The Re-awakening.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 128, 30 May 1914, Page 20

The Re-awakening.

An Account of a Socialistic Experiment.

By L. W. ALEXANDER.

CHAPTER XV. How am I to write r><>i..!!\ ". How can I |ii..c on reeorj tiie madnpss of the __i.-i. few hours': Hardly was I awake on the morning oi my return to Auckland than a wild hammering at the surgery eloir rained ni" to jump out oi bud. and e.i-tily donning some clothes, t , ..:.r>:i n to Darley! Darlev Hushed aud t-emulous. an.J gaseping with the haste cc: h> coming. TV;!jrig him into the room an.) shutting the door upon all possible disturbers. I thru.-t bin, into a chair, and wailed anxiously for him to regain Ins ireath sufficiently for aim to pxplain his presence, at such an unwonted hour, for I could sco that something dreaelfnl had occurred t" so upspt trie usually collected old man. "Ah! Mr. Rikejhton." he at last exclaimed: "they've stolen her. the blackguards!" "Who. Kitty?" I queried. ''Xo, not her. sir. but Mi-s Bessie!" Wildly ] quiftkuied him: tnc doctor, who by this time was dressed and listening, standing by. and adding some pertinent query now and then. It. seems that old Darley had lately been told off as a sort of orderly at the home wbere .Miss Temple ami h.-r mother worked. Between th.' old man an.l tlic two ladies a great friendship had arisen, the stronger in that, through their solicitations. Darley's daughter Kitty had obtained a billet in the home, wbere she appeared te, have .'scaped the persecnr.ioi.s of her enemy. I'or some time, a- it seemed. Miss Temple had bad. in her turn, to suffer the loathsome attend in., of one of the visiting inspretors. but Had so far managed lo kpep tlic brute within bornds. Sometime during the ptevioiw n.ght. however. b<-r mothpr reporteel that Miss Temple had been roused from her sleep in iheir joint liedroom. ostensibly tn attend at: ,-,.*'• which had just arrive.l. Thinking nothing o; -■, usual an occurrence, she had hii-tili dressed n " rl ledt the room. Finding that an unusual time passed without her daughter's return, Mrs. Temple beecame uneasy, and had dressed and gone into the wards to look for her. only to find that no one had seen Becoming still more anxious, she had rushed about ..pplring .news of her daughter. At last, and just as she was despairing of obtaining any information, one ot the porters, a creature of Miss Temple's persecutor, jeeringly remarked. "Looking for 'dicky bird,' Missus? Don't .you c\orrv; she's safe in ?*tate Street') by this." Almost fainting with horror, the old lady had foun.d Darley, and sent him to tell us, and sc" ii we could do anything. Seizing the revolver and heavy irfepreserrer. one of each of which had 'been handeed to .-very member of the 1-eaguc against the day of rising. 1 was making for the door, heedless of all except that 1 must fly to the rescue of the woman I now knpw was more than life to mc, when the Doctor sternly detained mc. ",~-cp here. Rushton," said hp. "you will only fail if you rush off by yourself in this mad way. I have been detailed to give the signal to rise in this ward, and should have done so to-day. so this only hastens it an hour or so. 1 ■will write you an authority which will enable yon to join the squad already appointed to look utter State Street, and an order to the oilier in command to march at. once. You. Darley. run into my room and touch the button yon will find behind tho clothes in my cupboard. Off with you. Rushton. to the meeting .place of your corps, tell the officer in command your ease and show him my order, and 1 know he will do everything he ran to help you. If you are successful make your way with the girl to Bastion, and take your proper place as already allotted until 1 come." i.