Evening journal., 1905-04-19
CHAPTER XIV

-
-g% showed clearly that tue ire
presslble conflict Of Mr.. Sow
ards naming had only just begun. The
Herald gave columns every day to
the news Of ''the coming revolution"
as it was pleased 70 call IT, There was
loud talk Of war at and after the great
Pine street meeting of Dec. 10. South
Caroline seeded Eve days later, and
then we knew what was coming. albeit
we saw only the dim shadow Of that
mighty struggle that was 10 shake the
earth for nearly FIVE years. The print
er grew highly Irritable those days and
spoke Of Buchanan and Davis and
Toombs In language so violent It could
never have been confined in type, But,
while a bitter foe, none was more gen
erous than he, and when the war was
ever his money went 20 bail the very
man he had most roundly damned.
I remember that one day when he
was sunk deep in composition a negro
came aad began with grand airs to
make request as delegate from his
campaign club The printer sat still,
his eyes close 10 the paper, his pen fly
ing at high sped The colored orator
went on lifting his voice IN a set pc
tition. Mr.. Greeley bent to HIS work
as the man waxed eloquent A nervous
movement now and then betrayed the
printers irritation. He looked up
shortly, his face klndling with anger.
"Helpi For Gods sakew he shrllled
impationtly, his hands dying In the air.
I The printer seemed to be gasping for
breath.
SEQ and stick your head out OF the
window and get through" he shouted
hotly to the man.
He turned to his writing, thing dear
er 20 him than q new bone TO hungry
dog.
"Then you may come ard tell me
what you want" he added IN a mllder
tone.
Those were days when men said
what they meant, and their meaning
had more fight IN Il than was really
polite or necessary Fight was in the
air. and before ] knew It there was a
Wild. devastating spirit in my own
bosom, insomuch that I made haste TO
Join O local regiment It grew apace,
but not until I saw the FIRST troops on
their way TO the war was / fully deter
mined 60 so and give battle with my
regument
The town was afre with patriotism.
Sumter had fallen Lincoln had issued
his first call The sound Of the nfa
and drum rang in the streets Men
gave up work to talk and listen or &c
into the sierner business OF war; Then
one night IN April a regiment came out
of New England on its way to the
front Il lodged at the Astor House, Ia
leave at 9 in the morning. Long be-
Gore that hour the building was hanked
and fronted with tens Of thousands
crowdins Broadway for three blocks
stuihng the wide mouth Of Park row
and braced into Nesey and Barclay
streets. My editor assigned me to this
Interesting event
stood in the. crowd that morning
and saw what was really the begin
ming OF the war in New York. There
was no babble OF voices, no impatient
call, no sound OF idle jeering such as
It stood silent each man busy with
the rising current Of his own emotions
solemnihed by the faces all around
him. The soldiers filed out upon the
pavement, the police having kept 4
way clear for them. Still there wa,
silence in the crowd. save that near me
1 could hear a man sobhng. A trun
peter lifted his bugle and sounded 4
bar OF the reveile The clear notes
cleft the silent air. flooding every
street about us with their silver sound
Suddenly the band began playing
The tune was Yankee Doodle A wild
dismal tremulous cry came out of
throat near me. II grew and sprea,
Co a mighty roar. and then such ;
about went up TO heaven as I had nev
fr heard and l know full we'll shal
never hear again. II was like the riv
ing Of thunderbolts above the roar o
floods elemental. prophetic, threaten
ing, ungovernable IL did seem 70 m
that the holy wrath Of God Almight,
was In that cry Of the people. II wa
a signal IL declared that they wer
ready 10 give all that a man may Civ
for that he loves-hls life and thing
far dearer to him than his life. Afte
that they and their sons begged for
chance to throw themselves into th
hideous ruin OF war.
walked slowly back to the ofic
and wrote my article. When III
printer came In at Il, went TO hi
room before he had had time to hegi
work as.
"Mr. Greeley" said. "here is m
resignation. am going to the war"
His habitual smile gave way to
sober look as he turned to me, his bi
white coat on his arm. He pursed hi
lips and blew thoughtfully. Then h
threw his coat in a chair and wipe
his eyes with his handkerchief
well. God bless you, my boy"
said. Il wish could go too"
worked some weeks before my reg
ment was sent forward. planned I
be at home for day, but they needle
me on the star, and I dreaded the pal
Of a parting the gravity Of which n
return would serve only TO accentuat
So wrote them a cheerful letter an
kept at work. II was my duty TO II
teryiew some Of the great men OF this
day as TO the course Of the government
remember Commodore Nanderbi
came down 10 see me In shirt sleeve
and slippers that afternoon. with
handkerchief tied about his neck