Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-05-10

The tension In Virginia was s.Own
thin. Again and again the burly Earl
of Dunmore prorogued the assembly on
the pretext Of popular excitement. The
burgesses submitted with q bow. and
the flddles played In their town
houses Dunmore thought himself a
diplomat and went on winning his Tory
favorites at the palace. put under the
music was an ominous inntiering.
News came of the kings speech on
the opening OF parliament. The colo
MES protests were "unwarranted at
tempts to obstruct the commerce Of
this kingdom by unlawful combina-
tons" and showed IA most daring spir-
II OF resistance and disobedience to
the law" This pronouncement was
received in Williamsburg with al in
tense establishment.
And what, meantime, had Henry
been doing?
Restless. eager, he had ridden hither
and thither like sallow shadow-at
courthouses calling the minutemen,
overseeing the election of the commit
tees recommended by the congress, at
Alberti's porting over lists with Jeffer-
son, uniting north and south In net
work of nerves, laboring, tireless and
convincing.
II is thing to note, since rebellion
commonly springs from the people
rather than from the quality. that 1t
was contrary In Virginia. There the
aristocracy was not Tory. There were
few enough. like my Lord Fairfax,
who, born noble, held nobly to their
loyalty. Those who held with the king
besides the toad eaters. were for the
most part the lower classes, oficehold-
ers, tradesmen who looked for sales
lawyers just over from London. The
stanChest rebels were the great landed
planters. Sedition was In the club
room and the parlor. One must to the
tavern bar for toasts to the king.
And SO came about this strange
thing: That Williamsburg, the minia-
tuit Nopy VI tht Nouit VI JdihSoi
aping the manners Of the royal palace,
its old church graveyard and college
chapel standing for Westminster Alb
hey and st. Paul's-that this spot
spot should prove the heart Of the re-
bellion." II this fact alone remained
1t might well make the world wonder
al the enduring blindness OF the king 3
ministers and whether God had not in
deed covered their eyes because He
would have II SO.
1t was little George cared for the &C.
tons Of the first Congress. halting. In
effectual, or for the petitions Of Brit
ish merchants. He had set his Jaw. In
vain the Earl Of Chatham moved In
the house of lords to withdraw the
troops from Boston. Instead the col
onies received bill Offering pardon to
repentant rebels, and the patriots : OF
Virginia heard with shocked surprise
that this excepted Patrick Henry!
On the day this news was printed in
the Williamsburg Gazette Henry and
Jefferson met at Alberti's and set out
on horseback for Richmond. There.
In st. Johns church. the new Virginia
convention, mindful OF the bloody
threats OF the sinister governor, had
elected to meet, and thither had gone
q half Of Williamsburg. leaving Dun
more with his troops at his palace to
bite his nails in impotent anger.
The 23d of March dawned over Rich
mond's unwonted hustle In a quivering
wizard haze of intense blue. where
cloud puffs swan like lazily pluming
swans. Anne had arrived the night be-
fore at Goochland and drove in, that
morning in the Payne chariot. Spring
was up, the earth quick with 1t. All
along the way wild crab apple boughs
droned with clinging bees, and by the
snake fence rows OF peach trees had
pitched their tents of bloom.
She met Henry in front OF the Indian
Queen inn and walked with him up to-
ward the churchyard. now filling with
a vast throng.
Tell me-" she questioned eagerly.
"Will 1t come today?"
He looked down at her with that
rare smile which seemed to be the
higher part OF him, gliding and trans
figuring his other self. what faith
you have in mel" he said.
II know" she answered. II have
seen II in your face. No one in Vir-
ginia can do 1t save you-none of them,
1t must be the voice before the arm"
THE spark before the explosion" he
muttered, "and the train is nearly
laid" His hands moved restlessly.
Il have longed-prayed-for some
new overt act of Dunmore's that
should be spark 10 powder, But he