Omaha daily bee., 1885-10-03
GERMINALi,
c.. tho Story of a Great Miners Strike
by EMILE ZOLA.
Translated from nc French

Translated from nc French.
erIMARY or PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
Anton Lanticr young mechanic out Of
work reaches the coal mines OF MOnSton,
Trance, cold, hungry and pcnnileSs; The
death OF n miner makes vacancy and he Sc
cures employment in the Nuiture mine. Ma
hon one of the miners, and his daughter
Catherine, explain the work to him and as
slSt him the hIst day. He hears the muttcr-
ings of the miners against the company ana
threats Of strike. The actions OF the super
mtcndpnt and the small wages received gOad
the workmcn to the verge of desperation and
laved the way to the coming struggle. Ma
lion again betrends Anton, and secures
lodgings tor him at RasSancurS, q tipping
house near the mine. AntOn's determination
to leave is overcome by the Kindness of the
struggling miners, and lie decides to battle
with them The owners of the mines reVel
in luxury. and turn deal ear TO the appeals
of the starving Families of the wOlklnen, who,
In debt for food obtained during strike three
Years previous, are barely able to secure Sulii-
cicnt food to sustain life. The TACT that me
miners worldly OnditiOn grew worse from
year TO year made them Susceptib be to the
teachings OF rctOrmers. Anton had employed
his spare hours in studying the question OF
labor in all It's bearing and toward INC cn9
OF summer had thoroughly mastered 1t and
had also won over scores of the miners to his
ideas. He soon became the leader OF an or
Eanization that promised to change the exist
ing order and make the miners masters in
stead OF slaves
CHATTER XIV.
"Listcn, " said Mrs Mahon to her hus-
band; "whcn you go to Montson Tor
your pay, bring me pound OF coffee
and u half pound of sugar"
He was sewing up II rent in his shoe to
save having it mendcd:
"All right, -" replied he, without turn
ing from his work.
"Stop at the butchers, too; want q
piece of veal. We haven't had any for u
long while"
This time his head was lifted.
You must think I'm going to get som
thousands"
1t was Saturday, the twentieth of Octo-
bCr and the company, under the pre-
tense of II break in the engine, had sus-
pended work in the mine: For some
time, fearing II panic, not wishing to in
had been using every excuse to stop the
labor of their ten thousand men.
You know Anton's waiting for you at
TAvantagc, " resumed Mrs. Mahon, after
Il few moments of silence. Go on; he IL
be mad if he has to wait for you"
Mahon nodded his head. In the weari-
ness of day of enforced idleness, they
had not bre;tkfasted until noon, and the
young man had gone to Rasseneur inn
mediately upon arising from the table,
saying he would wait there for Mahon.
The clock struck two. The wife con-
tinued
you ought to hurry; and if those gen
tlcmcn are there, you must talk with
them about your father. The doctor s
wrong He's able TO work yet; amt you,
fathcry"
For ten days old Bonnemort had been
utterly helpless; his limbs swollen twice
their size. She was compelled to ask
the question second time. Then he
Srowled:
'Of course, I'll work. Because have
rheumatism once in Il while, is no reason
why ! should stop for good. They re
trying to get out of giving mo my pen
sion OF hundred and sixty francs"
Mrs. DIahon was thinking of the forty
sous earned by the old man, which he
perhaps would no longer bring her, and
she groaned with fear.
My God! ii this keeps on We'll all be
dead soon"
1--WE won't be hungry when we're
dead, said Mahon.
He added few nails to his shoes, and
decided to set out us he was to be paid
that afternoon. All the men were START
ing from the alley, followed by their
once. They had given them many COM
missions to prevent them spending the
remainder of the day in the saloons.
AT Rasseneur Anton had learned
some news For number OF days UNI
easy reports had been circulating. The
company were growing more and more
Il scontented with the propping. con
II appear ;d sure not only from that,
but on account OF other secret and grave
charges.
As Anton arrived mt the saloon, min
or, who was taking Il drink, OF his return
from Monston, was telling the men that
81 not &c was posted up in the cashier $
once. But he could not read, so he did
not know what it WAS about. Man after
man entered, each bringing different
story. 1t seemed. nevertheless, that they
they had all come to u resolutIon-a re-
volt was springlng up.
"What do you say to it?" asked Anton,
sitting down to IL table near JOuYarinc,
who, iIs usual, was smoking. j he ma
cntrrSt went on with h cigarette.
1t was easy to see they were going to
try harsh measures. He was the only one
with intelligence enough to analyze the
stuat on. He explained IN his quaint
manner that the company, tearing a
anic, were forced to reduce their eX-
penSes ii they d Il not wish to go under,
and naturally 1T was the salaries OF the
workmen which they would cut down
ii st, under some prctenSe or other. The
coal was not selling, nearly all the man.
ufactorcs stood stil. Tins saving fund
was making the company uneasy; it was
threat for the future. A strike would
clear it away while the funds We're still
low and consequently they were trying
10 bring on that strike.
Rasseneur had seated himself near
Anton, and both listened with an air uf
CONSERVATION. They We're able to talk
in loud voice. No one was there but
Madam Rasseneur, who was leaning on
tho bar
Nv hat an idea" murmured the tavern
keeper. The company can make moth
ing from strike, or the workmen either
HE best thing is to understand each
other"
lie was very wise, he always appeared
reasonable Ever since the growing pop
ular.ty of his former lodger he had been
eNasperated ut that system OF rapid pro
rress, saving one would obtain nothing