The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-10
CALEB CoNovER, RAILRoADER.

with monstrous mustnche and cast
in one eye, opened the meeting with
brief spcech. defining the purpose of
the evening, and ended by introducing
the candidate. Give came forward.
A volley Of applause such as he had
never before known hailed him. He
bowed and bowed again, waiting for IT
to subside, But 1t did not. 1t con-
tinucd from every quarter of the
house.
From pleasure Give felt a growing
uneasiness. The majority Of the audi
ence seemed to have relapsed into ST.
lence, and were staring about them In
wonder at the unduly continued ova-
ton. The humping OF feet and canes
and the shouts of welcome increased
rather than diminished 1t settled
down into steady volume OF sound.
regular and rhythmic, shaking the
whole auditorium, losing any hint at
spontaneity and degenerating into
deafening, organized babel.
The men on the platform glanced at
each other in angry bewilderment For
fully ten minutes the tumult endured,
rendering ineligible words out OF the
question. The mayor, as chairman,
raped for silence. But his eHorts
in the vaster, re-echoing volume OF
rhythmic sound. Give held up ms
hand with a gesture Of authority The
applause doubled.
This was growing absurd. the Quiet
majority Of the audience waxed restive'
and half rose In it's seats to locate the
disturbance. To end the embarrass-
ing delay Stnndish began 10 spea ,,,.
hoping the clamor would die down. But
ITS words did not reach the second row
OF seats.
Ansel slipped forward to his side.
nrhis is a put-up job!' he exclaimed
shouting to make himself heard apoVe
the uproad '"They are pretending TO
applaud because they think you care @,
not call them down for that. Ihey
keep It up all evening II they get a
chance. and you won't DC apie ~ p'n'S
ten words"
In front orchestra seat a man stooa
m waving a flag and bawling
"standish! Standish! We want
STANDISH!" ~,
The rest Of Billy shevlin's carefully !,
drilled cohorts took up the cry ana !.
xyns chanted hundred times 10 ths
accnmnnni,nent OF rcsounding sticks ana
boot heels.
The mayor beckoncd a deputy sheriff
from the wings. Pointing to the 'front.'
seat ring leader he commanded:
"Put that fellow out
The depulty descended the steps 10
the orchestra, grabbed the Noe'iSia. 80
enthusiast by the collar and started
to propel him up the aisle. In an IN
slant. as though the action were sig
nal every sound ceased. The house was
as still as death. And through the 81
lence scared the shrll, pentrating pro-.
test Of the man who had just been col
Jared.
"You leave me BET he yelled. i've
got as much right here as you have.
An I'm earnin' my money"
'fWhat money!" shouted trained
querist in the gallery.
"The cash Mr.. Standish promised nc
for leadin' the applause, OF course. He's
payin me an the rest Of the boys good.
an we're goin to earn our dough. Stand
ish! Standish! We want
Then pandemonium broke loose. Hun
dreds OF voices caught up tho rhythmic
refrain, while hundreds more shriekcd
"Fake!" and counter rhythm arose OF
Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! FAKE!'
standish, abandoning all present hope
og making the audience understand that
the shrlll-voiced man was hireling o.
4 Conover's. and that the whole affair
was gigantic, well-rehearsed trick,
turned to face the group on the plat
form. But there, at a glance, he read ii