Gorgias in California [pp. 534-540]

I
536
GORGIAS IN CALIFORNIA.
[DEC.
sentiments. He lowered himself to the Brandy Creek. This place, it must be
level of his auditors. But he won his understood, was named by a man whose
case. At the close of his address, with great-grandfather fought in the army of
no formal charge, the jury, without leav- the Revolution, and distinguished himing their seats, brought in a verdict of self at the battle of the Brandywine.
"Not guilty." Adam'sminerfriendwas It was in commemoration of that old
vastly obliged to him, and the Lyonton- hero, not at all from the intemperate
ians were immensely proud of their habits of its settlers, that this mining
orator. The lawyers of the county seat town came to be named Brandy Creek.
paid their new rival handsome compli- Brandywine was thought to savor too
ments. The most marked effect was on much of mixed liquors. An orator was,
the young men of the place. They of course, the most important personcrowded around Mr. Georgius, and told age for the celebration. The fame of
him he must surely come to live there; Adam Georgius was by this time countythat he was just the man for their thriv- wide. To him the Brandy Creekers
ing city, which was soon to be the made application; and he blandly accapital of a new State. Adam smiled ceded to their wishes. The day came.
serenely upon them, yet with a sinister Chaplain and reader of the Declaration
expression but ill concealed. He had were also imported. A huge evergreen
his own thoughts and plans. It was not booth was made for the accommodation
a hard task to persuade him. of the audience. The orator's rustic
He came to practice law in the rising desk stood on the rough platform, along
mountain city. His years and dignified which were ranged the dignitaries of
bearing won the respect of those who the day. At the appointed time, Adam
happened in his way. Careful not to Georgius, Esq., was introduced, with a
offend any, he sought chiefly the good- flattering allusion to his rising reputawill of young men. To their society tion. He rose, bowed somewhat too
he adapted himself with shrewdness and politely to his expectant audience, and
skill. He did not proclaim himself an launched out into his first sentence. It
opposer of good morals or noble living. was long; and losing his usual selfBut he gently ridiculed the finer feelings possession, Adam broke down before
of his companions. An easy skeptic- reaching the end of it. Again he comism sat lightly upon him; extending not menced; went about half as far, and
merely to old religious beliefs, but to broke down again. He found it conthe warp and woof of pure, high-minded venient to lean on his desk; but the
manhood. It was not obtruded; but desk fell over, and he after it. Instantsomehow, when a young man had been ly the reader and the chaplain came
in his society, he found himself more to his help: one picked up the orator;
ready to sneer at the things he had es- the other, the desk. Georgius stood
teemed right and lovable-more inclined a moment in gloomy, half-abashed granto give free play to his own lower im- deur, and turning to the president,
pulses. Georgius was not merely a said: "Judge, I wish you'd talk to
silent worker. He frequented the fash- these people; I am not accustomed to
ionable saloons, and became a bar-room addressing so small an audience." The
oracle; and when music and a throng Judge and the chaplain did their best
led into the worst of resorts, he looked to appease an assembly hungry for the
in there also, with a patronizing, en- eloquence of Adam Georgius. But the
couraging smile. day was blighted. Not all the costly
A Fourth of July celebration was to viands of the succeeding feast-not
be held in the neighboring town of even the grand ball of the evening