Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08

THE VANISHING FLEETS

Continued from page 10


than that; l want your advice. l have been
man with dream, and that you may know
how much it has meant to me. | must tell
you something of myself. | come of a
that for generations has given its blood for
country. 1t was almost obliterated in the
Wars of the Revolution and of 1872. In the
great Rebellion there were five men in my
family, a father and four elder brothers. the
youngest a mere lad, who went to war as vol
unteers. Some of them never returned. My
father was brought back shattered by barba-
rism to die in my mothers arms. The lad who
had gone out with his drum came back to
drag out only few wretched months of suffer
ing 49,, ,o-.o- ,os r,,,ouo
men fought backward and forward across our
fields" He paused for a moment as if the
memory of his childhood was too bitter for
recapitulation, then went bravely on: In
those years the sight of CHASTITY wounds and
cruel death was before me sometimes daily,
but never far removed When peace came
there was nothing left to my mother but her
ravaged farm, her bitter poverty, and her one
boy. Oh, it nightmare, gentlemen, that
never dimmed! 1t was a memory that never
left me, as, hard working poorly clad, and
sometimes hungry, l grew to manhood MY
mother went, as did thousands of other widows
made by war, to an early grave, Prematurely
worn out by work and grief.
The f1OodgateS were down at last Ills re-
preston was going and he rose to his feet be
hind his desk, trembling in every hber, and
with white, quivering lips. In the stiffness
of the room he stood thus for an instant;
then his teeth suddenly came together with
click, and his fist came down upon the table
in one quick, hard blow OF emphasis.
do YOU wonder" he said, that | swore
to give my life to peace? Is it strange that l
who have suffered have taken unusual means
to keep Others from suffering as | and mine
President of nation, but as man to man to
help me put-an-end-to-Wa
Every word of his final declaration was
bitten off with sharp emphasis and accumulated
denly conscious that he had leaned forward in
his chair SO far that nothing but the tense
grip of his hands upon the arms had held HIM
down. In all his years he had witnessed no
such scene of emotion as this, nor heard more
earnest appeal.
The President, as if regretting his lack of
control, settled YEARLY into his seat. He
had said things in way that in any other
man would have been undlgnltied: but he.
spired by the grandeur of his purpose, failed
to realize that an angel with flaming sword
could scarcely have been more impressive: He
had been addressing no ordinary audience
Before him was an august ruler; put more
than that great man. And IN the hush
which followed, the sovereign rose from his
seat. stepped across to the desk and tor one
of the few times in his life gave untrammeled
vent to his feelings as man. He put his
hand out across the polished mahogany top
as the tall form OF the IIeSlueHC Strengthened
up. Their hands met in one strong grip of
| understanding and they looked squarely into
each others eyes, reading, compromising.
and binding themselves together in common
purpose for humanity
1t was not the etiquette which demands
that all men shall stand when King is on his
feet. that brought the Others from their chairs,
erect. breathless, and motionless: it was
rather the impulsive respect and veneration
due to two great minds which before their
very eyes were entering unwritten compact
for high and noble cause.
Once more they took their seats; but now
by the subtle alchemy of humanity they drew
their chairs together. They were no longer
| rulers and subjects, Englishmen and Ameri-
cans, but men inspired with magnanimlty
toward all their fellow beings. They were on
Godlike plane. reasoning out momentous
| plans involving the nations of the world and
all mankind. From their combined fund of
| knowledge they evolved methods which were
| to strengthen the weak and put in leash the
strong.
| All reckoning of time was lost in this review
| of what had been accomplished and what was
to be done. The night paled, the sun crept
up the lights Of the darkness were extlnguished,
| and the day advanced, without their needing
| it. The last tentative clause was signed and
each knew the part which his country must
play. Again they all upon their feet,
l. ahr,,rt