-Vway 1 rushed, and as 1 ran 1 heard behind mc fhe fiendish scream of The concealed electric syren which DaTiey's baud had .started. F-ven as J ran* I noticed thai others were running, too, and that, a general feeling of portent was in the air. The police, inspectors, and government officials were gathering in agitated groups at every corner, bin. having no orders, scitned struck with temporary paralysis. Short as the time no doubt was. j; seemed hours to my fever",! imagination before our corps was moving at the double Towards State Strep;. ftc-p and there during our advance ■one or other or' the police attempted to stay our way. ',ut were hastily thrnsr aside, and. deeming discretion the beteter par; of valour, remained ■quiescent, awaiting orders, or rushed off to the nearest telephone ofliro or policp station' to r»por - thr. unwonted moveTnerrf. The company to winch I weas for the emome.irt. attached via« <jn» of the .be^tmaimed and eq-iipped at the disposal of the League, and ;o ihem h_d been allotted the duty of rushing State Street, wfota-e .it was expected that valuable ipofitieal ouptnrra. would lie effected. Our order, were that no unnecessary ▼ioleiice was to he used, but I judged, frotm some of tire remarks dropped by those around mc. that eeertain- persons .■would not be dealt with too egently were tbev met -with darring the raid by fiev_ral of my con_r*d<_, fwho, like myself, had special grieevaneee to avenge. 'Befoo-e ereaecfciiig onr deasfcraai._on lbe. company was split up into several detea«sm_!_ts. tehe main one of which .would t_tate eStreet «n*d toakp a. detailed and systematic search from h o nKe 5 o house, whilst eihi? otheen. were to provide patrols wiso would prevent, as far as possible, escapei by adjoining streets trade ianos. Arriving at the top of the tcterwt a st-r-cng patrol was Im to guard the eutrsr'.cc from ortanral intnrrnpetion, whilst, the T6TnaiTtt.«r wan emor<_*ed so -.be fumi; of >th-o ftrai house. Detaching *.bo.n n. eeore, _r«n tihe ,nacm Ibody, the captain appiew-wd. the eerSnor, and in answer to hii tatoofc the -.iSoor Traj. by a siarfled'aind-Wettly i4_lf-_w_.loe.ned girl. It&iting har in tbn custody ot a •errapSo of the men, ia a l*_g. rtnum ' opentng off thp > «utj'n_JO 4»fl, Ogs mflkigr gsoesedad tij.'pfaxsh - jje- -tpsns3nmt,

all male.- found being a; on ;■ handi'uffe.l and pla.-e,! under guard in a separate room, whil-t :he women were releaated t.. i'nii: in w!i..-h :i.. :ir-i g ; ri had been pla.-ed. '1., s.iy that «t: entrms.-. and '"- iiavi.-iur .-.iii-i-l .-eiii-iiTai 'on w.inlil lie too .'iill'i: ;!»• i-'.iim* an.i ravings ••! mi;.-: ..' : c. ni.i' ■ ra,.:!ve.- being t...' "".•iiie:!. :hev were nr,; ill-t r.-;if,' I. .. „,ii showed k.-e-i (tiri'Vily ar to our ini.-bi.ui, and o;i being informcil usually ;o,>k the with greMt ralmnes. iii some.Msi'S with ai-:nal .l-elight. for had not tnanv of these _ii-:. sutierej miivh ai :he hand's of Mii-h ii- ..nr prrsen: eaptive-. T.urning wi::i anxiety .T,i>e>u: my aiidueied b.ve. I war |vermitted Lv fall out and .|U.-ii,in : i.v v.. men. an.l on hearing from one ~;" liicn 'in. otilv a ,-!inrt ;.i:iie befiire, a >cii, had hern driven up to a house close In. known as the Palace, lite 0i1;,.-:- .1; , i;•.-,. sent mo with a detail i:i riiarge of .: lieutenant to sean-h [he p: i.e. Miiel.i-.'.'fhel by my anxiety. I ,\a,. the first to Ihreak" into tl. • hou.-.-, followed by the rest o: :ie ,1 iiachment: Here, however, we were niel by a mtmber of half-di .-.-cI. .but in several , '-"'" i - an I men. who. however, finding tlie:isi.'lv,s i-nvereil ~\ the muzzle* of our rill,-. i|ui..-k;., eapitulared. and were in, oiiiin.-iitlv handcuffed and placed mule r guar.!. One seottmlrel. however, had -lipped away in the ,-onfusion and was rushing up the staircase, when | saw and followed hiii). l'l'. ill. before n:e. be rushed through a door at the end of a passage upon the lirst floor, and I was only just in time to prevent his closing it upon mc. Armed with the strength of nty anger. 