mself heard more continuously, until the hissing and
catcalls became less frequent, and finally ceased. After a struggle of
fifteen minutes, he finished strong. Like some ill-favoured terrier,
he had persisted in spite of odds, and had worried his great antagonist
into wondering submission.

When his figure disappeared from view, to be replaced by that of the
President, his supporters exchanged sidelong glances and meaning
smiles. They had chosen their champion well, a nasty fighter, to crack
the whip over the class from which he had risen.

It was now that the President increased to passionate devotion the
popularity his attitude thus far had won him. As he heard Emmet's name
combined with his own in the cheering, his face lightened up with his
extraordinary and spontaneous smile. He turned, and pulled Emmet to
his feet beside him; then he sat down and looked on with keen enjoyment
while the mayor bowed his thanks. It was some time before the
demonstration ceased and the people, satisfied and vindicated, settled
down to listen.

But the President evidently had a score of his own to settle, and a
snub to administer. He turned to the senior Senator who sat at the far
left of the stage and thanked him for his welcome to the State; then he
turned to Mayor Emmet and thanked him for his welcome to the city.
There was not one word of reply to the ill-starred Cobbens, not one
syllable in appreciation of the efforts of the committee. He had taken
his manuscript from his pocket and laid it on the table before the full
meaning of this omission dawned upon the audience, and then they broke
loose with an animus which made their previous demonstrations seem
comparatively mild. The President gathered his manuscript together,
raised his hand for silence, and began to read.

His speech was simple in content and devoid of imaginative passages;
his delivery was conspicuously defective; his voice, uneven in quality,
now low, now breaking into a shrill note, seemed to come forth only at
the bidding of a tremendous will. Every word appeared to necessitate
an effort and to be ground out between clenched teeth. Yet his
listeners hung on every word with breathless attention. His smile
broke forth, and they found it irresistible; he grew serious, and they
reflected his mood; he made a patriotic appeal, and the response was
instant. Without any of the arts of the orator, he swayed them as he
would. It was the triumph of persona