Morris tribune., 1902-06-14
CHAPTER K.
WHAT CAME TO sLAvIN.

1-sFs a new league, which was more
RR5AHAgY than the old league remade
The league was new in it's spirit and il
on tho camp by Billy Breen's death
was very remarkable, and l have new
er been quite able to account for it.
The mood Of the community at the
time was peculiarly susceptible. Billy
was one Of the oldest of the old tim
ers. His decline and fall had been a
dong process. and his struggle for life
and manhood was striking enough to
arrest the attention and awaken the
sympathy Of the whole camp. We il
4gtinctively side with a man in his
struggle for freedom, for we feel that
freedom is native to him and to us.
The sudden collapse of the struggle
stirred the men with deep pity for
the beaten man and a deep contempt
for those who had tricked him to his
doom; but, though the pity and the
contempt remained the gloom was re-
lieyed and the sense Of defeat removed
from the mems minds by the trans
forming glory of Billy's last hour. Mr..
Craig, re"Cilg Of the tragedy of Billy's
death, tr,iiStigured defeat into victory,
and this Was gradually accepted by the
n,en as the true reading, though to
them it was full Of mystery. But they
could ali understand and appreciate at
full value the spirit that breathed
through the words Of the dying man:
Don't lie ard on 'em. They didn't
mean no ';jrm." And this was the new
spirit of TIE league.
1t was this spirit that surprised Sla-
vim into Sudden tears at the graves
side. He had come brace1 for curses
and vengeance, for all knew it was he
who had doctored Billy's lemonade,
and instead Of vengeance the message
from the de"d that echoed through the
voice of the living was one of pity and
forgiveness.
But the days of the leagues mega
tiye defensive warfare were over. The
fight was to the death, and now the
war was to be carried into the enc
my's country. The league men pro-
posed a thoroughly equipped and we'll
conducted coffee room, reading room
and hall to parallel the enemy's lines
Of operation and defeat them with
their own weapons upon their own
ground. Tie main outlines of the
scheme were clearly defined and were
easily seen, but the perfecting of the
details called for all Craig's tact and
good sense. When, for instance, Yer
non WintOl, who had churge Of the
entertainment department, came for J
Craig's opinion as to a minstrel troupe
and private theatricals, Craig was
prompt with his answer:
''Anything clean goes"
"A niger ShOwW asked WintOn.
depends UPON the niggers, replied
Craig, wit. Il gravely comic look,
shrewdly ;,&:.,.ng, ask Mrs. Mavor."
And so tn" League Minstrel and ORA
matte comI ~ became an established !
fact and proved, as Craig afterward |
told ME, great means of grace to the |
camp.
Shaw hi. charge of the social de- |
partment, whose special care it was to |
see that the men were made welcome |
to the cCzr, cheerful reading room,
where they might chat, smoke, read, |
write or pay games, according to
fancy.
But Craig felt that the success or
failure Of the scheme would largely
depend upon The character Of the resi-
dent manager, who, while caring foI
reading rc>:M and hall, would control
and operate >!}e important department
represented y the coffee room.
''At this i.~int the whole business
may come t" grief" he said to Mrs
MavOr, Witi.tut whose counsel nothing
was done.
''Nhy come to grief?" she asked
brightly.
because if we don't get the right
man that's what will happen" he re-
piled in q tcMe that spoke Of anxious
worry.
''But we SHALL get the right man, new
er fear" Her serene courage never
faltered. He will come to US"
Craig turned and gazed at her in
frank admiration and said:
"'If only had your couragew
courage she answered quickly.
Tt is not for you to say that" And at
his answering look the red came into
her cheek and the depths in her eyes
.lowed, and marveled and wondered,
boxing at Craig's cool face, whether
lis blood were running evenly through
his veins. But his voice was quiet-a
shade too quiet, thought-as he grave
y replied:
Il would often be a coward but for
he shame of it,"
And so the league waited for the man
o come who was to be resident mana ]
ger and make the new enterprise
And come he did, but the
manner Of his coming was so extraor-
linary that have believed in the doc
rine of special providence ever since,
or, as Craig said, eff he had come
traight from heaven, could not have J
'een more surprised"
While the league was thus waiting, I
Is interest conferred upon Slavin, chief
= because he represented more than .