Omaha daily bee., 1885-10-29
GERDIINAL,
Or the Story Ct q Great Miners striko,
by EMILE 2OLA.

7runslalcd nom nc French

Translated rom nc French
SUMMARY OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
Anton IHnter, rujCuHnlG, unable " ind
cnn.OA nlont at his trade IN Paris, drifts into
TIE interior of France aud brings up at the
MOntSOn coal mining region, In early spring,
Being without money lac readily accepts work
in the Nulturc mine and soon becomes an
export workman. The low wages of the min
ers, a constant struggle against hunger, and
The miserable condition of Old and SOung cX-
CITES in him u lively interest and he begins
the study of methods tending Nv alleviate
their condition. Gradually lie imparts his
ideas TO Others and readily secures the sup
l0rt and cooperation OF the poor, struggling
wrIkmCn, \ saving fund Is started to which
each miner Contributed. Il G money thus ob.
tanned to IN used 10 support the mCn in case
Ot trouble with the CCai companies. by the
LIST OF November the tlnd amounted TO q con-
siderable SUM, aud the miners, embroidered
by ibis tact determined to resist u new
method of payment introduced by n majority
OF the companies, which was tn 20 in,O Of.
trct ON the mat Of December. The p an Of
the companies was to divide the ten confines
paid for each car of coal, One-halt 10 20
toward paying Tor propring in the drifts of
the mines. The wOrRmCn. to tortity their
position IN case of revolt, worked nftyCn days
under the new system of payment, and found
that it was an indirect but effective method Of
reducing their wages. To strike was the only
alternative. Meetings were he'd and a dele
cation appointed to wait upon the managing
director OF the minis and laN before him the
demands of the men-the abolition of the new
system of payment and an increase of ave
CtnGlhieS per car. Anton 5 ability and saga
city made him at once the leader In the strike.
The interview of the miners with the mana
ger was without result, and the men, with
very little hope of ultimate success, settled
down to Il longand bitter StrlH!lc-the strug-
gle Of poverty a ,ainst unlimited wealth.
CHAPTER xxx.
Another fnrnirbt poSlnt Tho Trlt
days OF February had arrived, with the
black iroSts which prolonged the hard
winter pitIless to the poor. Officials had
again searched the country, the Perfect
OF Lille, u ProCurator, and u General.
And tho gondarmes had not snIiiccd;
some OF tho troops had come to occupy
MOntsQn-n regiment. The men en-.
campcd from Bcaugincs to MarchicnnCs.
At MI the trenches scntinels guarded the
wells; armed spldicrs were before each
engine; the directors house, the com.
panY's Yards. even the houses OF certain
wCll-tO-do men were brIStling with bay.
onGts. Nothing else was heard on the
long pavement but the slow stop of the
patrol. On the stump OF the Vulturo II
sentinel stood immovablG like u lookout
above the barren plain in the ICY wind
which whistlcd al owe, and every two
hours, as in AN cnemy'S country, re.
echoed the challenge of the guard:
Who goes thcrcY Advance, and give
the COuntcrsfgn.N .-
A calm suddenly fell, on the mex dav
after the r OF, hiding such II panic, that
the damages and atrOGitieS.O that terri
Tie day had been kept rs secret as posi-
Bile. The inquest decided that Maigrat
died from his fall, and the trightiul mu-
tilation of the corpse remained IL mystery.
surrounded by II rumor There had been
no pIllagc OF the store. On the other side
the company did not acknowledge hnv.
ing sustained any damages, any more
than the GrcgOrys. who did not care to
compromise their daughter through the
scandal OF Il lnw SUIT, whore she would
have to give evidence. Notwithstanding
some arrests had been made of men WAC
were ~astoundcd, witlrss, and knew
nothing. by mistake Peters had been
tnken handcuifed us far as Marchienncs,
and thu country still laughed ut it. Ras-
sencur also Just escaped being dragged
OF between two gendarmes. rhe director
Contcnted himself with sending in dis
charges to the principals. Mahon had
received his, Lcvaque also, and thirty.
-four of the + comrades had been trentct
likewise. But all the blame fell upon
Anton, who had been missing since the
evening of the tight, and sought for
everywhere in vain.
While the panic thus spread from ono
end of the plain to the other, Anton lived
underground at the bottom of Requillart,
%Johnnie's cave. There he hid himsylf;
no one Thought him 80 near; the calm uu-
dacity OF this retreat into the mine Itself,
INTO this desortGl gallery OF an old shalt,
saved him from pursuit.
He lived there in the midst OF plenty;
he had found gin there, the rem Under OF
the dried goldfish and provisions OF all
kinds. The large bed OF hay was eXcUl.
lent; not II draught of air was felt in this
equablc and pleasant atmosphere. Want
OF light only was threatened. The boy,
who had constituted himsalf his caterer,
with the prndcnco and cunning OF II say
age, delighted to out-wit the gcndarmcs,
Llought him wen pomatum, but coull
rot manage TO get hold OF II package Of
candles, After the fifth day Anton only
us It II light at his meals. The candle
ends would not last if used ut night.
TINS intarminablo night, with its unvury-
~blackncSs, was his great trial. NOtwith-
sta ding that he slcptin safety, had broad
and comfortable shelter, never had night
weighed SO heavily on his brain. 1t
5 'cmcd rs it thought itStlf was crushed.
Now lie WIS living on the SpO Is OF rob
ber5. In sp IT, OF his cOmmunistic thco-
RES, the old scruplcs of early Gducat OF
arose. He cOntrnted himself with dry
bread and gnawod his bonn. But what
was to be done? lie must live, for his
task was not yet done,
Al the end OF the week. the child
having told him that the gonlarnOs bo.
lieycd him to bcIn Belgium. Anton risked
himself out OF his hole us sooa us night
had fallen, He wiSlel to jul 20 OF the
position of a fairs. and see Il it were cx-
phdielt to prJlOhs tht co lteSC. His
party was compromised. Before the
strikc, he h; d felt doubtful of the result,
he had simply yielded to circumstances.
Ana now, after stepping himself in tho
revolt, hS former doubts returned, and
he dospaired OF compelling.tne company
to slrran l,r. b 1t ha did not yet o va it
to himself, Unaa'ilos3 ~oppr,s1,l him
when he thought OF all tho misery
which defeat would eutail; of the heavy
responsibility OF suffering which would
rest upon him. Would not the end OF
the STRIKE b. tle end Of his career, of his
earthly ambition, and his life return
again to the brutality OF the mine and
DlIAyg A1l bnH,nltIv Nv'tI.,,,f ,I.n,ff Ia.