River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-02-05
PIERRE De JOUvlA.

Pierre de Jouvin styled himself Paris
ian Baker and Confectioner, on the blue
and gilt sign above his shop door, that
there were rumors abroad that he had
never seen Paris, and had, moreover, no
legal right to the name of de Jouvin, but
had merely adopted it to match his pait-
ries. However that might be, his con-
fections would have tickled the daintiest
of F-snch palates. His bread was the
fin and lightest in the market, his
ca = and pies dcfied competition, and no
one thought it worth while to inquire
into the unimportant matter Of his ma
tiyity. The business flourished. The
shop became the resort of elegant lunch
ing parties. Orders poured in from the
finest quarters Of the city. NJ. de Jou-
WINS chefs d 'ouvres in frosting, or rather
those Of his ''boss baker," graced the
table at the showiest weddings and recep-
tons. As for Monsieur de Jouvin him
self, he went but seldom to the shop, and
then in his carriage. And madame, his
wife. rarely unfolded her plump little
hands, though there had been a time
when her dimpled elbows had hidden
themselves in the kneading trough.
That was in her young days, however.
Nobody would have supposed it to see
her reclining in her luxurious easy chair
at home. or busting into her pew at
church in all her fine array Of costly silk
and velvet. But Monsieur de Jouvin's
workmen were not so well off MS their
master. There came q hard winter.
Prices went up and wages did not. The
men began to grumble among themselves.
They threw out hints at first, that were
not needed. Then they struck in body.
The news Of the strike was the first that
NJ. de Jouvin had heard OF the affair. He
was indignant at set of fellows who re-
fused to work for wages that contented
him when he was a journeyman baker.
DISMISS them at once" that was his fiat.
The "boss baker" demurred. Every
man of the was a practiced hand. 1t
would not be easy to secure as many more
like them. He proposed a slight conces-
sion. "Not a penny" said M. Jouvin.
A squad of "green" hands were collected
somehow--Aceomplished men we're not
particularly anxious for situations in
Jouyin's establishment--and if his custo-
mers found their bread pasty, and their
morning rolls puffy and tasteless, it mat
tered little, for de Jouvin had secured
reputation, which is, in itself, great
thing. With the men il Jared worse,
turned adrift, without wages, in the middle |
Of hard winter, No one would employ
them for fear Of offending NJ. Jouyin.
Scarcely one Of them was in the least fit.
ted for any other trade or profession. !
and those who had no savings were forced !
to remain in the place, and remaining, TO
starye. There was among them a Swiss, |
Andrew Martin by name, who had taken
TO himself wife, as poor men have bad !
habit OF doing, and had now some half
dozen children. He had also a bad habit |
Of forming opinions for himself quite ir.
respective Of, and often quite contrary
to, any settled code or established order
Of things, sometimes, perhaps, quite con.
trary 10 human equity for earning ones |
working, at that. sixteen hours Out OF
the twenty.four, does not leave time for
very profound study Of ethics. This man
had been he first TO grumble and set the
others grumbling, the most determined
70 hold on 1, even TO death, if need be,
and the most desperate now that the
worst had come. lie vowed most dead.
y vengeai &c on Pierre de Jouvin, and |
startled tie rest with incendiary speeches |
Of the mo- I fcrocious nature. IL happen
ed that this Andrew Martins youngest
child diei, happened, that is, in conse.
quence Of the strike and its results. or
course the little thing was safely out Of
misery, spared great deal Of future suf.