“Perhaps,” said the Governor, “if the two young gentlemen themselves are in the audience they will come forward and enlighten us.” But the “two young gentlemen,” who had hitherto been standing prominently near the steps leading to the platform, scenting trouble from the moment of Slicker’s outburst, had, by this time, silently and judiciously disappeared.
It was at this juncture that Sarah Halpert, who had been sitting well to the front of the auditorium, rose in her place. Immediately the noise and laughter were hushed. If Sarah Halpert were about to say something the audience wanted to hear it; and the audience did hear it.
“Your Excellency,” she said, addressing the Governor, “has obviously been misinformed concerning the motives which led to the employment of certain young men as laborers on the armory lawn. And since their fathers appear to be unable to explain the situation, and since the young men have vanished and cannot speak for themselves, I rise to speak for them. I will say plainly that the motives which led them to undertake their task were neither philanthropic, public-spirited nor patriotic. It was purely a case of involuntary servitude. Their labor was the penalty they were paying for having performed some mischievous Hallowe’en pranks contrary to the rules and customs of good society. They confessed like men, were sentenced by competent authority, and have willingly, cheerfully and splendidly been working out their sentence on the armory lawn. But, although they are involuntary laborers, I wish to tell you, sir, and I know them both well, and realize what I am saying, that they are learning something of self-respect and discipline that a year in no other school could possibly give them. They are learning to admire our soldiers, and to honor our flag, and, my word for it, when they reach the proper age and become members of the National Guard, there will be no more public-spirited, unselfish and patriotic young men in the city of Fairweather than Hal McCormack and Ben Barriscale.”
Sarah Halpert took her seat. Her two-minute speech had cleared the atmosphere and had delighted the big audience. The applause that greeted her ears was ringing and prolonged. When the Governor was again able to gain the attention of the people he said:
“I am deeply grateful to the lady who has so clearly and eloquently explained the situation. In the days of our Civil War the drafted men were the bravest of our soldiers. If another war should compel us to raise a great army to defend our rights, the American conscript will be the pride of our country. By the same token it is no disparagement to these two young men of Fairweather to say that they have been involuntarily drawn into the service of their country, since they have performed their duties skilfully, willingly and zealously, like the good citizens that they are.”
After that there was no interruption. The programme was carried out to the letter. And when the exercises were concluded Sarah Halpert hunted up Hal and Ben and introduced them to the Governor.
“Here are the two conscripts,” she said. “They have come to plead for executive clemency.”
“I will pardon them,” replied His Excellency, “on one condition; and that is that they shall become members of the National Guard when they reach the mature age of eighteen years.”
“If you will parol them in my custody,” responded Miss Halpert, “I will see that they meet the condition. Oh, as to Ben, his father’ll push him in; but as to Hal, I’ll attend to that matter myself.”
“That’s very kind of you,” replied the Governor, “but I’ll venture to say that neither one of these young men will need urging when the time comes.”