The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-18

 THE MAN WHO ROSE AGAIN= .....by......
 1IOSEpH ROCKING Copyriaht, 1909, by George Il. Doran : Company
......by......


eeeeeeeoSoSAS6o(6et6AllleletlA6A666ebN play the moral card, showing that their downfall is judgment from heaven. That'll please the pious Non- conformists. After that I'll finish up with the statement that the battle of this election is battle between sobriety and drunkenness, between the friends of temperance and the brewers and whisky distillers. I'll have fine peroration on the evils of drink; I'll picture a hundred and fifty thousand poor devils staggering down to drunkards' graves every l year. That'll fetch 'em. Of course, shall be drunk all the time, but what does that matter? In the old days I made my best speeches when I was drunk, and tonight I'll give them a masterpiece. Of course the other side will inquire here about what I've taken to drink, and the waiter will say I've only had a bottle of soda-water."
 He laughed grimly at the thought, then noting the time he went into his bedroom and carefully washed out his glass.
 He caught a. reflection of himself in a mirror, and the sight gave him start.
 My God" he said. ''I've aged ten years in three days, and my head feels bit unsteady. I must be care full It would spoil everything if I were bowled over"
 When a quarter to eight came. Leicester was ready for the advent of his chief supporters. He was faultlessly dressed, and he looked calm and dignified. He received the chairman of the meeting with grave courtesy, and after a few minutes conversation he walked with them to the Public Hall, which was only a few yards away.
 As may be imagined, the hall was crowded. Although the country had expected the Government either to resign or to dissolve for weeks past, the news of dissolution seemed sud- den. The political fires were lighted, and all the town was agog with ex- citement. People wanted to hear news first hand, and they imagined that Leicester would bring it. They also expected one of the brilliant speeches for which he was noted. Never before, they reflected, had such a chance been given him, ,and they felt sure that he would make the most of it. Therefore when the chairman, followed by Leicester and the leading magnates of the town, came upon the platform, the meeting rose en masse, and shouted until they were hoarse. The fight which they had so long desired had commenced, and the leader of the battle was be- fore them.
 Exactly as the clock struck eight the chairman rose. It was not his purpose, he said, to make a speech at that juncture. He knew that ev-
 
 didate, and that he would be com mitting an unpardonable sin if he stood between them and the speaker of the evening. and the hero of the fight. Nevertheless, there was an ex-
 planation he would like to give. As many of them knew, Mr. Leicester had expected to be married two days before, but owing to the sudden and severe illness of the bride the wed-
 ding had not taken place. Many men would have been prostrated by such a blow. but MT. Leicester had risen above it. The call of duty had
 been louder then the voice of sor- row, and though he was naturally
 suffering great grief, he had risen above the grief, and was with them to fight their battles
 Of course this was received with tremendous applause. It appealed to young and old alike. There was something pathetic, as we'll as heroic, in their candidate overcoming his grief to be with them in their bat ties. AS for Leicester, he sat un- l moved amidst the shouts of sym pathy. To him it was bitter mock cry, and ghastly tragedy; but he mastered his feelings, and sat pale and motionIess.
 Nevertheless" went on the chair 1 man, i've have the sympathy and
 good wishes of the lady, whom we
 hoped would be with us in this fight. She is not with us in person, but she is with us in spirit, aye, and more than spirit, for
 And here the agents eye for dra-
 matic effect came in. At that mo-
 ment, the electric lights in the build
 ing were suddenly extinguished, and the picture of Olive Castlemaine was thrown on the canvas, which had
 been placed on the wall behind the
 platform.
 Again there was a shout of en-
 thusism. "Three cheers for the lady. and may she soon be well enough to be Mrs. Leicester" some one shout ed
 The suggestion was taken up with will. Cheer after cheer filled the