Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-18
BY CHARLES J. BELLAMY.

Philip wars astollshed. Inc man who stood or tho steps Of one of the tenement houses, lnSCrucolng an audience extending qu1te across the highway, was no other than the ilce1diary who had so nearly caused the rum of the Breton Mills tho night of the great fire. Tho fellows hair was cropped as close to his bullet head as it was then.
 The audience was mostly made up Of old raen, woraca and children, with here and thcrc an ablo bodied man, who preferred talk ing about his rirhts to deserving anything. One or two had observed the young mill owner, but they took no pains to spread the intelligence, and in a moment more the agita- tor had caught his breath and went on:
 s'Ie feeds his bosses moren would keep two roorfa1nilies Tho wines he drinks every day cost enough to keep another two.
 Perhaps the man was right in his tirade. Perhaps Philip Breton had only begun to grasp tho first outlines of the great question he lad fancicd mastered.
 "Dut yo kiss his hand"
 ''No, VIC won't" shouted the crowd. There stood Thomas Bailes. Philips discharged ser want, in the middle of the street, shouting with tho rest. He could afford to be idle since his last liberal present.
 "Yc will thank him for his bein' SO kind to ye."
 No, no!' screamed the women. What a fool Philip Breton had been to count on grati- Judo. Human nature is too progressive to be grateful Perhaps he deserved no thanks. Uo had done more than others for his help. The moro fool h. was, all sides would agree, unless h" went further. He ought to have conservative. All parties abuse the half way reformer. A vessel of pottery between two jars of iron, he is certain to be crushed.
 A carriage was struggling down the street. wcro so much interested in their orator that they d:d not notice they were obstructing tha highway.
 ''Nyhat good is such men as him? our wo- men is stronger than them sort"
 The horse seemed spirited, or else not properly guided. An, tho driver ought not to use whip in such situation es this. Good heavens! the horse had become un- manageable. A man, it was Bailes himself, and a woman had been struck by tho shafts and rolled under the feet of tho horse, who was now rearing and plunging, while the crowd scattered in all directions with screams and curses.
 Under the very wheels of the carriage lay a wouan stunned and helpless from the blow she had received Instant death threatened her, when mans form rose suddenly out of the dust under the horses iron shoes and cau~ht the excited animal by his bit. The crowd gathered in more closely than ever, while dozen hands dragged out the old wo- the dust from her white ghastly face. The orator had ceased his eloquence, and all dan ger of accident seemed now averted, so Philip Breton, was passing on his way,
 But Bertha, for the occupant of the car riaGr was TO other than she, found her way blocked in ell directions by an angry mob.
 "Pul her out, scarlet iace," screamed the women. 'Tear her pretty rags of from her. !" Ihe barcrooted children threw earth at her; lean, dirty fingers plucked at her delicate shrank from the pollution of contact with such creatures as these, with terror that would be iIconceivable to Q Iaan. She saw them gather around the restivc horse, who seemed as impatient of their touch as she; they were berinning to undo his harness. In another moment she would be lost, But the hcrso was strong, codld ho not break through them? She did not care how many he should traInple to death; she would rather, thou sand times rather, die herself, than endure their insulting uch. But rough hand caught tho whip from her grasp; the crea- turo's unpared nails hurt her; another hand was on her shoulders; and vile words, whose meaning shc only felt, were on every tongue would not let her faint; oh, not now; oh, not now-yet her vision seemed failing, she could not sec the horses head and the terrible in- suits tho people hurled at her grew indistinct, like c roaring of many waters ln her ears. But she saw hideous faced bag reach her barc, brawny arua into the carriage and clutch at her feet; they were lifting her out But Q hand El1o iron flung the vlrago back
 "Stand of It is my wife!" The mill own er's wife. The crowd fell back for q moment, ic if it was news for them; but Philip knew by instinct, the lull would o1iiy last fer a mo ment. He must make the most of it. He had only time to refasten httlo of the har- ness, when q sharp stone struck him on the check and drew blood.
 s'IIow many husbands can woman have?' screamed 0 woman on the sidewalk.
 ''Jail's tho place for hcr,' growled man at his shoulder. Then the crowd closed in aga9In: .9I a+ ,-o ,i4 de,,,anded p,,,in novo, quaIllnS. But Ealles only grlnned at him, as Philip had seen him before, and frightened his hold on tho horse.
 "You're too small to give orders; aint in your pay now" But before the fellow had time to put up a guard, his young master had struck him blow in the face that fairly sta gered him, large man as he was.
 "Oh, that's your game, is it? Make way, boys, all want is room. I'll finish him up quick"
 The man wanted to make use of his weight and strength in the directest way possible, so he rushed forward to close with his antag. onist, throwing up his hands to protect him. self. But he miscalculated and his cheek bone fairly cracked with the force of the second blow. Bailes drew back for another attack: The smile of contempt was gone from his bruised and bleeding face, but a very dangerous look was in his eyes. His young master had lost his first paleness, a bright red spot burned in each cheek and his 1 black eyes flashed forth defiance. The dis
 
 Philip like Inaddened OK. The crowd held | it's breath; the slight form of tho master would so down, and the victor would pound 1 his young life out of him, Was the lad crazy to invite battle with man of almost twice his weighta The young man did not l finch a hairs breadth. He raised his arm l again. What good of battering against the fellows tn 4ck skul1a He was upon him-no Philip had leaped aside at the last moment and, as Bailes went past, had dealt him a blow in the temple that sent his great form reeling to the ground.
 Before the crowd had time to move Philip had leaped into the carriage and caught the reins from his fainting wife. He turned his l horse into an open space and the half fastened 1 harness let the carriage run against the ami malls legs It was better than thousand ] whips, and he broke into wild gallop. Bailes had only time to get his feet and shout | after the young mill owner:
 l s'This is only the first roundW | Philip heard his words and muttered tc l himself: II ought to have killed him, since ! I had to beat him. There isn't gold enough in California to buy him over now" | "What did they mean, Philipp' Bertha l was lying on the sofa in her own little blue l room. Philip had put pillow beneath her l red head, and was kneeiing by her side 1 watching for the color to come back to her l frightened cheeks.
 '.Thank God she did net know, not yet" l He looked down at the veins in her pretty hands; how many there were to-day. | q lt was only thFi1s SanSn1eSs iarpOn. They