The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-11-16

THE OTHER SIDE.
President u the CpoIer- international 1 nion
CHAPTER XIV.
BY A N FoKAN.

CHAPTER NV
The union had been in existence some
three weeks, and had ounven, 4 Ia session
some SIX or seven times. Still none but
the initiated knew where its councils were
held or who were members, and yet no
further open or covert opposition to the
principles Of the association. other than
that already narrated, appeared. The
word union seemed to he t.b""ed, both
by men and employers, rs If by tacit un-
derstAndng The men felt Jubilant, but
the leaders of the movement looked grave
and counseled discretion, unity and
secrecy. They well knew the quiet then
prevailing was the unnatural calm that IN
varlably precedes the storm. They were
right. The levIathan tyrannous OPP
position and fraudulent wrong, though
cOmAtose, was not asleep. Tie lay III a
pool, thick with the slime # greedy ralac-
ity and befoulcd of rank injustice. But
the appearance VI the muddy. stagnant
pool Was placid, except that one day =
frOthy scum bubbled up to the surface,
tioated OH To the side Of the fenny slough
and disappeared ia the brakes and rushes.
This was an omlnOus sign. The scum Was
sent from beneath by the fctId breath of
the monster. aud BY slight stretch Of the
imagination IL could lie made to assume
the form and appearance oi one Tatam
MAhoneV. AT the last meeting Of the
UNION thus worthy Was PROPOSED tor mem
bership. His admission was strenu"usly
opposed by some and strenn0usly advo-
Gated by others. Ii WAS urged by the
former that he Was both morally and me
ceanically unit for membership that he
WAS n confirmed mebriate, an immoral
man, lacking in manhood, wanting ia hon
or, with no stability OF rehaLieness what
ever. BY the latter it Vas as warmly urr
ed that he had lately reformed. Joined the
Good Templars and the church, become
industrious, saved his earnings and ap-
peared more respectfully. Besides his
friends contended, even # the charges pre-
ferred against hIm were true, It Was the
duty of the union to extend to hun help
ing hand and aid III making Of HIM bet
ter man. The latter argument secured his
admission, but those who advanced it, as
well as those who were convinced by it,
seemed to forget that the first great and
preservation. Neither did they investigate
or anAlyze fatam Mahoney's sudden re
formation, or seek to know if the causes
that led to it were prompted by his own
conscience, or by the clnk of Alvan Rel
vason gold Had they paused to con
sider or investigate they would have dis
covered that religion, temperance and
respectabilIty struck and overpoWered
TALam MAhOny as suddenly and As unex
expectsdly ~ a sand comes upon the
belAted traveller IN the great American
desert.
That night. long after ten O'Clock, a
hight still sh"ne through the curtailled
window Of Relvasons office, which was
located close t. one of the principal shops,
being IN fact - par Of IT, or rather small
wing or addition attached to the end, and
communicating with the shop by a heavy
oxen door, which, through the agency Of a
weight and pulley, closed automatically
and became locked with stiff spring bolt,
which could I've opened only from the
Office side The other end Of the shop
faced All alley, into vhich it opened
through a small door. About eleven
O'Clock man disguised in a soldiers over
coat, dyed black, the cape drawn up over
the head and falling in irregular folds
down the face, approached this door, peer
ed cautiously around, then inserted a key
in the rusty lOck-the b bit flew back with
q sharp click. which sounded unnaturally
loud in the thick silence hanging over the
place. The muffied figure drew back with
a nervous start, frightened like the witch
Of Endor at q spectre Of her own conjura-
tion.
A moment afterwards he entered the
shop and closed the door behind him.
Cautiously grouping his way, he soon
reached the entrance leading to the office
and was admitted by Mr.. Spindle. The
heavy oaken door closed with momentum
that shook the Office, the spring bolt flew
into its socket. and Tatam Mahoney stood
before RelvasOn and his Figaro.
"Iou have kept your promise, ] see ~
and Relvason rubbed his hands with sar-
donic complacency, as his shaggy eyebrows
came down and the eyes went up, and the
wol6sh teeth glistened through the slightly
parted lips.
at was no easy task, sir" replied Ia
tam, doggedly, and he looked nervous and
i'll at ease as he changed his Scotch cap
from one hand to the other, his eyes rivit-
cd upon the lower part of Rslvason's chair
as if he was lntently counting the legs and
rounds in that useful article Of furniture.
Indeed r said his questioner, with a
contemptuous sneer. The slave trembled
slightly but did not reply. Were You in
itiAted r.
"Yes sir"
"Good r and Relvason glowed with in
cendiary humor "Is the association oath
bound r
A painful shade passed over the slaves
face, leaving it quite blanched. He man
aged to raise his head and regarded RelvA
son with pitiful stare. Spare me" he
answered, scarcely above . whisper.
why should r. The lips opened and
the words came through the set teeth with
. whirring sound. 81 have paid you foI
the information i seek and l must have it,
he continued with horrible emphasis
1t il oath-bound, very, very much 50,
StAmmered the slave, with an unpleasant
gurgle in his throat
Did you take this oath y Again the
slave raised his head, and though he spoks
not, the imploring eye, the quivering lip
the blAnched cheek, the clasp hands, th'
trembling body all said, "spare me"
But Relvason's object was to destroy tn
IA ,wa~Ai.., Of manhood IN his Lar<