The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-04-07
THE FACTORY FOREMAN.

sntsV aHu ldllln0 IN DlllOWS vi lOdHii
river rejecting the azure of the SKY
ina Knot of houses, with church
ipife at one end and thicket of fac
[org chimneys at the other, whose
black smoke wrote ever-changing
against the brilliancy
Df The sky. This was Dappleyale.
Ard lG the rosy sunset of this bios
soiiling June day the girls were all I
pouring out of the broad doorway,
while Gerald Blake. the foreman,
sat behind his desk, a pen behind his
ear and his small, beady black eyes
drawn back, as it were, in the shelter
II AsrciYice of shaggy eyebrow.
4sM~Wone the girls stopped and
rebeiyeA their pay for one weeks
work, fd this was Saturday night.
One by one hey filed out, with fret
ful, disontented faces until the last
one passed in front of the high-railed
desk.
She ws slight and tall, with large.
yelyety lue eyes. a compexion as
delicatelSgrained and transparent as
rose-coIord wax, and there was
somethingin theway the blue rib
bon at her hroat was tied and the
manner invhich the simple details
of her dress were arranged that be-
spoke her 0 foreign birth.
"WelI, Mle, Annette" said Mr..
Blake, "ant how do you like factory
life?"
1T is not disagreeable, she an
swered, as ae extended her hand for
the money tie foreman was counting
out.
"You hav, given me hut S4.' it
was to he SSDy the contract"
Mr.. Blake ,hrugged his shoulders
disagreeab'y.
"Hump! he grunted, "ynu amt
much accustomed to our way of do
ing things, are you, mademoiselle? ?
Eight-of course /; but we deduct two
for a fee"
IA fee, for what !" Annette de-
manded, with flushed cheeks and
flashing eyes.
"For getting YOU the situation,
| nlademoiselle, to be sure" said Mr.
| Bake, in superior sort of way
vSkuch places don't grow Oh every
,-4sAyaa. And folks naturally expect t.
I pay something for the privilege"
81 did not !" flashed out Annette
Duvelle.
well-all right Because
you know, you amt obliged to sta!
unless you choose"
"Do you mean," hesitated Ar
nette. "that if do not pay this mon
ey -"
"You can't expect to stay in tn
works" said Mr.. Blake, hitching u
his collar.
"But the other two dollars ?"
"Oh," said Mr.. Blake, "that's
per centage the girls all pay"
but what is it for ~
"Mr. Blake laughed.
"Well, it helps pay my salary. I
course, you know, the girls all e.
pect to pay something every wee
for Keeping their situations in plat
where there's so many anxious to g
in"
"And Mr.. Ederslie ?"
ION, Mr.. Elderslie," repeated M
Blake, "He hasn't much to do VII
it. l am master at the Dappleya
. Calico Works."
d "Mr. Elderslie owns it, L b
e lieve ?"
e "Well, yes he owns it. But | ma
age everything. Mr.. Elderslie 7
poses the utmost confidence in n
: capacity, ability, and-and-respo
sibility. And now if you've al
more questions to ask -"
81 have none," said Annette, WI
fully. "But-I need this money no
Nself. l cannot afford, any more tn
the others among these poor labori
girls, to pay it to your greed -"
= "Eh ?" calculated Mr.. Blal
jumping from his seat as if some
, sect had stung him,
"And L will not pay it," conclud
r Annette.
rn "Very well-very well. Just
~ you like, mademoiselle," cried
+. foreman, turning red in the ia
,re "OnIy if you won't confirm to
'St lSt rules of the DapplevaIe WORKS."
,th Are these the rules ?" scoInfu
tly demanded Annette.
nd "Pray consider your name eros
&c. off the books" went on Mr.. Blake
- And he slammed down the co
lSs l6s of his desk as if it were patent g
,ho lotine and poor Annette Duvel
at neck were under it.
na- @ Two or three of the factory g
om ,s1 who had hovored around the o
re door to hear the discussion loo
ok A N n