The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

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British Government. So reasoned Dennis ------, and
so reasoning he resolved to make a protest on his own account.
A Land League meeting was convened in his own district. He determined to attend it. The day of meeting came. Dennis put in an appearance. The ' boys' were astonished and delighted to see him, and everyone said, ' Dennis must take the chair.' Dennis emphatically declined the most unexpected honour thus thrust upon him. But the chance of holding a Land League meeting under such respectable auspices was not to be thrown away. Despite all remonstrances, Dennis was borne to the chair amid popular acclamations. Strong resolutions were proposed, violent speeches were made, and a paper, which made the chairman's ears tingle, though he did not take it all in at once, was read. Then he was called upon to put the resolution to the meeting and to read the paper. He read the paper. It took his breath away, but he went through manfully to the end. The paper was the ' No Eent' manifesto, and the resolution pledged the meeting to support it. Three days afterwards Dennis found himself inside Ejlmainhani. The mildest-mannered man in "Wexford was within the grip of the law. That was not all. Dennis was at first much shocked by the conversation of some of his fellow ' suspects/ He did not appreciate the good stories of the Leaguers. Gradually, however, he became reconciled to them. Pinally, he began to retail them. At length the crisis arrived. One day he approached Parnell in the recreation yard. 'Mr. Parnell,' said he, ' I would like to have a word with you.' ' Certainly, Dennis,' said Parnell. They walked apart. ' Then'—as Parnell would say, telling the story—' Dennis came very close to me, put his lips very
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