Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-05-02

could sec by the thin white cloud OF steam
rising from the engines Mt the mines that
the pumps were still going-that my
faithful German was there. Upon reach
ing The office and store we found every
thing closed. Groups oI men, sullen.
hang dog looking fellows, were scatter.
cd about. Some were smoking. some sit
ting on the ground, some lounging by n
large mule wagon standing in front of
The office hut all OF them looked treach.
crous and mean Not an American was
among them.
| had driven up at Il pretty good pace,
and halling in front OF the Office, Jump
ed out. tied my horse to the hitching post
and told Evans to Jump out Not a word
did the men say, but rs the Scotch say.
'glowered" knocked loudly at the Of
flee door and one OF the clerks cauti )usly
put his head out oil the second stoiy win
dow 10 SEQ who it was lie came down,
unbarcd and unlocked the door Bid.
ding Evans enter first. | followed aud
went into The Office. Before the clerk
could Iasten The door, numbers OF men
had crowded in until there was scarcely
standing room.
Placing my back against the fire proof,
Evans standing at my right hand, | adj.
dressed them thus:
Men, have travelled Il great deal, and
AMI have seen men in many situations,
but have never in my life come across
such mean. rowardiy set rs you a,e.'
paused moment looking them
straight in the iace MOI u man spoke
some of them shufllcd uncasiIy upon
lhcil feet, others puffcd away at their
pipes. continued:
at WAS brave thing, was it not, for
four hundred men 70 drive away one. and
threaten to burn that one mans house
down, where his innocent wife and chill
drcn wcro?'
\ voice from the crowd "Shure wo
didn't do it,
You did not; aye but you stood by.
mean and coward like, while others did
il. and YOU hissed them on y
And get YOU call yourselves men? Is
il any wonder that the American people
are getting preiudicod against YOU, and
look upon you rs a sci at barbarians? ]
hear that YOU have threatened to take this
mans life (IIcrr placed my right hand
on Evans shoulder) For what ? Has
he ever wrongcd YOU out oi II days work
or car OF coal Has he ever been gull.
" nj the least act OF Injustice towards
YOU? II he has. let any man prove it,
and | will discharge him. Now, it there
is to be any killing, | want you TO begin
with me, for | am here TO sustain him in
the discharge of his duty, and will never
dismiss him at your command. Rather
than do that will let The timbeIs in the
mines rot. and never ship another ton Of
coIl And now, boys, you can leave the
office
They went out shccpiSh and ashamed.
told Evans to wall; with me the sope,
as | wished to sec the engineer. We left
the Office, and walked along. passing
scores OF them rs we vert. | had ma.
lured little plan in my own mind which
thought would eventually work we'll.
owed the miners nothing. They had
threatened to stop the pumps. Now, sup
posing thry had struck Tor their own
pleasure and were idle, | should keep
them idle while for mine There was
new sci OF boilers needed, and ! was
determined to stop ,he pumps myself, re-
pair things generally anil let the miners
remain idle.
told Evans of my plans. and he
thought that they would not let me stop
the pumps that il would certainly create
a riot. told him | would risk it. Up
on reaching Lo slope told the German
engineer what | intended TO do, and that
his counlrymen, who had kept aloof from
the ruilians. should receive full pay while
the mines were idle; that they were by
no means 10 leave their houses. About
fifty men had followed me Ia tho slope.
| turned around to them. and said that |
had been told that they intended to stop
the pumps, but thai instead OF letting
them do ii was going to do it myself,
and let the mines lay idle for while.
This WAS n turn in the wheel they were
not prepared for.
For Gods sake, sir, don't stop the
they cried.
A grim smile lit up the Germans faces
rs said in calm firm voice, "Rake out
the fires, men,"
The red hot Goals were raked out. and
in Il few minutes the mighty engine ceas.
ed its throbbings, and all was silent and
still. Angry words and sullen faces mel
me on every side.
said to them: "If | owe any man
any hing, let him come with me TO the
Office and | will pay him. If any one is
dissatisfied working for me, LET him move
away and 90 elsewhere, but while live
intend to be master of my own proper
ty.
lit cigar from one of the red hot
Goals raked from under the boilers, and
in company with Evans, walked slowly
to the office. In half IN hour not 4 man
was TO be seen, They had SUNK away