1 drove j th" 'loi'i in and rushed upon him. my anger being Rimed to madness j by tie sight of ii,y darling lying whitane! irrwnsible upon the Hour. I Almost a> I reached him. the scoundrel j drew a revolver and. though I almost un-i .on- inusW ducked my head, the bullet sang by in dangerous proximity. i Maddened by ihis ii:-'s:ii;lt. and by th" prone lijpire of Mi-s Temple. I lired in, return, and with a sigh he i-nnnpled a 1 tttyieet. j Hushing to my love, 1 raised her in ' my arms and placed her on the Ih d. wetting her face and neck with water from the jug upon the washstand. I By this time, several of my comrades. headed by the lieutenant, had followed tiie sound of the shot. and. having found ' my opponent needed no further at ten-' tion. were offering any help which might be required. i "Thank Hod you were in time." said! the, lieutenant. "Try and bring her to, | and she can come with us." . leaving a man outside the door, to j assist, mc if necessary lie wisely left me' to the task of recovering my rescued love { and proceeded with tlie'systematic raid-l ing of the house. ln a few minutes I bad the satisfaction of seeing my darling open her eyes, and her first words were a weakly whispered "Dick! and only just in time. as she fainted again. Soon, however, and with the aid of my brandy flask, she was able to sit up: though every now anil then a shiver would shake her whole body at tiie remembrance of some past horror. T refrained from asking any questions, and at last I considered that she was sufficiently recovered to understand the position. Listening to mc with attention. 1 had 'hardly finished speaking when she jumped up. and placing a still trembling hand upon my arm said. "For God's j sake. Dick, let's go anywhere out of this! awful house!" j Supporting her trembling body. 1 led i her down the stairs and into the street, | where she was received with a. half-sup-j pressed cheer by my comrades. I We had now to reach the TJastion, and with two men of the detachment for escort we started for the fort. CHAPTER XVI. I write this from mi' teimt on Bastion Hill. Everything appeal's so peaceful, looking out over the calm 'waters of the harbour, dotted with craft of all kinds, that -one can hardly believe that we are in the midst of a revolution. Our escape hence, aefter the affair in ] State Street, was easier than might have i been expected, for. working down 1 o the shore, we were lucky enough to get hold i of the owner of a small fishing launch, j who, i.)s a sympathiser with our cause. I was only too glad to help a woman out j of danger. lie had. of course, heard nothing of the rising except the sound of our syren and a lew shots, and was making his way towards the wharves to find out what they meant when our signals attracted his attention. I was thankful to get my darting into the kindly hands of some nurses who bad alTeady found their way to the rendezvous at the Bastion, and the dea r girl has had a rather nasty collapse, but is, I am told, recovering nicely, and 1 shall .be able to see her to-morrotv. We have been here three days, .ajid things have, been occurring pretty-rapidly. All thp country about the fort is becoming an armed camp, to which are flocking adherents o>f tbe League from every quarter. We hear that our circtuftTs have heen wpl| received everywhere: everybody being utterly sh-k of this rot. about being unable to work for oneself and one's people, and having no home. These two things alone, I think, were enoueg.i to upset the t4_oc.i___tic applecart, whilst all the more, thoughtful were 'beginning to see that we were in peril of being snapped up by some outside nation for dPbt or any other prrtert whatever. Day by day onr little army grows, so that we are able to reinforce our military detachments rapidly. ?il_,ny of the police eajevd sol<liers liave come over to us. and it has helped tis much that not a. Kg gnu in any centre lias been left itit for use by our friends in the various artiUerveorps. Auckland is practically in our 'hajids. Every public, office, fnrli a»e; thp Government (DeparteiDects, the pout- office, etc. is he] a by the 7_eague. ] Our captures in State >Stre«t. andatthej j sxtoe time in the city --Set. wwy>> of the I greaeterst importance, and practically j paralysed any resistance which might ha-Ts been offered. j There has heen, eand shTl is, some dt- ! radtoTy rtotsng ftrythp. xmieghei-element, ehcaded "by the worst of the Inspector eenrwdewjd polieee, hut this sort of $hin<r [aa&toea.xai&ilvaxL'qrftJh, t_» «tro_tg hand, '^hfl_^iß-.-^p_B_s3ioT C ghoi-irten-t-ttiecy'

