Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 393: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

386 THE ARGOSY. “ Are there any here who cannot read the print? ” “ Aye, aye and aye! ” came from various parts of the assemblage. “ Let us hear it, good sir! Read it! Read it!” The cavalier mounted the steps of the portico, and, stretching out his arms over the sea of heads beneath him to command silence, prefaced his reading with the fotlowing remarks : ‘““ My good friends, you all must remember what the Prince of Orange promised us when the Spaniards first laid siege to our beloved city. He im- plored us to hold out bravely, and to put our faith in his assurance that he would speedily devise a means for our deliverance. Trusting him, we took up arms, strengthened our defenses and repelled our besiegers in many bloody battles. We even allowed our burgomaster to purchase all the provisions in the city, and to dole them out to us in a meager daily allowance, so that there might be no waste of food. This allowance has been reduced time after time, until at present we are undergoing all the horrors of slow starvation. Yet, as if it were not sufficient for us to see our wives and children die of famine, as if we had not suffered enough already, our pitiful rations have been cut down again, while the promised deliverance is no nearer than it was two months ago.” ‘The speaker paused, and immediately a tremendous shout arose from his auditors : “ Bread! We demand bread! Down with the burgomaster! Death to the tyrant!” A thousand arms rose simultaneously above the heads of the people ; some clenched and shaking defiance ; others brandishing weapons, or waving. caps. Again the cavalier stretched forth his hands, palms downward to enforce silence, and when the excitement of the mob had somewhat subsided, he turned to the bulletin and began reading in a clear, ringing voice: “The city councilors in meeting assembled have passed the following decree: Whereas the store of provisions in the keeping of the authorities has been greatly reduced, and Whereas the fate of our country and unborn generations depends on our holding Leyden against the Spanish invader until succor arrives, Therefore it is enacted that on and after August ist. the daily allowance of food to each citizen shall be as follows : Two ounces of meat and two ounces of bread to a full grown man, and to the rest a due proportion. ADRIAN VAN DER WERF, BURGOMASTER.”’ When the reader had finished a great wave of sound issued from the mul- titude—an ominous, threatening roar like that of a mighty wind impeded by a forest in its furious career. Back and forth, to right and left, swayed the mob, until a common impulse carried its foremost members up the steps of the por- tico to the column to which the bulletin was fastened. The cavalier was instantly swallowed up by the seething mass. | Presently several men were raised upon the shoulders of the crowd; and swinging axes with incredible fury, they dashed the wooden frame into a hun- dred pieces, whirling the fragments over the heads of those who stood in the square below. As the pieces fell among them the people cheered tumultuously. ECOMmicoookKks CO