. But no sooner
had one man raised this objection than
Il dozen others were ready to explain It
away
Thus it was argued back ana forth
until almost every one was convinced
before the sun went down that one Of
the strongest fleets ever gathered WAS
planning 10 seize the greatest city in the
country-that Incompatible city which
lay apparently as defcnseless as a rich
field of grain before the hurricane.
The people were convinced. They
knew that these nations had resented
Wat they considered the Interference
of the United Stats in their affairs. and
had been burning with the desire for
vengeance. 1t was all true. They had
planned to make their revenge serve
also us tlt OCCASION OF the most Dlttpr
humlll@hon Of the great western rcDuh-
lie. The plan was such an unexpected
and yet such Il simple and natural one.
All through the night Of the first men
held their breaths as in the presence of
Il great calamity. Morning brought lii
tie change. kilograms from the capital
reported that the President and his caa-
met had been in session all night LONG
discussing the situation. but that they
had made no announcement Of any nr3-
posed action for the defense of the city
Throughout thc I'd all eyes were turned
toward Washington. and the movements
of the government officials were watched
with n lntenest interest. The news
papers printed extras every half-hour
filled for the most part with Washing
ton dispatches. and every word WIS
eagerly devoured. The first important
news was the publication Of an official
proclamation by the President of the