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The Gentleman from Indiana by Booth Tarkington
page 21 of 357 (05%)
remarks, but that when he said that Carlow envied Amo a Halloway, it must
be replied that Amo grudged no glory to her sister county of Carlow, but,
if Amo could find envy in her heart it would be because Carlow possessed a
paper so sterling, so upright, so brilliant, so enterprising as the
"Carlow County Herald," and a journalist so talented, so gifted, so
energetic, so fearless, as its editor.

The gentleman referred to showed very faint appreciation of these ringing
compliments. There was a lamp on the table beside him, against which, to
the view of Miss Sherwood of Rouen, his face was silhouetted, and very
rarely had it been her lot to see a man look less enthusiastic under
public and favorable comment of himself. She wondered if he, also,
remembered the Muggleton cricket match and the subsequent dinner oratory.

The lecture proceeded. The orator winged away to soary heights with
gestures so vigorous as to cause admiration for his pluck in making use of
them on such a night; the perspiration streamed down his face, his neck
grew purple, and he dared the very face of apoplexy, binding his auditors
with a double spell. It is true that long before the peroration the
windows were empty and the boys were eating stolen, unripe fruit in the
orchards of the listeners. The thieves were sure of an alibi.

The Hon. Mr. Halloway reached a logical conclusion which convinced even
the combative and unwilling that the present depends largely upon the
past, while the future will be determined, for the most part, by the
conditions of the present. "The future," he cried, leaning forward with an
expression of solemn warning, "The future is in our own hands, ladies and
gentlemen of the city of Plattville. Is it not so? We will find it so.
Turn it over in your minds." He leaned backward and folded his hands
benevolently on his stomach and said in a searching whisper; "Ponder it."
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