'_The World_!'
and a movement of perhaps eight thousand to ten thousand turning their
faces in the direction of that building began to be executed.

"It was a critical moment. What might come no one could tell, did that
crowd get in front of that office; police and military would have
availed little, or been too late. A telegram had just been read from
Washington, 'Seward is dying!' Just then, at that juncture, a man
stepped forward with a small flag in his hand and beckoned to the
crowd.

"'Another telegram from Washington!'

"And then, in the awful stillness of the crisis, taking advantage of the
hesitation of the crowd, whose steps had been arrested a moment, a right
arm was lifted skyward, and a voice, clear and steady, loud and
distinct, spoke out:

"'Fellow-citizens! Clouds and darkness are round about Him! His pavilion
is dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies! Justice and judgment are
the establishment of His throne! Mercy and truth shall go before His
face! Fellow-citizens! God reigns and the Government at Washington still
lives!'

"The effect was tremendous. The-crowd stood rooted to the ground with
awe, gazing at the motionless orator, and thinking of God and the
security of the Government in that hour. As the boiling waters subside
and settle to the sea, when some strong wind beats it down, so the
tumult of the people sank and became still. All took it as a divine
omen. It was a triumph of eloquence, inspired by the moment, such as
falls to but one man's lot, and that but once in a century. The genius
of Webster, Choate, Everett, Seward, never reached it. What might have
happened had the surging and maddened mob been let loose, none can
tell. The man for the crisis was on the spot, more potent than
Napoleon's guns at Paris. I inquired what was his name.

"The answer came in a low whisper, 'It is General Garfield, of Ohio.'"

It was a most dramatic scene, and a wonderful exhibition of the power of
one man of intellect over a furious mob.

How, would the thrilling intensity of the moment have been increased,
had some prophet, standing beside the inspired speaker, predicted that a
little more than sixteen years later he who had calmed the crowd would
himself fall a victim to violence, while filling the same high post as
the martyred Lincoln. Well has it been said that the wildest dream of
the romancer pales beside the solemn surprise of the Actual. Not one
among the thousands there assembled, not