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

TIIn0I UC JUUvIns
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 Jouyin, but
had merely adopted it to match his past
ries. However that might be, his con-
fections would have tickled the daintiest
OF French palates. His bread was the
finest and lightest in the market. his
cakes and pies dcfied competition, and no
one thought it worth while to inquire
into the unimportant matter of his ma
tivity. 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 frpsting, or rather
those of his 'boss baker," graced the
table at the showlest 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 bustling into her pew at
church in all her fine array of costly silk
and velvet. But Monsieur de Jouvin's
workmen were not SO we'll off as their
master. There. came . 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 q set of fellows who re.
fused to work for wages that contented
him when he was 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 penny said NJ. Jouvin.
A squad OF 'green" hands were collected
somehow-accomplished men were not
particularly anxious for situations in
Jouvin's stablishment-andi if his custo-
mers found their bread pasty, and their
morning rolls puffy and tasteless, it mat
tered little, for de Jouvin had secured q
reputation, which is, in itself, a great
thing. With the men it Jared worse,
turned adrift,without wages, in the middle
of hard winter. No one would employ
them for fear Of offending NJ. Jouvin.
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
starve. There was among them 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 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 to human equity; for earning ones
living literally by the sweat of one brow,
working, at that. sixteen hours oat OF
the twenty.four, does not leave time for
very profound study Of ethics. This man
had been t be first to grumble and set the
others grumbling, the most determined
70 hold on t, even to death, il need be,
and the most desperate now that the
worst had come. He vowed . most dead.
ly veDgeai ce on Pierre de Jouvin, and
startled tie rest with incendiary speeches
Of the most ferocious nature. It happen
ed that this Andrew Martins youngest
child diel, happened, that is, in cense.
quence of the strike and it's results. or
course the little thing was safely out Of
misery. spared . great deal of future SUI.
fering, much better of. and all the rest OF
il, but Martin, perhaps, WAS wrong.hcaded.
he reasoned that it was oil Pierre dc
Jouvin's doings. and q cruel sin. The
mother had been unable to noarfsh it,
even when it came to feeding BY hand,
With the bits tina; fell to her share, and
there it lay, white and cold, all its pretty
smiles and soft cooling noises still forever.
The woman bent above 1t, moaning bitter
y, while the living whimpered, partly
with hunger and partly with grief. Then
Andrew Martin rose up with deep oath.
Poor little Marie" he said, ibid marry
thee for this = and was on his way out,
when she looked up to ask where he was
going. I'll 60 once MORE" said he, s'to
try and find my brother. He owes me
my five francs yet and 1 suppose he
hasn't forgotten it. When he left Savoy,
mother and ! looking after him down the
road. he came back, Marie, and said he,
: Andy, let me have the five francs the
Frenchnan gave you. I'll double them
for you before we meet again" That
vas twenty years ago. The money would
come in handy now, wouIdn'ti it my girl.
He may be looking for me tonight"
Whatever or whoever Andrew Martin,
went to seek, there was Z very wild look
on his gaunt. haggard face. and he thrust
. huge. horn-handled knife under his
coarse wooden jacket. Along the moonlit
close to the dark shadows Of
the stately houses, Pierre de Jonvia went,
vhistling > merry tu1e, unconscious that
. crouching form followed fast: uncon.
scious Of the white steed that was speed.
ing to bear him on > darker journey.
Fierce and swift came the cruel Blow, un-
der bis shoulder-blade up to the horn
handle Of the rude knife. Then two
hands were 1t his throat. Ghey Ioosened.
and one sought the bulky pocket book
that had Just been filed ct the bank. In