[The Gentleman From Indiana by Booth Tarkington]@TWC D-Link bookThe Gentleman From Indiana CHAPTER XIX 31/58
Lige Willetts rode at their head, and behind him strode young William Todd and Parker and Ross Schofield and Homer Tibbs and Hartley Bowlder, and even Bud Tipworthy held a place in the ranks through his connection with the "Herald." They were all singing. And, behind them, Helen saw the flag-covered barouche and her father, and beside him sat John Harkless with his head bared. She glanced at Briscoe; he was standing on the front seat with Minnie beside him, and both were singing.
Meredith had climbed upon the back seat and was nervously fumbling at a cigarette. "Sing, Tom!" the girl cried to him excitedly. "I should be ashamed not to," he answered; and dropped the cigarette and began to sing "John Brown's Body" with all his strength.
With that she seized his hand, sprang up beside him, and over the swelling chorus her full soprano rose, lifted with all the power in her. The barouche rolled into the Square, and, as it passed, Harkless turned, and bent a sudden gaze upon the group in the buckboard; but the western sun was in his eyes, and he only caught a glimpse of a vague, bright shape and a dazzle of gold, and he was borne along and out of view, down the singing street. "Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! As we go marching on!" The barouche stopped in front of the courthouse, and he passed up a lane they made for him to the steps.
When he turned to them to speak, they began to cheer again, and he had to wait for them to quiet down. "We can't hear him from over here," said Briscoe, "we're too far off. Mr.Meredith, suppose you take the ladies closer in, and I'll stay with the horses.
You want to hear his speech." "He is a great man, isn't he ?" Meredith said to Helen, gravely, as he handed her out of the buckboard.
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