New-York tribune., 1903-07-14
The Chameleon.
Copyright. 1908: by Mcclure. Philips CO..


away moment into the darkness
Il am informed, Numbered the master Of
ceremonies few minutes later that Francis
Howell Bradford ntnety-bIank. hero of the Car
FAX and Adams wreck at Hoopsboro. is in the
audience. VIII Mr.. Bradford come forward. or
would he prefer TO be brought.
Here he is" shouted Shedsy seizing him.
While others took up the cry Bradford resisted
bur family Presently he was in the wagon.
facing the crowd rs he had often been wears
before The suddenneSS Of it. however. was a
trihe surprising. From the wagon the FIRE liz
area appeared smaller. the faces more CHASTITY
in the glare the ring Of darkness more sharply
cut.
Gentlemen. Mr. Bradford: Mr. Bradford. gen-
temen" trumpeted West There was an ex-
Plosion of cheers. and then-silence
IL shut down around them so unexpected and
so profound that the cracking OF the fire
seemed to amazingly increase and became like
innumerable pistol shots in high wind. Brad
ford stood there. facing them ALL in his element
at ease and completely happy.
Sing" cried voice Bradford held up his
hand
Join in the chorus, boys" His voice found
even the limit of the crowd. where the wives OF
the professors stood He sang them the old
marching song. he had sung it years before
and they Joined in the chorus crashingIy. till tho
swapping fire wavered so that it almost seemed
the stars wavering too
Walk around, boys walk around!
r,,. Walk around. boys, walk around,
hit her up little: boys. hit her up a little. boys.
hit Ne her y up sIo,II5s a LITTLE. boys
Brnk Prns her her down, down, boys. drink her down.
Drnlt DTink ps n her down; % Boys dEink her down.
fax ,diTl drink h, her down down to Carfax.
So here's to YOU and here's to me. and here's to
Carfax. that makes three.
So drink her M doWn S7SoS Walk nRs5 aTGund IiP''S
He still stood in the wagon. and at the end ot
the final chorus. suddenly that extraordinary,
expectant silence fell again-something tangible:
the silence Of curiosity. Then Bradford leaned
forward and began to speak. As he waited for
the chorus to finish the thought had come to
him and set his pulses beating. Looking away
into the darkness, he saw. as plainly as Il It had
been in reality there. the dark face OF the priest
with the tinest trihe of an ronical sneer; and hs
saw, too. face with gray eyes. What was this
clamorous crowd TO Bradford? Only the stage
and the audience. The Joy light. the battle
light, fckered unseen in Bradfords eyes; he felt
the racing blood in his veins. and braced himself
for what he was to do. He would prove 10
Charges
Boys. Fellows of Carfax, Most OF you
don't know who I ann
"Oh. yes. we dor'
only that I'm an old gIee club man who
Carfax man all right; have the credentials in
my trunk I see DR.. Craven out there; he used
to shake dice every Saturday afternoon for four
years to see whether L got through or not; but
the dice fell my way-somebOdy had loaded
them-and I came through" He dropped his
voice a trihe. And you don't know-though
you will when you've been out four years as 1
have-what old Carfax is to me. WelI-thats
| all right, you think; but this meeting isn't an
i II.
/ So there's only thing want to say. It's
/ strong thing and I'm afraid you'll think it's
ungrateful thing; but believe it's right thin
| and SO. strong and ungrateful il it be- I wau6
| to say it, I have been thinking about it all the
! evening. Understand this first: 1 make no re-
! Elections on the attitude of any man here. I
state my own feelings merely. And it is this;
/ Jimmy Bragg should never have been allow ed
| to go back into that game to-day
| There was a silence thenI Not single spurt-
| ing cheer; not groan; not sound. Every per-
son there was listening.
He is player whose skill needs no words Of
| mine to praise" hurried Bradford intensely.
He is man who is justly popular wherever he
IS known. The umpire himself in reinstatins
him, admitted that he had been unjustly taken
out But, fellows, to put man back Is against
the rules Of the camel To take advantage OF a
technicality is against the spirit OF the gansf
You say, perhaps, 10 IS the umpire'5 business.
and that is true: but It is our business also
your business, and my business. as square men
; and lovers Of square. clean sport. You see BY
the score we could have anyway. We had
them beaten in that second half. Well. we have
the victory now; the banner Is floating
US: but fellows. what would you give to have
It floating there-without the stainFs
Still there was dead silence. In the same un-
natural quiet Bradford bowed. easily and grace
fully; his face was flushed but unexcited Ths
clapping of single pair OF hands fell upon their
ears and everybody turned DR.. Cravens vhita
beard was plain to be seen: standing tan In ths
nrelight. he was clapping heartily. One and an
other. here and there. took 1t up. but only few
And Bradford got down from the wagon and
crossed the hrelit space. and all the way his
blood was racing. and his eyes were shining and
he was thinking:
"I did It'll did It'll did itF' His steps k.pa
time.
shedsy seized him by the arm "R-ravinE
good, oh. r-raving good. Frank! You're Just
actly right, f-felt that way, too but didn's
know h-how TO say 1t. It was finer
Bradford gripped his hand. His voice
strained and tense
"a man has to speak sometimes. when his
heart is full Shedsyr'
Go be continued)