It was my first "baptism
of fire" and I had enough presence of mind to observe its effect upon
myself and others. Physically there was no effect for no one seemed hit. I
tried to locate the gun and the man behind it, but did not succeed. When
the firing ceased, I went on my way. As I neared the Nicholas station,
there came rushing forth from around the corner a crowd of hoodlums and
soldiers, with drawn swords, which they had taken from the officers,
and such other weapons as they could pick up, shouting, "Down with the
Government!" Then it dawned upon me that the revolution was on in earnest,
that the anarchists of yesterday's prayer had become the heroes of a great
cause. What struck me most of all was the kind of men and women who made
this world event. I watched them during the week, and they seemed to be
in great part boys and girls, hoodlums, students, poorly dressed men and
women, without organization, plans, or leaders. It is difficult to analyze
the various motives that brought them out into the street. Not one of the
so-called revolutionists was seen, heard, shot, or wounded. When it was
all over they appeared on the scene, rushing from Switzerland, the United
States, France, and other parts of the world, to make speeches and to
divide the spoils. It was a revolution without revolutionists, unless you
call the soldiers that, but they were not consciously making a revolution,
and when it was done, they were thoroughly surprised and frightened.
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