Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-05

their wives and their children would
pray. They would vow candles. They
would do all things and never forget
again 10 be loyal and loving and obedi.
ent to their good priest, Thus ran
the babble OF the talk in the little
houses where the poor folk sat and
kept gricving vigil after rhe courier
had gone on into the night What
had all the fuss been about? Yes, the
Yankees had been taking away the
lands Their own homes had been
Threatened. But sending away the
good priest would not remedy that
sad trouble. There was mystery about
it. They must go forth and ask ques-
tions Of those who would know. The
day OF the convention was at hand,
when they would go with their votes
to send some one to the legislative
assembly where. laws are made for
those who are oppressed! They hoped
that there would be men at the con-
vention TO tell them the right things
yes, there would bc good advisers
there, men who would understand.
They would all. go to the convention
in Attegat village. Thus the men in
the little settlements canvassed the
situation. fotliing together, for sleep
had been driven away. What had
Pere Leclair advised? They wished
they could remember more clearly;
but the bad men had been talking TO
them, and the troubles Of those who
had been driven from their homes had
distracted all, and they had not lis.
tened to their good priest as carefully
as they should have done! All, he
must be brought back to advise them.
They would listen and obey if he
could come among them again.
Truly. Representative Clifford as
we'll as he knew his people, would
have been further impressed with his
own sagacity II he could have heard
those men talking together in the
night after the couriers had passed
on.
Attegat did need Father Leclair in
that crisis. The emotions of the peo.
pie were seething. The people would
follow the leader who could best com.
mand these emotions. who could by
force of personality or appeal turn
that fiery eagerness TO be up and
about something into the channels
III Ifs,l, ,,rnnliGnl
The patriarch understood the situa.
ton best of all, for he viewed it with
sure knowledge and fne caution of age
This was the great crisis of that gen.
Grafton. The old was battling with
the new--education and progress with
prejudice and racial suspicious. The
right man, the right word, could make
of them good citizens; and then their
salvation could be worked out by wis
dom. not by war. The wrong man.
There was the crux, Representative
Clifford sat late that night and NUT
tered his forcbodings when he pom
dered on the mischief the wrong man
could compass among those over
wrought people. =
Though Norman. Aldrich had ridden
the longest road, he was back at Atte.
gat in the early morning, first OF all
the couriers He had found that the
folk OF the river road knew all of
what had happened. He was obliged
TO tell no long stories.
When he cantered past the stone
house he saw Father Horrigan pacing
the yard with militant stride. and ne
stopped his horse and walked him
back when the priest signaled, for the
gesture had been sharp and impera-
tive.
"Mr. officer, you cannot hide med
ding from me by riding about that
sort Of business in the night"
There was no secret about my er'
rand. Father Horrigan. l have been
about in behalf OF a good friend, and
the matter required haste"
TT requires nothing OF the sort
none of your help. sir. I have stopped
YOU to say this; by meddling in these
AFFAIRS YOU are inviting sorpe very
serious interference in your own af
fairs" The lines in his face were
very straight. His upper lip was set
against the lower like a level againt
a board. Take that word from me to
others who may be contemplating the
folly of interfering in matter OF
discipline"
turned Aldrich, with cold respectful
ness. He rode on. In his own hear
he knew that he was not guilty OF
intent to .meddle in church matters.
But this was no affair of creed or de
nomination. He believed tnat ne hac
a right to take the part of good
friend in a business where misunder
standing and politics had encroachet
upon justice.
He turned from the highway an6
rode across the fields, to the house OF
Representative Clifford. lie gave his
crumpled paper into tire hands Of the
old man, who reached for the docu
ment eagerly across the rail beside
which Aidrich had halted his horst
without dismounting.