are not afraid to eput a man up against a. brick tra-H, before a firing ..quad, if neressa ry. ThU has had a salutary effect, and were it not that we have yet to settle with Wellington we should not need this camp at all. Our temporary government has taken 'lip its quarters in tlir Town Hall, nnd is I carrying on everything for tiie present as bef.ire. nn.l until the new lav.* can , be promulgated. : ( ertainly there will 1"' an Augean !--tabic to .dcanse. ami much hard, thank- :] > ._ f work ere this little c.e.inlry is once • [more e-ettled down to order nnd comi fort. j Tin' country j.'.i"'- an- practically all ' witli ii,-. even the miner* hping mostly ] '.-:ck c,;" ( nmiminie in. c There i-. however, trouble bre»in>_ ii' i iWelliujrt.i'.i. and «>■ are shipping troop- ; anil -fl'.- a- hard a- »'.' ,«u in view vi the coining -tru.-lc. • We have pi.-nty "■ coastal shipping. ami om- or two tramp 'teamen.: and ithe rail'.va>\ a,- tar a- I'liltncrstm. i- al- ; ready in ..nr hand.-, tlionjrh beyond that pla.-c the ( "ininiiiii-t- ha..- blown up some e.t tin' bridge*, atlei ar-' .'oneeti,trating witli their supporter, in the 'Empire City. ; There they have a large, .'"unpad and w.-U-drilled body ol armed men of the regulars and tho pnli-c, am! are beinj,' constantly reinforced by fugitive officials from all over the country. I Our -tn prise, however, was ,-c, comjplete that almost everywhere except in ; Wellington, ive ar.' in almost undisputed I possession, an.l ran thus hold our meetlings and place onr ideas Wfore the | people without let or hindrance! an'! jare also free to .-oueentrole on lJuldosc janil hi.-. .-upportevs in Wellington, c The position is gradually coming down !to this. On one side is the league, day j |l.y day representing a gTeater majority j jot the pi.jinlation. and "ii the other Bill- | dose and It's minority, supported by tbe J iwor-t element of the military, tiie polii'o. , land Un. hated "in.ipe.tore." and al! the', rag-lag ane! I.oii-tail who are' too lazy I aid iis'li'- to \"."1.. and to wl.om smli j ja government as this is an unmixed! | blessing, j I I'.iihleis" and his following ar" fairly' • homogeneous, held ti'grthc ai- they are iby t!ie knowledge that for ihem there | lit- nothing to linpe under the rub' oi ', I'iiibo to fear the r. vengc o: tho.-c wl.o j jhave -ufi'ered in themselve- or their ! dearest, and will light to the la.-: rather | than fall into the kamln of the- ave:ig.-rs. They also have Ihe ad.antago ol being 'in possession of ilim seat ii. government,' with all th,' pubis • doeiiments and a ! •eerlaiti >|..i,\v. at any rate, of legal authority, -') that it is possible that they | will receive a.-fistauee from the Socialist (.overnment of Australia. I They also hold most of the fortified position- at the purl-, with guns and 'ammunition, though, thanks lo the eliliIgenve uf our i'rien!.. th" guns are all temporarily uselrr-s. I They are also stronger in other arms than we. tin>i;_h we are not weak in them our.-elves. I On the other hand they ar.. praclijcally besieged in Wellington, whilst we ,have a friendly country to ,!ra\v upon j for supplies. I For .the time being they are the 'stronger in concentrated lighting eili- I ciency, but our .-aus" strengthens from day to day. At any rate, we must show no hesitation, but "heard the lion in bis den," and move our forces as speedily as possible in support of the little band, who are holding the hills of Miramar and the Hutt. CHAPTER XVII. It i.-, a couple of week- vow since our attai'-k on State Street, am! the position continues to grow steadily more favourable to our cause. The South has respond,': perhaps less i rapidly, but quite as .- didly te, our appeal, owing no doubt t" the strong ! leaven of >>oteh ramiH-nts" in tho»e I parts. I Christchurch. Dunediil. and most ol ■ Ithe other large southern centres are strongly held for the League. only some of the mining centres of the West Coast 'still standing fur the Government, an.t even in these places Aye hear that the population is much divided, even the miners, hitherto considered the backbone lot the Communist ii' movement, being willing, appearently. to go beack to trie old comforts of individualistic homos and family life und-er such am ended forme of industrial and social law as we propose. ' Jlere. again, the women are