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Show O'CONNELL'S PRESENCE OF MIND As every one knows, Daniel O'Con-nell. O'Con-nell. the famous Irish agitator, was one of the bravest of mortals. He was, besides, be-sides, possessed of great coolness when occasion required its exercise. An incident in-cident illustrative of this later quality was recently related by one who witnessed wit-nessed it. On a certain occasion a meeting had been convened and a large crowd assembled on the first floor ot a building in a small city in Ireland. ; O'Connell was about to addre&3 the people, when a gentleman, pale with fear, made his way to the platform and hoarsely whispered: "Liberator, the floor is giving way! The beams that shore it up are cracking crack-ing and we shall all fall through in a few minutes!" "Keep silent.' 'said O'Connell: then, raising his voice he addressed the assembly: as-sembly: "I find that the room is toosmall to contain the number who desire to come in, so we must leave it and hold the meeting outside the building." At this a few rose and went out, but the majority retained their seats. Then O'Connell said: I "I will tell you the truth; you are Irishmen, therefore brave men. The floor is giving way and we must leave this room at once. If there is a panic and a rush to the door we shall all be precipitated into the room below, but if you obey me we shall be saved. Let the twelve men nearest the door go quetly out. then the next twelve and so on until all have gone. I shall be the last to leave." His instructions were obeyed to the leter and he waited, patient and calm, till all had gone out in safety. Then he walked quietly across the sundering, cracking floor, reaching the door jusif as the shattered beams gave way. And thus by the force of his strong w-ill a terrible accident was everted. |