Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-03-01

eless wen, n ne uIu not Know what was
right, could be not follow his fathers urgent
wishesi Was be making q generous return
for the love bis father bad lavished on him,
II be should disobey him nowl As he sat
there his vivid imagination pictured the cor
poration IN operation Some little injustice
was being done, and be mentions It to the
overscer. "Thems orders; you must
SEQ the superintendent He could
see II all so plainly. He knocks at
the superintendent door and Is re-
ceiyed with the attention due the chief
stockholders son; he sees his bland, smiling
face, his sleek, well paid smile. He speaks
OF the rule which perhaps works TO rob some
particular set Of hnnds wholly without their
fault "But have no authority to change
it, though IL does seem hard; better see the
agent" Philip imagines his discouraged step,
as he makes his way to the agent to be re-
ferred to a set Of Indifferent directors, who
"rcally know nothing about the matter, but
I do not feel like running against the in
terests OF the stockholders"
While Philip sat trying to grasp his duty
Of that moment, he became conscious that il
was very still and that no ono seemed dis
posed TO follow him. Not q few impatient
faces were turned askauce toward him. He
rose and crosscd tho room to go out, but al.
most at the door he hesitated Ho must say
something.
Perhaps it is not all quite as plain as you
think. If by higher wages or shorter hours
you made the profit on the mills smaller, are
you not afraid other mills would leave us be-
hind, being able to sell cheaper, or else the
capital invested 60 elsewhere, where it can
make more profit! Now you get small wages
for long hours, but in the other cases you
might lose work altogether" Then he looked
anxiously around and added hurriedly:
mind, don't say do this or that; will not
ask anything Of you But il there is loss it
will be on you"
When he left the hall he felt like walking
about little while, to calm his mind. He
chose the route that would lead past the little
tenement house where they had fed him with
cola potatoes. It was only month ago. He
locked in through the windows. The sick
wTman yet lay on tho sofa, the same soiled
rlaid shawl for her coverlet; there was the
some bare deal table, and q pair of dingy
chairs before it. The desolation made his
heart sick. Then he looked up at the windows
of the attic chamber where he had slept that
other night twas all dark, but he imagined
the glaring white walls, with the queer little
block of looking glass hanging there, and
the bacEless wooden chair that had to
serve for o washstand. and his low bed,
with the girls shawl for his counterpane
What great things he had dreamed
that night, he should do for the new cause
that had fired his heart, new to him, but old
as civilization. He turned away with q pain
in his heart, pain for the wrongs of the
millions of the sons of toll who have never
come into their inheritance. He turned up
the road that led to his own home on the hill
he could see the CLEAN Of bright light from
his fathers study, where with his smooth
faced lawyer, he was perfecting his plans for
the morrow And then he seemed to hear
his own words and his own tone as he had
spoken in the meeting echoing oddly in his
ear Had he andutifully sacrificed his
father to his help, and would it be from his
fault the strike he feared would come to-
morrowl Could his father point his trem.
bling fingers at him when the mills should
stop, and the prospective stockholders de.
cline the investment tomorrow and say:
"My own son is to blame. With one word
he could have prevented it."
Then Philip turned his back to the lights
that seemed to reproach him intolerably, and
walked slowly down the hill again All,
what fear for capital, it always shifts its
burden upon labor.
A woman's form came quickly out of O
shadow, and laid hand on his arm. It was
Jane Graves, with shawl over her head,
servant girl fashion, but was it tho ghastly
effect of moonlight on her face that made il
so pale
Wasn't you at Miss Ellingsworth's thi:
evening n
"Why, yes" he looked at her in astonish.
ment, land was just going there again"
II didn't know but she might be with you
was atmy fathers, and when came back
couldn't find her, and her hat and shaw!
were gone"
'She has gone out with her father, per
haps," suggested Philip, startled more by lie
manner than her words.
''But he has been up at Mr.. Breton's all the
evening. And you know she never goes ou
alone.''
Sometimes shc does" he said, as he wen;
with the girl. 81 met her quite away from
home one night, but she seemed good dea
frightened"
''When was itln Jane Graves stopped short
and wher be had told her quick, involun
tary cry escaped her lips, and after thai
he had almost to run to keep up with her.
Now and then he tried to laugh at the ter.
rors this foolish servant girl had put into his
mind. But could it be Bertha had taken am
other evening walka She was too beautiful
for the exposures of common life. Was heaven
envious of such happiness as he had expected
in their reconciIationa Why not strike him,
then, and not herr Why, it might have been
she had tried to overtake him, to call him
back. "HuITy faster" he muttered, catch
ing the girls arm roughly.
fro BE CONTINUED