The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-10
A London story suitable TO all Big
Giles
y @. MASvmLR FESS.

This in q tone OF indignant astonis
ment.
eve don't complain Of the long hour
as rule, sir"
complain? No, should think not, il
deed. Do you think keep pack Of asst
tants for nothing?'
"No, sir, Of course moi; but we want
little rest sometimes, and should be glad
you would close at 5 O'Clock on wedne
day or Thuuday evening"
"Rest? Why your life's all rest. Whe
I was prentice We had to work twice I
hard as you fellows do. Nowadays 20
men think OF nothing but coasting, an
cricket, and cycling. Why, in my tim
shops were open an hour earlier in th
morning"
ayes, sir, and they were closed two hour
sooner at night"
"Oi, were they. Now look here, I SUP
pose you call yourselves deputation fron
the rest. So you may. Then we refuse.
don't know what yon men are coming tc
Why should We do it?"
$50 that the assistants could have q li!tl
fresh air and exercise, and the married mel
get home to their wives q little earlier thai
10 o'clock"
"Look here, young man, do you know
what that would cost me-what shoulC
lose by closing at 5 and giving up whole
evenings trade?"
Nothing, sir; for the men would bt
rested, and be iresber at their work mex
morning; they would take more interest il
what they were doing, and am sure yor
would benefit by It al in the end"
''Thera, tnat will do. I'll hear no more
Of 1t. You can Co."
James Smith and his three companions
backed out Of the principals cfIice, and re-
turned to their dreary task OF Strengthening
up, folding, and replacing in packages the
heaps upon heaps Of drapery goods tina,
busy day. O.hers were finishing the dis.
mantlipg OF the windows OF their snowy
contents; for Pitman, Sniler & Glide were
rather famous for thsir display in the great
plate glass windows, round whose attrac.
tons female flies were buz.ipg all day long.
And certainly 1t was q goodly show, pre-
pared and taken down at cost TO the as
sistants little known to the pass.rs by.
swell, smithy, what news? VIVA. did
the boes say2"
NO" said Smith, quickly. "He refuses
Us altogether"
"0h!" rose in chorus.
HtVhak a (,aaut1v oh "A ~ Or;a1 o-n
81 shan't stop" said another.
"a fellow may work till he drops" said
a third.
'lIere, iet's STRIKE" said fourth.
'DJn't be fsollh, said the spokesman oil
he party; "suCh concession as this can
Inly be gained by patient argument with
ur employers, and il at last they refuse
ID what is simply an act oil jnstice,we must
appeal to the public"
Jolly deal the public care" said one.
1.-THE public Is large-hearted, my lads"
"Yes, large-hearted enough 10 call us
counter Jumpers and sneer at u.s."
Nonsense There's always that chat
dying about in good.humored way, ready
alight on some one. Why, everybody
GETS chaffed in turn, but let the public IN.
lerstand that we are really ill.used, and We
shall have them safe on our side"
"lt's my belief, said one, who had not
spoken, "that II q woman wanted a packet
II pins or yard-of calico, she wouldn't
wait till the next day to save fellows
life"
"Yes," said Smith, that's your belief, be.
cause you don't know what women are
Shall tell you my belief? It is this: that
there isn't a true woman living who would
otgive up her sympathy, and who would
not readily decline TO shop on On appointed
night after s o'clock, il she could thorough
ly realize the weary misery and iaintness
that come over US after all these long hours
behind the counter; ii she knew that while
the artisan works tiiy.iour hours for the
daily toll, we have TO keep on for over
eighty hours."
Eighty hour, Is it Smith ? I'm blessed
il / don'i get too tired to count them.
say, what's TO be done2'
"Agitate quietly, firmly, and wait"
"Oh, yeF, us all very well TO wait. But
I'm tired OF waiting. There's heaps oil
things want TO do II could get away early
once wesk. Oh, gay It's TOO bad! Its
iekH3i EaA'eg bLAse VITA. ANU 6ullu,
what do you think?-a fellow I know was
At the theatre last night, and he says there
was such abit at the government Office
chaps. One OF them excuses himself for
being late because in his department they
are busy and working overtime, so that he
could not get away until 1870! say only
fancy bsinga government office-l0 to u
~ say, don't talk about 1t, said another.
sit would kill me-"
The very next day there was q bit OF q
scene in the millinery department OF Pit.
man, Smiler & Glide's. Miss Morris, q
pale, interesting looking girl, was attend.
ing upon one Of those vexatious customers
who insist upon seeing nearly everything
in the shop, just, perhaps, as pastime,
and then probably don't buy anything al
all. Helen Morris, already weary with a
long mornings work and the accumulated
fatigue Of months OF toll, bad been busy
with this shopping tyrant for two hours
fully conscious OF the fact that SHARP
chop walker was watching the procee dipgt
lntently, and knowing that il purchases
we're not made she would receive severe
reproof, Suddenly there was rush toward
where she had been standing, for the poo
girl, without the slightest preliminary
warning, went heavily down and lay mo
tionlesS.
"Overwotk-oyerdone," said the doctor
abruptly. "Fresh air, exercise and rest.
Rubbish said Mr.. Smiler. Exercise
indeed. Why didn't she hustle more abou
the shop"
Helen Morris went home, and the nez
day Maria Grange had to give up.
'lye never said notning," said Dicl
Warning, "but I've watched the pluck,
wsy in which you've fought our battle q
long, and tried to get US shorter hours"
YES" said Smith, sadly; "but you hay
not seen the results"
"oh, haven't I thought But I Just have
I've eeeu old Glide sticking 1t on to you
giving You all the extra jobs, and every On
pleasant thing be could set you to do, an,
rubbing his fat white hands together a
the time"
MATER? Well, I'm a little pOorlJ