The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-10-11

as fast a. we could 10 the great square. The
PEOPLE were swarmine out Of the houses,
| and the streets we're full Of hurrytna
thronR. all directing their steps 20 the point
| whence We could hear the believing Of the
mob, echoed with answering cheers by those
making towards the place Of assembly
Around US there was murmur like that Of
| millions Of bees, a. men. women and chill.
dren iostlcd their way 10 the Palace Of the
Signory. My companion, who stopped every
now and again 10 open his Jaws a. wide az
the mouth OF a saddle. bag. and give forth
yell, hustled along at a great pace. and I
made after him with scarcely less speed.
BY good fortune, and a considerable
amount OF pushing. we made our way
| through the press, which appeared 10 me
10 be composed entirely of elbows, and at
last reached the market place. Here the
crowd behind Ne slowly drove us forwards,
and finally gave Us the advantage Of good
position. The squsre was lined with men at
arms and stout citizens with boar-spears IN
their hands
All at once there went up shout louder
than ever, the crowd swayed backwards and
forwards, then opened out, and admitted
the Carroccio or war-car IN Florence. II
was painted red. and drawn by oxen housed
in red trappings. The great beasts had
dragged the car slowly from the chapel Of
st. Johns, where, II stood ~ times Of peace,
and labored along under It's weight From
the car itself projected two poles on which
hung the banner Of the Commonwealth, q
red CYCLIC on a white field. Immediately be-
hind this came another car, bearing the
Martinello or war.bell, which was inccssant.
" changing out It's angry notes II was TO
ring now Tor full month. without ceasing
Around the cars were the principal MOBILES
Of the city. aud the oxen being guided to
the bankrupt stone" were there unhar.
messed. Pietro Soderini. the brother Of his
eminence Of Volterra. who was then Con.
faloniere for life. raised bis hand In . mo-
ment there was silence aud the vast audi.
ence listened TO the brief Grafton that fell
from the lips Of their chief magistrate lie
painted in stirring words the dangers 81 the
times; he called to the people 10 forget
party hatrcds in the face Of the common
crisis; he appealed TO their past, and then
concluded: Therefore," said he, for the
safety Of the state. have we To whom that
safety IL intrustcd put our hope IN God. and
our hands TO the sword Citizens, We give
to our enemies to Rome. and to Spain. war,
red war-and God defend the right" With
that, he drew oil his glove Of mail and fluns
4 on the pavement, where il fell with a sud.
den crash
The silence Of the crowd continued for .
little. and then. from 5000 threats rang out
cheer after cheer. A. the sturdy citizens
roared out their approval Of the gage thrown
down.
In the midst Of all this some partisan ~
the Medici. Historically excited, raised
shout Of Pale! Pale,
Blood Of St Johu," exclaimed Ccci.
who 10 that fools lie will die"
II was the well.known cry Of the sIilcd
Medici. and IL drove the crowd TO madness
Instantly there was an answering yell
"Popolo! Popolo! Death TO tyrants'"
I cannot tell what happened exactly but in
the distance | saw a man being tossed and
torn by the mob. For moment. his white
face rose above the sea Of heads, with all the
despair in Il that the face at q drowning
man has. when Il rises for the last time
above the waves. then II sank back, and
something mAngled and shapclc-s was flung
out into the piazza, where It lay very still
l stood Awestruck by this vengeance
yet the Medici viii come back, signorc'-
Ceci whispered this IN my ear. as hs stood
with his hand on my shoulder.
FRO DE- Continued