The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him Part 91

While the regiment still breakfasted it became conscious of a monotonous sound, growing steadily in volume. Then came the tap of the drum, and the regiment rose from a half-eaten meal, and lined up as if on parade.

Several of the members remarked crossly: "Why couldn't they wait ten minutes?"

The next moment the head of another regiment swung from Chambers Street into the square. It was greeted by hisses and groans from the denizens of the park, but this lack of politeness was more than atoned for, by the order: "Present arms," pa.s.sed down the immovable line awaiting it.

After a return salute the commanding officers advanced and once more saluted.

"In obedience to orders from headquarters, I have the honor to report my regiment to you, Colonel Stirling, and await your orders," said the officer of the "visiting" regiment, evidently trying not to laugh.

"Let your men break ranks, and breakfast, Major Rivington," said Peter.

In two minutes dandy and mick were mingled, exchanging experiences, as they sliced meat off the same ham-bones and emptied the same cracker boxes. What was more, each was respecting and liking the other. One touch of danger is almost as efficacious as one touch of nature. It is not the differences in men which make ill-feeling or want of sympathy, it is differences in conditions.

In the mean time, Peter, Ray and Ogden had come together over their grub, much as if it was a legal rather than an illegal trouble to be dealt with.

"Where were you?" asked Peter.

"At the Sixty-third Street terminals," said Ray. "We didn't have any fun at all. As quiet as a cow. You always were lucky! Excuse me, Peter, I oughtn't to have said it," Ray continued, seeing Peter's face. "It's this wretched American trick of joking at everything."

Ogden, to change the subject, asked: "Did you really say 'd.a.m.n'?"

"Yes."

"But I thought you disapproved of cuss words."

"I do. But the crowd wouldn't believe that I was honest in my intention to protect the subst.i.tutes. They thought I was too much of a politician to dare to do it. So I swore, thinking they would understand that as they would not anything else. I hoped it might save actual firing. But they became so enraged that they didn't care if we did shoot."

Just then one of the crowd shrieked, "Down with the blood-suckers. On to freedom. Freedom of life, of property, of food, of water, of air, of land. Destroy the money power!"

"If we ever get to the freedom he wants," said Ray, "we'll utilize that chap for supplying free gas."

"Splendid raw material for free soap," said Ogden.

"He's not the only one," said Ray. "I haven't had a wash in nine hours, and salt meats are beginning to pall."

"There are plenty of fellows out there will eat it for you, Ray," said Peter, "and plenty more who have not washed in weeks."

"It's their own fault."

"Yes. But if you burn or cut yourself, through ignorance, that doesn't make the pain any the less."

"They don't look like a crowd which could give us trouble."

"They are just the kind who can. They are men lifted off their common sense, and therefore capable of thinking they can do anything, just as John Brown expected to conquer Virginia with forty men."

"But there's no danger of their getting the upper hand."

"No. Yet I wish we had orders to clear the Park now, while there are comparatively few here, or else to go back to our armories, and let them have their meeting in peace. Our being here will only excite them."

"Hear that," said Ray, as the crowd gave a great roar as another regiment came up Park Place, across the Park and spread out so as to cover Broadway.

As they sat, New Yorkers began to rise and begin business. But many seemed to have none, and drifted into the Park. Some idlers came from curiosity, but most seemed to have some purpose other than the mere spectacle. From six till ten they silted in imperceptibly from twenty streets. As fast as the crowd grew, regiments appeared, and taking up positions, lay at ease. There was something terrible about the quiet way in which both crowd and troops increased. The mercury was not high, but it promised to be a hot morning in New York. All the car lines took off their cars. Trucks disappeared from the streets. The exchanges and the banks closed their doors, and many hundred shops followed their example.

New York almost came to a standstill as order and anarchy faced each other.

While these antagonistic forces still gathered, a man who had been yelling to his own coterie of listeners in that dense crowd, extracted himself, and limped towards Peter.

"Mr. Stirling," he shouted, "come out from those murderers. I want to tell you something."

Peter went forward. "What is it, Podds?" he asked.

Podds dropped his voice. "We're out for blood to-day. But I don't want yours, if you do murder my fellow-men. Get away from here, quick. Hide yourself before the people rise in their might."

Peter smiled sadly. "How are Mrs. Podds and the children?" he asked kindly.

"What is a family at such a moment?" shrieked Podds.

"The world is my family. I love the whole world, and I'm going to revolutionize it. I'm going to give every man his rights. The gutters shall reek with blood, and every plutocrat's castle shall be levelled to the soil. But I'll spare you, for though you are one of the cla.s.ses, it's your ignorance, not your disposition, that makes you one. Get away from here. Get away before it's too late."

Just then the sound of a horse's feet was heard, and a staff officer came cantering from a side street into the square. He saluted Peter and said, "Colonel Stirling, the governor has issued a proclamation forbidding the meeting and parade. General Canfield orders you to clear the Park, by pushing the mob towards Broadway. The regiments have been drawn in so as to leave a free pa.s.sage down the side streets."

"Don't try to move us a foot," screamed Podds, "or there'll be blood. We claim the right of free meeting and free speech."

Even as he spoke, the two regiments formed, stiffened, fixed bayonets, and moved forward, as if they were machines rather than two thousand men.

"Brethren," yelled Podds, "the foot of the tyrant is on us. Rise. Rise in your might." Then Podds turned to find the rigid line of bayonets close upon him. He gave a spring, and grappled with Peter, throwing his arms about Peter's neck. Peter caught him by the throat with his free arm.

"Don't push me off," shrieked Podds in his ear, "it's coming," and he clung with desperate energy to Peter.

Peter gave a twist with his arm. He felt the tight clasp relax, and the whole figure shudder. He braced his arm for a push, intending to send Podds flying across the street.

But suddenly there was a flash, as of lightning. Then a crash. Then the earth shook, cobble-stones, railroad tracks, anarchists, and soldiers, rose in the air, leaving a great chasm in crowd and street. Into that chasm a moment later, stones, rails, anarchists, and soldiers fell, leaving nothing but a thick cloud of overhanging dust. Underneath that great dun pall lay soldier and anarchist, side by side, at last at peace. The one died for his duty, the other died for his idea. The world was none the better, but went on unchanged.

CHAPTER LVII

HAPPINESS

The evening on which Peter had left Grey-Court, Leonore had been moved "for sundry reasons" to go to her piano and sing an English ballad ent.i.tled "Happiness." She had sung it several times, and with gusto.

The next morning she read the political part of the papers. "I don't see anything to have taken him back," she said "but I am really glad, for he was getting hard to manage. I couldn't send him away, but now I hope he'll stay there." Then Leonore fluttered all day, in the true Newport style, with no apparent thought of her "friend."

But something at a dinner that evening interested her.

"I'm ashamed," said the hostess, "of my shortage of men. Marlow was summoned back to New York last night, by business, quite unexpectedly, and Mr. Dupont telegraphed me this afternoon that he was detained there."

"It's curious," said Dorothy. "Mr. Rivington and my brother came on Tuesday expecting to stay for a week, but they had special delivery letters yesterday, and both started for New York. They would not tell me what it was."

"Mr. Stirling received a special delivery, too," said Leonore, "and started at once. And he wouldn't tell."