our tftrongest supporters. Wellington 'is. nujdonbtedly the plague spot, its decent itr . i habitants being outnumbered and over- | awed by tiie concentration in the-iT j midst of the Government forces. i We. are daily receiving di?spairing ap- | peals ifor help and deliverance from these men, for. despite the efforts of Buldose to keep his crew within 'bounds, cases of assault, drunkenness and the vilest brutality are of almost hourly occurrence. No woman is safe in the streets, and there have even been several cases of the entrance of private dwellings by half-drunken ebrut.es, with Tape and even deliberate murder. All our people are raving for an immediate attack upon the city, but onr c leaders are anxious to give time for the eescape of as many as possible of the decent people 'before letting loo6e what most inevitably be a furious and horrible period of street fighting. In tbe meantime we are mustering our forces in chosen positions around the eiety, and have dim .hopes that the Government; will surrender, though 1 fear this is unlikely, seeing that th«r only hope is of being aMe to defeat our forces, and thus hearten their at present overawed supporters about the country. Here and there in the country districts there have been isolated cases of brigandage by gangs ot* Government supporters, 'but we axe getting better organised every day, and onr patrols are now operating 'in almost every district, being able, to strengthen their numbers from the local population, the majority hi" whom are ent-husiaHtie snpeporters of the l.eajjue. j No half-measures are. taken with these gentry, and £he nearest tri*. or a volley. after drumhead cofrrtmaxtial of a dozen memberiß of the patrol, is causing this kimi of thing to Iweome fairly unpopular. Bessie and Jar" married. A \we.k j ago I spoke to Doctor Jim. and he [advised mc, under such ertseptionaJ cir- | cu_mste_nces, to b«g tor an immediate I union, and my bravo girl consented. We, of course, are unable, to see very : much of •eetm&.ajiotl.er. my duties keeping j mc eo-wbintly about the doctor .and ' j the staff office, whilst B'ssr.e is hard i at -work amongst the case* of I laud oeomional "woundfi md acxridents at

j However, we can sometimes steal an ihour or two together in which to plan c a fresh start under the new conditions ; which we hope so pooii to see ill force. I All! the joy of planning a cottage oi : our own. rented from a stronjr and wise , '(roverntnent. or n few rooms in some I j well-kept set of public tlats. What mat- j iter if we have fo do everything fori ! our.-elves! So ivii! everyone pise, and one nnd all will have to put their | j -.boulders t,, the wheel t. help the, , authorities | n tii-i" gij-ant;.' la-k of j creatine older out .if the . haii- of the | lute' years. "<• imagine the !upj.,y popuia.'c , happ\ on a potato rind at l.eijijf ! together, bitsbanil and wile, mother and I child. I'.'i.n.ls and lover.-. No cursed I i.iticiai'sni with our fold, our -leep, onr ] j aui'i-i meiit.-. li i(i| sppiu- itlmust illi I .piwsjl.U good after ihe bondage frcm itti.iea we haw .-napel. \ l!e,w,. say- that the lirst thi„jr -!,.•' «'.! l i]o will be to lix up a pae.k:n'_-«-se I arm chair, an.l label it as large a., she-' '''HI. I "lis 1„ 1,,' V,TV OUI ' ' j I wonder ho.v many thousand* are feverir-hiy awaiting thp moment when j '•".e.v may start that little private castle 'called "Home":' 1 f'HAPTER .Will. The order i> out—headquarters arc to] be removed to the Hint at once. The 1 railway is repaired and in our hands for i ■some distance beyond the Lower Hutt ] station, une! our patrols hold the hills I towards Wellington. ! All is hustle and movement of Jeuar- I 'lire. .Mo,,t of the troops in this c.unp I can now be safely transferred to Weliiii"- ' ton. ! Our police, under the leadership of ln- I espector Kallaghan. of the old days. i s a i body of whii'h any «.m.i-r mi.ht be ! proud, and is .juite capable of keepimr | the rowdy element in check, loyally I | helped as t i.-, '•■ rverv ,k vnt .itiz:n. I | The reaction in favour ~f order and j decency is so _n.it that it only needs a ! 7su.spi,i ( ,n that one of our noli,-,- i s j„ ! 