The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-02-04
PIERRE De Jouv|h.

Pierre de Jouvin styled himself Paris .,
ian Baker and Confectioner, on the blue a,
and gilt sign above his shop door, that q
there were rumors abroad that he had s,
never seen Paris, and had, moreover, no Il
legal right to the name Of de Jouvin, but =
had merely adopted it to match his past s
ries. However that might be, his con- 4
fections would have tickled the daintiest :
of French palates. His bread was the :
finest and lightest in the market, his =
cakes and pies dcfed competition, and no T
one thought it worth while to inquire \
into the unimportant matter Of his ma I
tivity. The business hourished. 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 'ouvres in frpsting, or rather )
those of his "boss baker, graced the
table at the showlest weddings and recep- a,
| 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 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 Jouvln
workmen were not SO well off as their
master. There came hard winter.
) Prices went up and wages did not. Inc
men began to grumble among themselves.
They threw out hints at first. that were
not needed. Then they struck in body.
u 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 .sboss baker, demurred. Every
u man of the was a practiced hand. 1t
would not be easy to secure as many more
= like them. He proposed slight conces-
y sion. s.Not penny said Nj. Jouvin-
A squad OF green hands were collected
ie omehow-accomplished men were not
particularly anxious for situations IN
'c Jouyin S establishment-and if his cusio-
Ct mers found their bread pasty, and their
morning rolls puffy and tasteless, 1t mat
tered little, for de Jouvin had secured a
rs reputation, which is. in itself, great
thing. With the men 1t Jared worse
all turned adrift, without wages, in the middle
Of hard winter. No one would employ
,st them for fear Of offending NJ. Jouvin
res Scarcely one Of them was in the least tit
ed ted for any other trade or profession
OF and those who had no savings were forced
to remain in the place, and remaining, t.
mt starye. There was among them Swiss
He Andrew Martin by name, who had taker
ere to himself wife, as poor men have bat
the habit Of doing, and had now some hal
nfi. dozen children. He had also bad habl
Nr. Of forming opinions for himself quite If
iyil respective Of, and often quite contrar,
ire. to. any settled code or established orde
It Of things, sometimes, perhaps, quite con
etc. trary to human equity; for earning one
! SO living literally by the sweat of one brow
working. at that. sixteen hours oat
the the twenty -four, does not leave time 10
let very profound study Of ethics. This ma
lion had been he first to grumble and set tn
N others grumblng, the most determine
ci., 20 hold on t, even to death, II need b.
IN and the most desperate now that tn
We worst had come. He vowed most deaf
and " vencea, &c on Pierre de Jouvin, an
lict startled IL e rest with incendiary speech'
,alf of the mo: t ferocious nature. 1t happe
the ed that this Andrew Martins younge
, in child del, happened, that is, in cons
own auence Of the strike and its results.
ton course the little thing was safely out
ella misery, spared great deal Of future 81
hich fering. much bet .er of. and all the rest
him it, but Martin, perhaps, was wrong-hcade
the He reasoned that it was all Pierre
Their Jouvin's doings- and cruel sin. ~
the mother had been unable to noarfsh
4 an even when it came to feeding by han
WAS With the bits tina; fell to her share, Al
V to there it lay. white and cold, all its pref
the smiles and soft cooling noises still forev'
ilton The woman bent above 1t. moaning bitt'
|. by ". while the living whimpered, part
was With hunger and partly with grief. tn
was Andrew Martin rose up with deep oa,
r his .Poor little Marie" he said, 'did ] mar
nent thee for this I" and was on his way o.
when she looked up to ask where ne
going. I'll 90 once more" said he,
try and find my brother. He owes
mu. my five francs yet, and l suppose
the hasn't forgotten it. When he left Saw
syille mother and l looking after him down
a in road. he came back, Marie, and said
FORM ANDY, let me have the five francs
acert Frenchman gave you. I'll double Ia
that for YOU before we meet again. II
o the vas twenty years ago. The money wo
have come in handy now, wouldn't 1t my &
rings. he may be looking lot me 'o'naen
from Whatever or whoever andrew a
III be went to seek. there was very WHO y
in on his gaunt. haggard face. and he thr
r the huge. horn-handled knlie under
.dmis- coarse wooden jacket. Along the moo
ticket pavements, close to the dark shadows
the stately houses, Pierre de Jonvia "
vhistling merry su1e, unconscious
q crouching form followed fast; UNI
issued scious Of the white steed thaf was p
e adj ins to bear him on darker jour
basque Fierce and swift came the cruel dow:
e king der bis shoulder-blade up 10 the
hit for handle Of the rude knife: Inen
tiv, Of hands were 1t his throat. 0ney loose
ore to and one sought the bulky pocket
ill see that had Just been filled 1t the bank
L--r II 49,. $3.50 ->>k u r. raS he n