Великий военный синдикат

           AtthisjuncturethecaptainoftheElizaDrumranupalargeAmericanflag;infiveminutesafterwardthecaptainoftheprizecrewhauleditdown;inlessthantenminutesafterthistheLennehahaandtheDogStarwereblazingateachotherwiththeirbowguns.Thesparkhadbeenstruck.Thecontestwasnotalongone.TheDogStarwasofmuchgreatertonnageandheavierarmamentthanherantagonist,andearlyintheafternoonshesteamedforSt.John’s,takingwithherasprizesboththeElizaDrumandtheLennehaha.Allthatnight,ateverypointintheUnitedStateswhichwasreachedbytelegraph,thereburnedasmotheredfire;andthenextmorning,whentheregularandextraeditionsofthenewspaperswerepouredoutupontheland,thefireburstintoaroaringblaze.Fromlakestogulf,fromoceantoocean,onmountainandplain,incityandprairie,itroaredandblazed.Parties,sections,politics,wereallforgotten.EveryAmericanformedpartofanelectricsystem;thesamefireflashedintoeverysoul.Nomatterwhatmightbethoughtonthemorrow,orinthecomingdayswhichmightbringbetterunderstanding,thisdaytheunreasoningfireblazedandroared.Withmorningnewspapersintheirhands,menrushedfromthebreakfast-tablesintothestreetstomeettheirfellow-men.