Evening star., 1924-01-19
| The Lighter of Flames
By William S. Hart
Story Filled With Romance and Adxen+,r.
Copyright 1928. by Thomas cov.n O.
Continued from Yesterdays star1
CHAPTER vi.
The RumblinR.

INC NumDunK.
Those discussions which the new
parrlster mad so fearlessly mentioned
were taking place with more and
more frequency. In Richmond, little
groups or grave men spoke guardedly
Oh the 1ntolerable conditions which
the crown pressed home upon the
colonies, CT the constantly increasing
armies quartered upon them, of the
ceaselesS effort to make the military
independent of and superior 10 the
civil power, This matter of the SOL
diery was a fostering sore in the
colonial side. The new country,
peaceful, busily, productive, was only
desirous of harmony and genial treat
ment from its government 1t want
ed its own laws, its own legislation.
and these were interfered with ever
and anon. 1t seemed a grinning per-
versity sat. behind all it's attempts
to establish for itself that right and
sane jurisdiction which 1t so sorely
needed, being SO far across seas from
the seat, of government. Taxes were
imposed under which the planters
smarted. A thousand expressions and
harrassments daily irked the strug-
Cling new world, crueItfes unneces-
sary and deadening to its growth.
tell you, gentlemen" said Mr.
FRANCIS Lee of Jamestown, on a day
IN that uneasy summer, ait Is usage
or slaves we undergo. nothing less
VINO else could, or would, bear the
Ceprivation of natural rights such as
the colonies bear, and stand the yoke
IN meakneSs?"
Slaves? You say slaves, sir?"
cried that Mr.. Bainbridge Courthy
clins of Dover, his pale face flushed
with passion. You use the word
Upon his majesty's subjects?"
II 90, SIR, answered the other
steadily, "and stand by my word"
Yes, and 1 abet it," broke in Mr..
Carroll of Carrollton. I'VE have been
too long-suffering, and have reaped
as reward the increased pressure of
tyranny. i turn sleepless in my bed
OF nights, thinking on the issue"
And in many another in the dis
@ tricts north, south and everywhere"
SAID a Mr. Walton, who was up on
matters appertaining to the moving
OF his tobacco crop in Georgia. 81
know of more than 1 could count
FROM now till night who have thus
things"
Then, gentlemen" said Mr.. Cour-
traitors, and beg you win excuse my
presence"
And, bowling stif1y. he was for
leaving them in a white heat Of
But Mr.. Carroll dropped a heavy
hand on his shoulder and swung him
abck to face them. Mr.. Carrolrs eyes
were blazing, too.
Sir" he said, ct like not to seem
discourteous, nor to speak of what
none mentions who respects anothers
tragedy, but ] fai Ito see, before God.
how you, Of all men in Virginia. can
~ 20 1T ~
you practical hanishment fora mis-
taken political zeal let us say, which
caused you to blunder in the per-
formance of royal commission !
seem to bear the heaviest load of in
Justice. since it Is sGarply personal.
Then. sir, say. How Willow now !
can you bear your yoke In supine |
meekness.
Mr. Courthy's poor face quivered /
as If he had been struck. He flung |
head with a. regal motion. gazing |
straight in the tense faces before |
VI. am loyal subject of His Maj
gallant ring to his voice, "and as
such would give my life"
Before that high idealism, mistaken
though it seemed to every man pres
ent. Mr.. Carroll dropped his hand and
held it out.
Forgive me, sir" he said. Every
man to his constraining conscience. /,
Who am I. to question yours?"
The other took the proffered hand |
and it was to be for the last time, |
as circumstances afterward proved I
bowed to the circle. and withdrew.
"a year ago." said Francis Lee. |
''and each and every one Of us would !
have struck the mouth that called /
us. traitor /
now we must bear with it in patience. |
since to the majority we may seem |
TO merit it, l pray God to hasten ]
the day when that majority will open |
their eyes to the same light that we |
are seeing on the horizon"
Speech such as this was heard !
among the chosen at many places; In
certain taprooms in the towns. in
roads where the elm trees drowsed.
Men smouldered and smarted beneath
their wrongs; thought. and struggled
with their consciences and their
loyalty. Something was stirring to
its borning in the heart of the strong
wound land-something destined to
dominate the earth.
And here and there went one who
spoke-and men listened.
On the streams edge great visions
came to Patrick Henry, sitting In
idleness, his line a-jerking with its
catch. the roam horse dreaming in
hip-dropped rest on the bank beside
him.: often the mans blue eyes
stared unseeing across the quiet
dripping their slim fingers in the
placid surface, made fine back
ground for the flaming pictures that
he saw. For this simple man of the
forest peered into the future with the
vision of prophecy. He beheld a
country peopled in every part, mag
nificent and proud; a nation which
was it's own possession, sane and
glad: with liberty. q
Hs saw freedom rise like q phoenix,
end he knew there would be flame
and ash below. He saw danger and
death and heartbreak rampant al! up
and down the land. yet he saw glory
shining through the murk like the
face Of God.
on the background Of the still green
trees across the drowsy waters!
Like the peasant girl OF France, ne
heard his voices. beheld his visions
And he. too, carried them before the
Sometimes. among a few friends. he
spoke words that might have cost
him his head; but the gist OF his
speech filtered out in secret ways to
here and there. sent eyes a-following
him when he appeared in the streets
of Jamestown.
But Patrick Henry was not the only
one who felt the great. vague stir.
meeting and talking constantly, and
the greatest gravity attended them.
Day by day more men were be-
coming talked about: more names
were coming under the opprobrious
were being severed by difference OF
Poor Mr.. Bainridge was in 2, con-
slant fever of anger and agitation,
and the Randolphs. old "a and shs,o young. ne
ouafntances who did not ring clear