The Irish standard., 1904-08-06

slightly bent and his carelessly
brushed hair fitted we'll the largely
built and heavy lined face. Reaching
the second broad step, the tall man
paused, leaning against the WALL
When Mr.. Blaine came to stand
on the staircase leaped up out OF
the crowd to the step below him, leav.
ing the two stenographers where I
had stood
AS the tall figure moved up from
among his fellows l summoned Null.
vey to follow. and he crept swiftly
up the steps. crOuched near me on the
one above the tall figure and one or
two steps below Mr.. Blaine. l had
chosen Mulvey to make the shorthand
report of the address to Mr.. Blaine.
With his notebook on his knee Mulvev
sat ready. and 1 noticed the bristling
of sharply pointed pencils in the outer
pocket Of his coat. 1t was Mulvey's
arsenal of supplies. \ shorthand man
at work has no time to sharpen pen
ellis.
Clutching the banister-rail more
tightly with his right hand. DIR. Bur-
chard placed one foot against the step
above him. braced himself thus to his
full height. lifted his face to Mr.
Blaine and spoke:
1--WE are very happy to welcome you
to this circle" he began; and BlaiDG
swept the speaker and the crowd with
an acknowledging smile.
''You see here representation of
all the denominations of the city. You
see the large number that are repre-
sented.'
Again Mr.. Blaine smiled at the
speaker and swiftly over the still.
white faces that We're watching him
one of those magnetic clltreaches of
the man that made each listener feel
as though he knew Blaine personally.
I'VE are your friends. Mr.. Blainc."
The old clergymans voice broke in
the upward infection which he gave
to the word "frcnd" There was
something plaintive in it, The people
felt it, and they stirred. Mr.. Blaine's
face had. however, fixed itself to Il
PARKWAY gaze. He had begun not to
realize what his ear heard the vision
was focused far Off-unhcedin. ears,
unseeng eyes.
Mr.. Blaine's mother was Catholic,
and many who were variously referred
to rs fools or fanatics feared the son
might lean to her faith and to it's adj
herents Easy birth and credence
We're therefore possible to the rumor
that the Republican national managers
had arranged this neutralizing dem
onstration by Protestant preachers.
If the rumor were we'll founded Mr..
Blaine must have felt sure all utter
ances had been properly censored, for
Blaine believed in keen censorship of
political words not only before but
after utterance. If the rumOr were
not true. he might certainly assume
that he could safely trust himself to
the hands and tongue of q clerical
body. Assuredly they were innocu-
Gus. He need not watch them. He
might relax. with immunity from blum.
der. And the look in his face. the
expression of his eyes, convinced me,
7 tel t1,ot 1ai nd
elsewhere-idle, perhaps. maybe plan
ming other things. And the gray
haired. the giant-likc Burchard talked
on:
Notwithstanding all the calumnics
that have been urged in the papers
against you we stand by your side.
day. We have a higher expectation,
which is that you will be the presi
dent of the United States, and that
you will do honor to your name and
to the United States and to the high
office you will occupy" AS though to
mark a paragraph before his next ut
terance the speaker paused.
I'VE are Republicans" he .cried,
land we do not propose to leave our
party and identify ourselves with the
party whose antecedents have been
rum, Romanism and Rebellion. We
are loyal to our flag, we are loyal to
you"
l peered quickly up at Mr.. Blaine's
facet was impressive, the eyes gaz-
ing afar-and then knelt swiftly be-
side MuEvey.
did you get that?" 1 whispered,
eagerly, chat about Rum, Ro-"
"Bet your life-the old fool"
Whereby you cannot guess if Mulvcy
was a resentful Democrat or a dis
gusted Republican. But he had the
famous ALTERATION in his notes, and,
though, working mechanically, had
felt the Importance of it.
AS we spoke, crouching on tn.
stairs. we noted the feet of the speak,
er retire from beside us down one
step. He had finished.
Hes done, Mulvey-hurry to the
office and get out your stuff; mark it
add Blaine It'll fit on to the intro
duction l sent down half an hour ago"
And Mulvey slid down the steps and
scooted through the crowd, while
Tewsley SDranr I'D into Mulvey'S