The age-herald., 1898-08-05
GOTHAM CHEERS
 ALAbAMA'S HERO Lieut.. Hobson Presided Over a Monster Meeting in
 New York.
Special Dispatch to the Age-Herald.

Special Dispatch to the Age e-Herald.
 New York, Aug. 1.-The New York So,- diers' and Sailors Families Protective association held a meeting at the Metro politan opera house tonight to raise mon- ey for the alleviation of suffering at the hearthstones of those who have gone o1t to face the bullets and the fever.
 The great building filled cary. and an immense crowd clamored for, but could not obtain, admission. The star attrao- tion was Richmond Pearson Hobson, who had been prevailed upon to be present in the aid of the patriotic cause of the so- ciety.
 When the president of the society en- tered with MT. Hobson great scene oc- i cured.
 Hundreds of flags flashed out of hidden places and waved in frantic admiration. The women cheered and shrieked in almost hysterical delight. Men waved or pound. d with whatever came to hand, and let out the short, sharp yells, which tell more than any other applause that their ap- proval is genuine and beyond all the ex- pressions provided by the proprieties.
 ''He looks it, doesn't he?" was the gen eral comment running from seat to seat and aisle to aisle
 Then cheer piled on cheer, and the o5- ject of it all stood with a blush on his face and his hands fiddling nervously.
 His eyes wandered up to the banner powered box on his right, and the eyes of the people followed his. There they saw handsome. gray-haired woman in black, her handkerchief to her eyes trying to keep back the proud tears. It was his mother. Beside her a tall slender, grace al tv. !, rrrffh nalY hot on which plumes nodded was his ssser--- the proudest, laughingest young woman in all that proud and happy any.
 When the people had bee - aware of what that look at the box met' the cheer ing boilSd up again and would not down. At every suspicion of lull, a sharp-voiced young II n who stood out against the gal lery rail would shout:
 "Three cheers for Richmond PearsHn Hobson
 more enthusiasm than show of formaliity, and the sea-tossed tempest would go on bowling its own sweet will. "Three cheers for the Merrirnac hero! was the variant cry of the gallery man, and the people kept to their seats, making any noise that would show their over-bub- bling pleasure at the presence of the man on the platform
 The noise might have been kept up till dawn if. Hobson had not at last raised an admonitory hand, which gave a chorus of bank clerks an opportunity to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" On this ths thrOng worked off more of its feeling by shouting a ringing chorus. Hobson, his mother and sister sang as enthusiastically es any one in the house.
 At last the quiet came, and with 1t the surprises. It had not been expected that the young hero of Santiago harbor would do much more than preside, and even when he began to speak in tones which rang into remote gallery recesses. there was no thought of the treat which was to follow.
 For, after Hobson had said that a sailor abhors words, he went right on to tell the wondrous story of the Merrimac, thrilling all the place and keeping the thousands in thral And 1t was not of what q did' or of the orders "I gave" but splendid tribute to the high courage and lofty pat riotism of "Jackie"-the American navys fighting sailors.