Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-29

echo sank away. and I raised my hand
Then in the intense silence came from
point far UP in the balcony the sharp
sibilant, deadly sound of a hiss In the
painful stiffness it was fearfully loud. and
once more the terrible smile of the rat
tlesnake's warning lcsped into my mind
Was I about to be stung? My face
flushed and all eyes turned toward the
balcony. but raised my hand again. and
they turned back to me.
The audience before me had now taken
form and shape in my eyes. Arrayed In a
solid mass just before the stage were the
veterans in their ancient uniforms, white
hair and bald heads shining In the sun
light that poured through the open win
dows Beyond was the great terrace OF
the spectators the bright faces and bril-
liant costumes of. the women splash1ng IL
with glowing color. ! should be duii IN
deed II l did not rise to such an audience,
and for a moment the hiss was forgot
ten.
began to speak and from the beginning
1 knew that l was doing well. One feels
the truth in such cases. and had come
to the hall, filled with the sentiment and
the passion. the glory and the terror or
the mighty conflict that once rent our ma
ton, not the anger or hate, but the great
ness of it, and I was only giving vent 10
them At intervals the cheers rose for me
as they had risen for Guthrie and, when
1 glanced at him and Warfield, l saw
content and deep satisfaction on both
their faces. Again / wish to say what
friends l had in those two men, and after
all that has happened l wish to say 1t
still!
The speech went on. 1 did not feel that
it was /. Harry Clarke. who was speak
ing; was merely the mouthpiece for the
thoughts, the imagery and the 1lluStra-
tiOns that had been gathereing of their
own accord and that insisted upon utter
ance. held the audience, too, l knew it,
could see the spell upon their faces.
and my heart thrilled with the sense OF
my triumph.
I paused. a little longer than usual, and
then from the balcony broke again that
hiss, sharper. more sibilant and more ter
rible than ever. The rattlesnake was still
there with his fangs and his poison. The
audience burst into angry cry OF re-
Duke, the hiss was repeated and then a
tumult arose. ] raised my hand as a
sign that I would resume my speech and
the tumult increased. There were cries OF
"Order!" Put them OUT" Go on" and
then sharp and loud above all the turmoil
rose q cry. hurled directeIy at me: ''Tell
them about Charlie Johnson"
l knew that l turned deadly pale, and
dimness before me. in which the whole
audience seemed to reel, but then l re-
covered myself and into my ears. came
the sound of a voice saying:
do the right thing. Charlie and be
fore my eyes as II in vision came the
rapt. prophetic face OF a seer.
There was a furry among the people
about me on the stage. Warfield and
Guthrie, their faces burning with in
dignation. were striving to quiet the
crowd and to secure for me the attention
that was my due. This is what We fear
ed. Harry exclaimed Warfield in an
angry half whisper.
The noise died down little. the police
were at work. and the majority Of the
audience were with me. I stood waiting
/ had never moved from my position at
the center of the stage, near the front.
1 was calm now. the icy feeling about my
heart that had come at first was gone,
and when the tumult sank yet further
raised by hand for the third time as the
signal that l would go on.
Now he is going to tell us all about
Charlie Johnson" came the voice from
the balcony. and it was followed by
burst of derisive laughter.
l felt a sudden thrill Of inspiration.
There was a way. Who showed 1t to me
do not know-perhaps Alicia or Elias, or
the sudden Irresistible elimination Of cir
cumstances, or perhaps all together NOV
ing forward with deadly accuracy to
certain moment that had now come Be
that as it may it was like fash of light
to my blind mind, struggling in the dark
ness, and l saw the end. the end of the
struggles, the evasions. the concealments.
and the burden that was too heavy to be
borne.
I felt sudden lightness. alike Of head
and heart, deep thrilling sensation OF
relief and peace, even of joy. All my
nerves quivered with the rebound. and 1
wondered why I had not seen before this
new. easy and right way which lay so
plain before me- My mind repeated joy
ously and in unspoken words. An end OF
1t all. OFF with the burden! only ngh-
and truth now!''
The impressions, visions and resolves
so wide in their scope, SO great in num-
Der and so fruitful of results were only
moment in passing through my mind
but 1 believed that the friends SO near on
the stage saw the change in me- Once
as I glanced about / caught the eyes
of Jimmy Warfield. and he was no longer
excited and indignant. but sat in his
chair, calm and eXpectant; he,- too had
Undergone a change
L faced the audience and suddenly 1t
became quiet; no more noise no more
cries no more Interruptions. II may be
that in supreme moments an electric cur
rent passes between the speaker and those
to whom he speaks, claiming and securing
the attention of both. ! felt now that
all would hear me. that the moment was
fully mine. and looking back at that great
crisis in my life l can truly say that I
felt neither fear nor apprehension. 1
had courage that was not my own
but flowing to me from some higher
source. I was conscious that the intense
stiffness renamed unDTOhcH, ana lldt
the thousands Of faces bent forward. an
eager multitude, every pair Of eyes CEN
tered upon me- I felt as If 1 stood in
the areana in the Roman days. and that
before me curved the colosseum with its
living terrace on terrace. but / repeat
that 1 was not afraid.
You want to know about Charlie
Johnson" / began. and never before had
/ felt my voice so clear and SO full. so
steady and SO strong. Then I will tell
you Charlie Johnson was sent to the
penitentiary at Frankfort for burglary
where he served his sentence. and 1 am
whom you elected Governor Of Ken
lucky. and the Charlie Johnson who
served that term in the penitentiary are
one and the same man..
/ paused and deep breath ran through
the audience. The multitude seemed
to curve forward, to come closer to me,
and it's blended face grew more eager.
But as vet I saw only curiosity, the
fever to know more, not condemnation.
On the stage about me no one moved.
not a garment rustled.
II was that Charlie Johnson I con-
tinued, land 1 served my term. I told
the world once before that i had been
wild and dissipated in my youth, and
that early life of mine led me into trou
BILE from which / did not escape. But
was innocent of the crime for which
was convicted. l know all convicts
make such a claim. but mine is true.
Why I did not undertake to prove my
innocence I shall not try to explain to
you here. That concerns only me and
another whom 1 do not name. But you
peared among you. as myself, as Harry