'difli.ulii,,-. and doi.on, run to hi- a-sist- i a nee j J We ~f ihe Siatr Oflice are up to our j jiii'i-k- in work—arm using transfers, (ship- ; pin- men and -on _. by rail, road find \ |sea. nnd prejjarina generally for the I greatest .'ifor; of the revolution. | ! ! have hardly time to speak to l.espie. I |a ml je.i'h .;,s ii i s ;,s nell that »> are j ;-.'. as i; -lvc.s one no time to re- I .member that nt last we have to part—j pie-sue beitiLr placed ii charge of the iii.'in.- here, whilst I. of course, follow thp d0,.,.,r. j My brave -iri was a bit upset at first I when -in. told mc that her application jto he taken with the lipid hospital hael ibcen refused, but. lieing the woman she | is. now iipiirn the ideai or our partin-j jmiiiders of that individtiali-t packing- •' ■ase armchair and all it will mean. I have applied, thouj.ll (hi.- I have not told Hcssie. to be placed upon the tight- | ing strength of the same corps with c which I assisted to raid State Street, and have been enrolled a private in that company, though my duties are still those of orderly to Doctor dim. with which I am contented for the present, cis 1 can save the dear old fellow many little worries and epe to sundry little comforts which a stranger would over- l look. I The dear old man is well, though j looking somewhat worn, but the triumph-1 ant success of the movement with which he is so closely identified is a continual tonic to him. I* seems almost impossible that we have done so much in such a short space of time, but the whole-souled devo: ion with which everyone meets the call upon them works wonders. Our organisation and discipline speak I volumes both for our leaders and for the spirit of the rank and file: anil though, I of necessity, many thin-re arc not as I they should be. the universal feeling is that all is for the eventual benefit of all smooths many a difficulty. The country people arc stinting themselve.- to senel us food, are! 1 hear that there is more work done on thp farms i:i j day than was done in a week a little while ago. The women are marvellous—working, organising, chcerin- on the energetic, and shaming the lazy into doin- their bust. Hardly has it been possible to prevent the formation of a woman's corps, and were there greater nccpssity I feel certain it would be formed, willy nilly. They are great, these women, and such ranting little individualists! I was witness of an amusing incident in Queen Street the other aay. whirl) shows the feeling of the feminine por- | tion of the community. I had been sent into town to see about the shipment of some stores, and was passing alonQueen Street, when I noticed a frroup of men, in the ccntrp of.which a young fellow was holding forth pretty loudly. "I don't think much." be was 6aying, "of this new idea. Why. we'll haTe to work just as hard as ever, and live in any dog-hole we can manage to get hold of. and wont be able to do what we like 'arf so well as we can now." Whilst be was speaking two or three girls, of twenty years of age. or thCTeabouts. had joined the throng, and were listening intently to what, was going on. (joming forward at this point, they thrust thetmselves through the ring of bystanders, and one of them—a girl with flashing .lack eyes—strode up to the man who had been speaking, and, taking him by the arm, said: "Here, Jim, if you don't want to lose your girl, just .hut up egaseesing like tehat." Then, turning to the crowd, "It's a home of our own we want, and don't you fellows make any mistake abut it, and a deal less of this inspector business as well. We've had about enough of this civil marriage, as they call it, and want a decent old-fashioned wedding in a church, and our kids allowed to stay wilh us. Now, just you fellows trot off and do something to help the Leaegue crowd, or you'll have to reckon with the women, eand don't you forget it." With a langh the group broke up, one of tiie men remarking: "I reckon the girls are right, chaps. I'm pretty sick of all this deam foolishne_ts anyhow, and 1 vote for giving the new crowd a fair trieal." With this I wandered on. but it was a good instance, of the women,? influence for our side. ITo be continued patorday next.)