Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-05-31

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The afternoon wore on, Smith at
his desk - comforting, arranging,
directing, assuring himself by
telephone and telegraph that the
special trains and railroad fare
were being provided as previously
stipulated with the railroad COM
panies, the banks, and the county
and city managers Of the move
ment-and Waller shouting fran
tically over the telephone or de-
vouring with his eyes the incessant
flood of yellow paper on which
were printed the messages of good
cheer from almost everywhere.
At the 6 o'clock meeting with
the newspaper menseveral showed
kilograms from their papers say
ing that the proofs of the marriage
in Shanghai had not yet material
lied.
When the usual routine of ques-
tlons and answers ended, Avery
moved a step nearer to the agita-
tor. Snappily dressed, alert as
ever, and speaking in frank, terse
sentences, he made an impressive
figure.
"Mr. Smith" he said, "we want
to tell you we r with you. We've
seen your work. W. know you.
We know what sort of a man you
are. And, from now on, you'll get
all the help possible from us. We
wanted you to know that"
Smith bowed to Avery and
swept the semicircle of faces with
a glance that seemed to single out
each mar and thank him.
Gentlemen" he said, in a low
tone, cannot find words to bear
the burden Of my debt to you. 1t
is you who can win this fight. /
thank you all. 1t is wonderful"
He turned quickly and went in
to his private Office.
Waller, arriving at his own Of
flee a few minutes past Z, was told
by the managing editor:
"a crowds gathering in front
Of the agitator's office. They We
got a band. They want to show
their confidence in him"
yes" he replied, ct knew
about that"
"I'n get somebody else to cover
that the other went on "What 1
want from you tonight is a blank
ct story covering all the other
events Of this kind throughout the
country. We've got bulletins from
nearly every city, saying there
will be mass meetings tonight as
expressions of confidence in
Smith. 1t ought to make a big
story
eth be a craekerjack," Chol-
liewollie assented.
All that evening Waller, gath
ering material for his story, read
the dispatches that came in from
the press associations and the pa
per's correspondents. From every
city came the news that John
Smith name had lit the fires of
enthusiasm. The office boy went
in and out, piling up the details of
the story. 1t seemed to Waller that
the spirit of the agitator rushed
from city to city through that
marvellous winter night. With his
actual physical eye he could see
the swaying of the singing, cheer
ing crowd as it swept down Mar
ket street in San Francisco. He
could hear the singing, catch the
CLEAN of the banners under the
electric lights, feel the glow Of the
peoples ardor.
The clicking wires changed the
scenes of the drama continuously.
1t claimed no one city, no one sec
ton, for its setting. Washington
street in Indianapolis, Second ave
nue. in Seattle, and the East Side
in New York were merely flashing
parts of the wave Of feeling that
called men to the streets and made
them lift their voices to the stars.
Fifth street in Cincinnati, Milk
street in Boston, Michigan avenue
in Chicago, the public squares of
smaller cities-all were places
devoted men and women, ignoring
the jeers and, at times, the missiles
of the other side, congregated to
show their scorn of those who
fought against the cause and its
Leader.
And the man whose glowing
spirit and unfagging zeal had
kindled an enthusiasm which
swept from coast to coast stood
at his office window, bowling his
thanks while a member Of con-
gress delivered an address from
the pavement below, and a band
played, and a crowd that flowed
Far over into fhe caritn1 rrn,Inds