Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-09
CHAPTER XVII.
THE NEW STOCK COMPANY.

CHAPTER XVII
 THE NEW STOCK COMPANY.
 The terrible seeds of suspicion sown in Philip Breton's mind bore the bitterest fruits through the dreary winter months. No efforts of his will, nor course of reasoning could com fort him. For moment he might find re- lief, but his torment would only return afresh. Humanity are slow to believe good of fellow creatures, but nothing seemed too bad to be true. He thought it might have calmed him to have been assured even of the worst He believed that he might despise the woman he had elevated to the highest pinnacle of his ideal temple of womanhood, If she had made so little of the most sacred gift of God. But it would have been a vio- fence to his feelings to inquire of those who must know. Her father must know, but his smiling face will reveal nothing. and his ve reserve was peopled with horrors for Philip. His wife Jane must know, too, but he could not bear to think of the malicious pleasure she would take in detailing the shameful story to him. She would sate her hate ill his misery. But what if it were not a shameful story? Still he could not form his lips to ask. The humiliation of such a oues- tion from him, a discarded lover, about her at whose feet he had been proud to sit, shocked him into silence. He even dreaded lest they might speak to him of her, although it had been months since he had heard Der tha's name once breathed.
 One evening at the very close of the winter, Philip Breton called meeting of his help. and the old market hall was packed from door to platform Reporters were planted by their tables, to catch every word of the mysterious proceedings Representatives from all the factories in the country elbowed the crowd for their three feet of standing room, eager to learn some new device for making money out of their help as good as the other. But the great audience was strangely silent. It knew not what to ex- pect. Perhaps the economical mill owner was going to announce new reduction in their wages; everybody said he was reducing everywhere. The feeling in their hearts was more of fear than hope, and it was look of slight form in black, that came forward on the platform. They reminded Philip of flock of frightened sheep that had never had a shepherd. Then he thought of great army massed before the smoking cannon mouth, an army that had never had gen. eral. He saw they feared him.
 'r1 have been for long time trying to think of some way to make your lives more fair for you, and yet be fair to myself and my class. I have been cutting on expenses to make the whole business machinery as economical as I knew Now, at last am ready to take you into my confidence and make you a proposal" "
 There was stir in the great audience, as if every man changed his position at the same moment, to be sure not to lose one precious word of the new gospel.
 tI cannot feel that I ought to give you anything. And cannot see that it would be reasonable to pay more wages than others pay; that is, than you have now"
 A hush had fallen upon the people like death There was no hope for them, then. Still the speaker went on. ..
 ''But if your labor is profitable to me, so that can pay you your price, and pay my other expenses, and pay me for the time I give to the business what such service as do 1 is paid elsewhere, and then have something | besides'- The reporters dropped their pens ill aston | ment; was the man made "I am disposed to think that you have earned share in it." He paused to catch his breath, and one could have heard pin fall in that crowded room. My capital should be allowed for, too. In word, I pro-
 pose to divide the profits of my mill, after
 all expenses are paid, into two equal parts l hereafter, one for labor, yours and mine, and l one for the interest on my money. The part
 which belongs to labor will be distributed
 according to the worth of each ones years
 work. The one that earns the largest year.:
 pay will have the largest per cent of thai
 dividend. We shall all be stockholder.
 together, each with share large or small ac
 cording to the value of his work"
 Tine building trembled with the roar of ap plause that went up, and it was several mo
 ments before Philip could make himsel
 heard again. He had thought there wa
 nothing left in his life, with love gone out 0
 it, but as he stood that moment with the glat
 shouts of the poor ringing in his ears, and fel
 he had led them out of bondages his hear
 thrilled with proud joy that was almos
 ectasv. His wealth had brought him haI
 piness that made even a life like his wort
 living, had conferred on him a gloriou
 sense of the dignity of manhood which lite
 him as on wings
 They must listen while he explained tn
 terms of his plan more fully. He motione
 to a dozen boys and took printed sheet c paper from the pile of similar sheets whic he ordered distributed among the workmer . He then read aloud the following from tn paper ill his hand:
 , The first divided will be distributed Aug. , for the year ending July l. The surplus
 $2OO, 900; $1OO, 900 is set apart as the allow
 ance for capital invested, which leaves $lOO GOO. to be distributed to the labor in propol . tion to the wages or salary earned by eacl . The whole amount of wages and salarie earned in the mills was about $36O, ,0OO. There , fore the rate per cent of dividend Is abou , 27 7-1O to be calculated on the wages or salar !, of each man, woman and child as shown
 the paymaster's book for the past year. Fc example, the man whom the pay roll show to have earned $500 for his years worl i, will receive e7 7-1O per cent. on s3uD in at
 ditfur or about 10 as his dividsn, . Ths paymastery who received a snlar . of S2,UO0, will receive about sS54 ! and as manager worth . salary If $S;O : shall receiya more than twice the dividefl of the payn1aster. Curtain restrictions wi be imHosud First, only bus.half h tue Ai < luGai dividend zwM-s bA in ztASH. for