that when I heard this morning from the lips of an
industrious and frugal German mechanic that a certain financier of this
town had bought from him a traction bond that represented twenty years
of savings--then my blood boiled with righteous indignation.

"My friends, a curious situation exists here. Why is it--why is it, I
repeat, while one of our fellow-citizens pretends to be trying to
safeguard by legal means all the local interests involved in that
traction company, another person who stands close to him is buying the
bonds of laborers and mechanics, widows and orphans, at little more than
fifty per cent of their face value? My friends, when you find a corrupt
lawyer and a rapacious banker in collusion, what chance have the people
against them?"

Apparently the people had no chance whatever, in the opinion of the
intent auditors. The applause at this point was long continued, and
Waterman, feeling that he had struck the right chord, hurried on.

"Who are these men who have plundered their own people, thrust their
hands into the pockets of their fellow-citizens, and filched from them
the savings of years? Who are they, I say? My friends, in a community
like this, where we are all so closely knit together,--where on the
Sabbath day we meet in the church porch after rendering thanks unto God
for his mercies,--where in the midweek prayer-meeting we renew and
strengthen ourselves for the battle of life,--it is a serious matter to
stand in a forum of the people before the tabernacle the law has given
us for the defense of our liberties, and impugn the motives of our
fellows. I shall not--"

"Name them!" chorused a dozen voices.

Waterman's histrionic sense responded to the demand. With arm uplifted,
he deliberated, turning slowly from side to side. He was a master of the
niceties of insinuation. Innuendo he had always found more effective
than direct statement. He shook his head deprecatingly, reluctant to
yield to the clamor for the names of the human vultures he had been
arraigning.

"Name them! Tell who they are!"

He indulged these cries with a smile of resignation. They had a right to
know; but it was left for him, in his superior wisdom, to pass upon
their demands.

"Hit 'em, Alec! Go for 'em!" yelled a man in the front row.

"Why," the orator resumed, "why," he asked, "should I name names that
are in every mind in this intelligent audience?" There was absolute
quiet as they waited for the names, which