big hands, fingers interlaced, and leaned back.

The crowd exchanged elbow-thrusts and winks. But the ripple of laughter
behind did not take the edge off Mr. Niles's earnestness.

"Honorable Thornton, I do not mind your sneers and slurs. When I see my
duty I go for it. I'm here before you to-day as Protest walking erect,
man-fashion, on two legs, and with a visible emblem that talks plainer
than words can talk. The people need visible emblems to remind them.
Like I'm leading this sheep, so you have been leading the voters of this
legislative district. The ring has been in here"--Mr. Niles savagely
pinched the cartilage of his nose--"and you have held the end of the
cord. That's the way you've been led, you people!" The orator whirled
and included his concourse of listeners as objects of arraignment.
"Here's the picture of you as voters right before your eyes. Do you
propose to be sheep any longer?" He put his hat on his head, and shook a
hairy fist at the Duke of Fort Canibas. "This ain't a dynasty, and you
can't make it into one. I call on you to take note of the signs and act
accordingly; for the people are awake and arming for the fray. And when
the people are once awake they can't any more be bamboozled by a
political despot than the war eagle, screaming across the blue dome of
the everlasting heavens, will turn tail when he hears the twittering of
a pewee!" Mr. Niles closed, as he always closed a speech, with the
metaphor that had given him his sobriquet.

"That is real oratory, Ivus," stated Mr. Thornton, serenely; "I know it
is, because a man who is listening to real oratory never understands
what the orator is driving at."

The Hon. Thelismer Thornton usually spoke with a slow, dry,