And to this day that speech is talked of in "the district."




CHAPTER XVI.

THE CONSEQUENCES.


Nor was it the district alone which talked of the speech. Perhaps the
residents of it made their feelings most manifest, for they organized a
torchlight procession that night, and went round and made Peter an
address of thanks. Mr. Dennis Moriarty being the spokesman. The judge
shook hands with him after the trial, and said that he had handled his
case well. The defendant's lawyer told him he "knew his business." A
number of the reporters sought a few words with him, and blended praise
with questions.

The reporters did far more than this, however. It was the dull newspaper
season, and the case had turned out to be a thoroughly "journalistic"
one. So they questioned and interviewed every one concerned, and after
cleverly winnowing the chaff, which in this case meant the dull, from
the gleanings, most of them gave several columns the next morning to the
story. Peter's speech was printed in full, and proved to read almost as
well as it had sounded. The reporters were told, and repeated the tales
without much attempt at verification, that Peter had taken the matter up
without hope of profit; had paid the costs out of his own pocket; had
refused to settle "though offered nine thousand dollars:" had "saved the
Dooley children's lives by sending them into the country;" and "had paid