The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-05-29
Written for the AEva ctrE.
OK SHEEP.

Written for the Agvscsrs.
BL.CK SHEEP.
Would that were Of an irritable temper
ament would that | were but moderately
excited, 90 that | could give vent to the in
digHati0n | entertain toward the object Of
nv subject nv wrath should be emptIed
out upon the sheet before me, so that you
could see exposed the sheep in the VOLTS
coat the traitor to your dearest interest,
with the mask of friendship torn off, con
cealed pest would be brought from darkness
into the light. | should then give you a
more correct view Of ban than can 90 IN
der my present state Of paelticati0n Of
mind. To provoke myself to a reasonable
amount Of aREer, have made an unsucegss-
full effort for The space a the last half hour,
during which have called to my assistance
all my powers Of invention, and exhausted
all the expedients | am master Of. Time i
precious, however, and must WELD to cir
eumstsnces in spite of myself, and treat an
old enemy Of yours, as well as Of nine, with
a ciyilisy that ] heartily begrudge, and for
this reason. Black sheep NAV keep bis
thanks to himself, wheresOever be is to be
found.
You are all acquainted with the habits Of
black sheep more or less but you seldom
get to know who Of your fellow workmen
act bis part. l have put him In The plural,
f0T black sheep does not conhne himself t1
one individual, 0r TO one district or l0cali-
~ heis pretty generally distributed among
your c0llieries. You have different names
for him TOO, be is b0nored with the appela.
ton os "backlcg," .'kn0b.tick." &C., and
the character Is most BOt0ri5uslv uup0pu
lar among the miners OF ali districts and
countries.
One great trait il bis character, is bis
hankeriug after news be brushes as much
uf this substance of a miscellaneous "a
ture-under his skull, as woGld produce
compression of your brain nine he is a
verltabie Paul PTy this very particular.
lie attends to meetings, OF political and
social nature is much impressed with what
is said; has ia general good memory,
which be puts to the best possible use. He
never misses one Of your own meetings, is
unremittins IN bis attention. lie makes
motions, seconds motions, makes short
speeches-pointedly and cassiousiy-they
being more a vehicle Of Interrogation than
Of Information. IL is free talker never
theless, when he wishes TO draw you out
and ibis he could skilIfully at times, when
il suits Bis purpose to 90 20. liz knows
Y0u are enthusiastic On some special sub
iect, and be knows bow to touch IL; it Is
ike working the handle Of a pump 10 him.
lie brings you out in your club room lou
have exposed some Injustice you have be-
come indignant used yituperative language
against the cause, possibly against your III
side or outside boss. On the following DAY
you find out that your boss has been mystic
uously made acquainted With all the pro-
ceedDgs Of your meeting. You doubt not
but that all you have said il IN bis posses
sion. That there has been treachery prac-
ticed you donb5 not. Again black sheep il
your pr0fessed friend, and the last you sus-
peet to be a talebearer. But il was be
and no other, and had you seen the pair,
that is, black sheep and your boss-in
sort Of secret eonclaye, sitting on the loose
coal in black sleeps breast, sucking tobao-
CO smoke through tbe stems Of their PIGS,
you would have been enlightened on tie
very subject.
Black sheep is no fool where his own in
terests are especially concerned, be il polite
enough % keep On -OOd terms with yea, and
"all right" with the "bOss,0
Black sheep can aatter, but th. \ it i
with a blandness that iisarm suspicion YOU
never meet With cand0r to cnual bis. He
up, ard applauds your opinions. If your
Opir are offensive to your employers, 1
woo blows in yOur wake. In the winter
months y5g are idle; you are heneforth
kept in the back s-Ound Of your employers 7,
favor, no matter how good a workman you
are Won feel the effects Of their displeas- /
ure, for they take many ways and means OF 4
visiting your sins upon your lead. You at \
last conclude 70 leave Your present employ 4
ers and hunt others. Your friend, black 4
sheep, assists you into the wagon with your
worldly goods, bis exterior ana visible part 4
is 50 sorry because you are leaving. If you 4
have in any way suspected him Of getting 1
you into disfayor, his anexiety concerning
your future welfare dispossesses you. I'M |
der such circumstances it would be prepos-
ferrous TO harbor suspicion. But then you
are a good workman, and more likely to be
favored BY your employers, did favors de-
pend upon ability alone SO black sheep il
glad when you 20.
II you succeed Dy making the change get
to be boss or foreman for instance-you
may expect your friend, black sheep will
Inconvenience himself considerably to visit
you then. He will be intensely interested
With each member of your family. If you
are placed in pc -itjOn that enables you to
assist him, you do not hesitate to do him a
service. You bett' bis condition, be comes
% work for you. You bring him in contact
With, and recommend him to the notice of I
7our employers, with the must perfect good
aith. The next thing you know, you fall
nto disfavor again, an influence surrounds
lou which you feel, but it's mystery Is such
hat you cannot penetrate it. 1t creeps on
Tou slowly. You see at The same time
Hack sleeps mask mot torn off suddenly ,
IS an actor tears bis off on the stage il |
omes off piece by pieee,) wearing off. The |
nd OF 1t is you loose your place, which your ,
friend has possession of. You
ave known the end would be thus for some I
inc past, but you ccHld Rst avert it. 1t /
eemed crawling on you, as death crawls on /,
eople at times, slowly but sure. But You /
i'd not have an idea Of the means used to I
nship you; ~ one to whom you have /
rusted so; with whom you have shared 90 !
lany favors, and to whom You have i'm !
arted much of the knowledge that Low en- d
bies him to take and hold the situation be 4
as wrenched from ySu.
lie IS intimately acquainted with Ine at .