"
The laughter and cheers that greeted this, and the tears of the
ladies themselves, naturally brought the performance on the stage
to a stop, and the vast audience turned in the seats and boxes.
They saw a little red-haired boy in evening clothes, balancing
himself on the rail of the balcony, and around him a great crowd,
cheering, shouting, and bidding him "Go on!"
Churchill turned with delight to the larger audience, and repeated
his appeal. The house shook with laughter and applause.
The commissionaires and police tried to reach him and a
good-tempered but very determined mob of well-dressed
gentlemen and cheering girls fought them back. In triumph
Churchill ended his speech by begging his hearers to give "fair
play" to the women, and to follow him in a charge upon the
barricades.
The charge was instantly made, the barricades were torn down,
and the terrified management ordered that drink be served to its
victorious patrons.
Shortly after striking this blow for the liberty of others, Churchill
organized a dinner which illustrated the direction in which at that
age his mind was working, and showed that his ambition was
already abnormal. The dinner was given to those of his friends and
acquaintances who "were under twenty-one years of age, and who
in twenty years would control the destinies of the British Empire.
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