Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-01-21
CHAPTER l.
A PICTURE AND ITS CRITICS.

"Let's take squint in"
It is on the sidewalk in front of the fine
residence of Ezekiel Breton. Surely every
body within the length and breadth of hun
dred miles must have heard the name of the
wealthy mill owner, whose energy and
shrewdness have passed into byword. The
house is brilliantly lighted, and the windows
wide open as if to invite the attention and
admiration of the humble passers by.
Three men, laborers, if coarse, soiled clothes
and dull, heavy tread mean anything, have
come down the street and now stand leaning
against the tall iron fence.
"Why shouldn't we see the show, boys!"
continued the long whiskered man, with an
unpleasant laugh. "It's our work that's pay
in for it, guess. How long do you think it
would take you, Jack, to scrimp enough to-
gether to buy one of them candlesticks3
Hullo-there's the boss himself" and he
thrust his hand inside the iron piczets to
point out portly gentleman whose bald
head was fringed with silver white hair.
Mr.. Breton had paused moment before the
window
"Come, let's go on" urged the msn with
clay pipe, edging off little into ths shadow
"he'll see us and be mad
'What's the odds if he does" and the
speaker frowued at the rich man from be-
tween the pickets HE can't get help no
cheaper than us, can he2 That's one good
pint of bein way down, you can't tumble
mite. But just look at him, boys; big watch
chain and gold bowed specs a-danglin'. See
the thumbs of his white hands stuck in his
vest pocket and him as smilin as If he never
did nobody wrong in his whole blessed life.
There now is somethin' purifier, though"
The old gentleman moved unsuspectingly
aside and revealed a young girl, large and
fair, with great calm blue eyes. SSfNsore a
pale blue silk, with delicate ruftleSs at her
half barred elbow and at her neck, kissing the
warm white skin.
'Well, l suppose my girl Jane might look
lust as good in such clothes as them But she
wouldn't no more speak to Jane than as if
the girl wasn't human. And as los "A poor
man, he might pour his life out for her purity
face and she wouldn't give him look. A
few dollars and suit of clothes makes the
odds"
"What's she laughin' atr' said the tall man,
taking his clay pipe from his mouth.
Cant you see? There's the boy standin'
list beyond her Breton's young hopeful
Nothin' less than the biggest kind of game
for her, cal'late."
81 never seen him BEFORE" remarked the
third man, reverentially. 81 s'pose he'll be
our boss some day"
"Hes been to college polishin' up his wits.
'Taint goin' to be SO easy as it was to grind
the poor The old man now didn't need no
extra schoolin'."
~ amt so sure now" said the tall man,
blowing out a wreath of smoke 1.-THE boy
looks more kind about his mouth and eyes.
See him look at the girl. l cal'late she don't
think he's very bad"
sWait till he gets his heel on the necks Of
a thousand of us, as his father has. Wait
till he finds we amt got penny ahead, nor
a spot of Gods earth for our own, but lie at
his mercy. See how kind he'll be then.
Taint the nature of the beast, Bill Rogers.
Bill Rogers took a long look at the slight
form of the mill owners son-at his fresh,
young face and small, pleasant black eyes.
''I wish the lad had a chance. believe I'd
trust him, Graves. Hadn't we better be
startin'i The meetin' will begin purity soon. y
'What's the hurry2 Curran is always late
himself. Well, come along, then"
Just now Mr.. Breton is leaning lightly on
the mantel near one Of his pet heirlooms-
the silver candelabra. Near him stands tall,
elegantly formed gentleman, only a trifle
past middle age, whose clear chiseled mouth
has the merest hint of smile on it, as if he
had just said something bright. 1t was smile
he always wore when he had spoken-a smile
with an edge to it. But Mr.. Ellingsworth
had to make that smile do good service, for
he never laughed. The funniest jokes had
been told him-the most ridiculous situations
described to him-but he only smiled.
''What am / going to do with the boyf'
Mr. Breton's voice was always loud and
sharp as if making itself heard above tbs
roaring of his mills. ''Why, marry him to
your daughter the first thing. Eth! Philip