Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-06
CHAPTER ~.

CHAPTER ~
A BREATH of summer swept over the land Civ
ing promise of wealth of bloom and prodgal-
ity of harvest; but the pillow stood idle and rusted
and the crops in which lay the riches of peace I'M
planted. Everywhere the growing din of an
archy and the stern clangor of people who
had never tamely bowed head beneath yoke. nor
rebeled at just ruling found themselves dlstraught
in the whirng current of unreasonable tides which
carried them out to they knew not what.
A tame yielding of territory over which Their
flag had once flown, equally passive surrender OF
islands which had to them of their own wolf
ton seeking in the spread of the eagles wings the
shadows of security and last OF all, as GROWING
climax of folly, the sending of warshlps to neutral
ports! From east to west, as the oceans run from
the border line of the North to that of the South,
there swept over the great waiting nation call to
arms. No dam built by mortal man could have
stemmed that rising tide of Indignation save the
that erected by the administration IN the
hours of its stress News OF it came unheralded as
had all the ominous stories preceding it.
Even at the moment when overthrow of the
governing power at Washington seemed imminent,
there flashed across the wires from Governor to
Governor the quick and insistent demand for night
ing men. In every armory was heard the resound-
ing clash of rifles. hundred thousand men,
drilled for the emergencies OF countrys need
sprang to their weapons like tensely strung warriors
of old awaiting the PretOrs command to charge A
country which through DAYS of defeat had seem
ngly slept sprang into the harness of strife as If
electrified by the God of Battles. simultaneously
and a further call for volunteers, which received
instant response every railway traversing the coun
try was requisitioned by the War Department.
Yet in all this turmoil the destination of this sud
denly modified and splendidly powerful army re-
manned a secret. In vain the press OF the country
and its most influential citizens demanded know-
edge; but not till the dav when from all directions
swarms of armed men sailed forth, this informa-
ton given. And if blackened by scourge OF
locusts the Canadas awakened one morning to
find that along three thousand miles OF border land
a 11an of
line of repulse stretched between nations. 1t
was one of accommodation.
Not even the commanding officers as they took
their stations knew the why's or Wheretores OF this
most remarkable move, although their instructions
of the simplest, and were that under no cir
Cumstances there to be acts OF untrlen dlness
nor even under prOvoCation, movements OF aggres-
sion. They were to stand insurnOuntable bar
rer between the United States and the DOMINION
prohibiting traffic, passage, and communcation
and nothing more. No might cross the border
and wires which in days of peace carried from one
country to another the news of the day cut
and torn from their poles as If no further word
might ever be transmitted through them
Nor was this all Wherever a cable touched on
all the outer edges of this great land might be found
soldiers in charge. Wireless telegraph stations were
abruptly closed prohibiting the even of the air
itself Proclamations were issued that instructions
had been given for the perforaton OF any alrshlps
attempting outside communication, and the penalty
of instant death was threatened any aeronaut who
disObeyed this command
From every seaport vessels of all nations, friendly
or unfriendly, were summarily excluded. Protests
from Captains and from companies were ignored
The United States suddenly bloCkadlng not
only its means of communication, but sealing
its ports as well. No message might be carried in
or out and as fearing also for its southern border
line the soldiers Of the regular army were placed
there The vessels of the navy which were in the
home waters of the Atlantic were put on patrol
duty, steaming up and down the eastern coast with
the regularity of policemen their beats: To the
world at large the United States of America might
never have been. The tabled Atlantis of old could
have disappeared more completely nor been cut
effeCt11a11v from intercourse with outside