Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-01
CHAPTER N.
UNGRATFFUL PoPULACE.

uNGRATFFUL POPULACE.
Philip Breton sat late over the tea table,
one evening some days after His father had
been detained down in the village, and had
come homo with u good deal on his mind.
Indeed, tho old gentleman, who generally
laid aside his hardness outside his own doors,
had sat in silence wrinkling his forehead
very Enthusiastically almost throughout tho
meal.
Poor folks are always ungrnteful,n he ex-
claimed harshly at last rs he shook his head
severely at the maid servant who offered him
the cake basket
Here / have whitewashed every house for
them, and it was only tonight heard some
grumbling old woman tell her husband, she
wondered how old Breton would like to live
In one of his own tenements'
Philip said nothing. II had been his habit
lately, when his father got on this theme TO
keep silence. lie was puzzled to know what
to say.
"Why, lool. at it, Phil The insurance on
the burned mill won't make up for the lost
time in rebuilding and this is the time they
select TO ask for fire escapes Yield them an
inch and they want an ell. suppose they
think ought to run the factory for a big
benevolent institution. Every man that is
poor curses me for it, and not one shift.
less family in town, I'll warrant, but
would lay the fault on my shoulders By
the way. Phil, you have been to college; you
ought TO know if there isn't any way can
stop the tongue of that tall brown haired
fellow. Can't the law touch hlmf haNh
discharged Inn, Int he does more hlschle'
than ever"
"DischarEed Cullan! exclaimed fhlllp.
"Nou don't mean II. why, he Is thc man thht
saved Berthas life" he continued hurriedly.
'Nou must take him back at once-youmuSt
take him back at once, HGmatter what he
has said"
mo matter what he has done either, sup
pose" sad Mf. breIoil' WIN some heao'
''Ferhaps | know more of the interesting
young man than you dc, > he went on lhdis
creetly. 1T may he as Wen LOT you II open
your eyes n littlo-what is it, Mary"
"Threc men at the door, sir They want
to see YOU sir''
81 think they are workmen.' The mil
owner found three of his workmen in his
study; all standing when he entered because
they felt less awkward on their ieet.
''Send my son in" he called to Mary. He
might as well learn how to meet this sort of
occasion"
The delegation of workmen did not look
very fierce One of them kept gazing long
ingly out Of the window, and smoothing his
napless felt hat. Another, out OF whose
soiled coat pocket stuck the stem OF a clayplpe,
was studying the ceiling Of the room with an
intensity only eXplalhaule by ms rear OF ms
masters eye. They were two of the men who
had peered into the parlor windows of this
very house on the evening our story COM
mences The third was John Graves, whose
eyes were fixed unfiinchingly on the mill
owner for whom he had message When
Philip came in he was I.ttle startled TO see
his quondam host, but the man had other
things to think of than the possible identity
of this elegantly dressed young gentleman
with tn. ungrateful tramp he had kept once
over night.
''There's meetin' OF the mill hans down
in the hall, sir, and they sent us up to ask
favor"
Mr.. Breton had seated himselfs before his
long office table and pulled up file of busi-
ness letters
"You have too many meetings." he said
loudly You talk so much you aren't fit to
work Some of the noisiest of you Will find
themselves out of a job some fine morning;
one man did the other day."
The two other men looked anxiously at
their spokesman. If they had dared they
would have begun to make excuses for COM
ing Their wives and babies must be fed,
and talking about their rights wouldn't ever
feed them. Let others who could afford TO
offend him go to the meetings. But tine poor
fellows were afraid to raise their voices, even
in apology.
"But the willingest OF us all don't want to
be roasted to death, and it amt bit pleas
anter to us men folks to think of seem our
wives and children burnt up before our eyes
Our women amt quite SO purity as those OF
the rich, but we prize EN- as much. we
come to ask for tire escapes on the MINIS. DO
tim time c ~hsn s the % o It @ a poGf S ong