Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-10

main body Of the house was kindly dis
posed toward him. Not only was this
heralded his appearance. but by ripple
rustle-Of interest that rose on every
hand. The sound nerved him. He consid
cred once more how much hung on tonights
success or failure, and the advance augury
was as music to his ears.
The mayor, little. nervous man with
monstrous mustache and cast in one eye,
opened the meeting with a brief speech,
defining the purpose Of the evening, and
ended by introducing the candidate. Give
came forward. A voiley Of applause such
as he had never before known hailed him.
He bowed and bowed again. waiting for 1t
to subside. But 1t did not. It continued
from every quarter OF the house.
From pleasure Give felt q growing I'M
easiness. The majority Of the audience
seemed to have relapsed into silence. ana
were staring about them In wonder at the
unduiy continued ovation. The humping
OF feet and canes ana the shouts Of well
come increased rather than diminished.
1t settled down into steady volume OF
sound. regular and rhythmic. shaking the
whole auditorium. losing any hint at spon
taneity and degenerating into q deafening,
organized babel.
The men on the platform glanced at each
other in angry bewflderment. For fully ten
telligible words out Of the question. The
mayor, as chairman, raped for silence.
But his efforts were vain. The sound was
drowned in the vaster. re-echoing volume
Of rhythmic sound. Give held up his hand
with gesture OF authority. The applause
doubled
jority of the audience waxed FESTIVE and
half rose in their seats to locate the DIS
turbance. To end the embarrassing delay
| Standish began to speak. hoping the clamor
would die down. But his words did not
| reach the second row of seats.
Ansel slipped forward to his side.
"This Is a put-up job!' he exclaimed,
shouting to make himself heard above the
| ssT'hav nretendipR AnDlaud
because they think you dare not call them
| down for that. They'll keep 1t up all even
ing If they get chance, and you won't be
able to speak ten words"
In front orchestra seat a man stood up
waving a flag and bawling:
"Standish! Standish! We want STAN
dishw
The rest of Billy shevlin's carefully
drilled cohorts took up the cry, and 1t was
chanted d hundred times to the accompanl-
ment Of resounding sticks and boot heels.
The mayor beckoned a deputy sheriff from
the wings. Pointing to the front-seat ring
leader he commanded:
Put that fellow out"
The deputy descended the steps TO tho
orchestra. grabbed the vociferating enthu-
siast by the collar and started to propel
him up the aisle. In an instant, as
though the action were signal. every
sound ceased. The house was as still as
death. And through the silence scared
the shrill, penetrating protest of the man
who had just been collared
as much right here as you have. An I'm
earnin my money.
querist in the gallery.
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! We want
TAen pandemonium broke loose. Hun
dreds Of voices caught UP the rhythmic
refrain. while hundreds more shrieked
Fake" and a counter rhythm arose or
Fake! Fake. Fake! Fake! Fake!
Standish, abandoning all present nope
of making the audience understand that
the shrll-vOiced man was hireling or
a gigantic, well-rehearsed trick, turned to
face the group on the platform But
there. at a glance he read in dozen pairs
.orsp %r the
little mayor. that your friends are over
jealous in earning their"
DO you mean that you.-that anybody.
standish. Cant you see-?"
II can only see," said the mayor. rising.
that have evidently misunderstood the
Good night
To Gives horror. the little dignitary
walked Off the stage. followed by two
thirds Of those who had sat there with
pants followed suit. The few who re-
manned on the platform did so, to Judge
from their expression, more from interest
in the outcome of the riotous audiences
antics than through any faith in Give
For by this time the erstwhile orderly
place was in full riot. Individual fights
and tussles were wagipg here and there.
Men were shouting aimlessly. Women
were screaming People were hurrying in
a jostling, confused mass up the aisles
toward the exits. while others beloved
to them to sit still or move faster. And
through all (both factions Of shouters
having united In a common slogan rang
| to an accompaniment Of smashing chairs
| and pounding feet that endless metrical
refrain Of
fake! Fake. Fake! Fake! Fake"
Standish. Ansel at his side, was once
more at the platforms edge. striving in
vain to send his mighty voice through the
joy Of living and rioting, had climbed over
the rail of proscenium box-the only one
still occupied-and, throwing an arm
about the neck Of young girl, sitting
tried to kiss her. The girl screamed. Her
elderly escort thrust the rowdy backward
and the latter, his insecure balance on the
box rail destroyed. tumbled down among
the orchestra chairs. The scene was
greeted with howl Of delight from kim
dred spirits.
The youth scrambled to his feet and
joined by a half dozen intimates, once more
swarmed up the side of the box. The girl
shrank back. and futilely tugged at the
closed box door, which had become jam
med. Inc ola man, qulVerlng with Senle
fury, leaned over the box-front and Crap
pied the foremost assailant. He was brush
ed aside, and, amid hurricane of laughter
from the paid phalanx in the gallery. the
group Of half-drunk, wholly inspired young
.brutes clustered across the box rail. The
whole incident had not occupied five sec
onds. Yet 1t had served to draw the multi
diYided attention Of the mob and the rest
of the escaping audience to that particular
and new point Of interest. And now, doz-
ems Of the tougher element, seeing a pros
pect of better sport than a mere campaign
row. elbowed their way to the spot.
The girls cry and that of the woman with
her had barely reached the stage when Give
Standish. with one tremendous spring. had
cleared the six-foot distance between foot
lights and box. There was a confused,
whirling, cursing mass Of bodies and arms.
Then the whole group rolled outward over
the rail-
Before they had fairly touched ground
Give was on his feet, the center Of a sur
prised but bellicose swirl OF opponents who
were nothing loath to change their plan of
batting a well-dressed girl into the more
thrilling pastime of beating well-dressed
candidate.
AS the score of toughs rushed him. Give
had barely time to get his back into the
shallow angle between the bullying outer
bases of the two proscenium boxes. Then
80 oh