Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-05-05
CHAPTER xxx.
IXcAUTIoUs DRIVING.

fast plate, and the old look of dread came
back to his face-the dark hollows under his
eyes showed again. He had forgotten for a
moment, but be ought never TO forget How
could he tell what moment he would be called
upon to strain every nerve to save his dar-
ling. He tore open the letter in uncontroIl-
able terror; oh, it was only from Philbriek.
Had Bertha noticed his excitement and would
she question him in wifely concerns He had
so much to guard against. But no, her grace
full arm was raised to pour his coffee, inclin-
ing her head prettily on one side, as women
do always at tea and coffee pouring. She did
not watch his face as he did hers. She had
not even noticed the change that had come
over him of late, that shocked every casual
acquaintance on the street. But that made
it so much the easier for him to keep the
secret from her; he told himself he ought to
be thankful for it, instead of ever permitting
his oolish heart to ache He ran his eyes
apidly over the letter his white haired
lriend had sent him,
Il suppose it is paper thrown away, but |
want to remind you once more of my offer
to take your mill off your hands have
made up my mind to try my scheme some
where. | am old and feel as if I would like
to do something for my race with my money,
which | have now well in hand. VIII you
let me have your mills for what | have gots
If not i shall try elsewhere. The reason |
want your mills is because | propose to give
you a chance to take part in my beautiful in
dustrial plan. | will pay you one-third its
valuation, one-third you shall keep at 4 per
cent. interest till we can buy that in also, the
other third am going to let you give in trust
for the benefit of the help as my discretion
hal Il q pl
but | suppose lam wild to expect you to take
it, except that have read in the newspapers
of growing discomfort among your help.
Various reasons are given for 1t; my eXplana-
tion is that a little heaven leaveneth the
whole lump. If YOU We're working to stop
complaints you should not have begun your
reforms. You may happen to see things as |
do, and be willing to let me try where you
have failed, Ii SO, telegraph me at once
and will Gomez
Philip folded the letter thoughtfully and
put it back in its envelope. No. he was not
ready for that yet But he did not smile.
If it should ever happen that he be called
upon to sacrifice everything to save his wife
but Philbrick required that he accept at
once. No. he was not ready yet.
"Ohl" said his wife, as if a sudden thought
had struck her, "do you remember your
promise, you are to take me through the mills
today"
add I promise thatr' He put back his
coffee cup untasted.
Certainly, Philip, and l cannot let you
off,
''But you must" His face drew dark at
the thought that she should put at naught all
his careful plans to secure her present safety.
Bertha pushed back her chair and rising an
grily to her feet, swept from the room with
out another word. Philip tried i'll vain to
swallow the mouthfuls of food he so much
needed, then he started on foot for the mill,
That Bertha should be angry with him
seemed the last intolerable blow. Was he not
bearing enough before9 He had made her
unhappy. Perhaps she was weeping hot tears
of impatience now. She had thought he
loved her enough to grant her every wish
that might cross her heart, Philip was
tempted to 90 back and explain everything.
Then she would not doubt his love, but she
would have to share his agony with him. 1t
were better to bear his burdens alone-even
to this last burden of her unmerited reproach.
IFS sympathy for her grew stronger than his
consciousness of his own unhappiness. OF
course she would be hurt that he had denied
her anything; if it had been a ribbon, it
would have been the same. He was to blame
for letting her leave him in veXation He
should have forgotten his own grievances
and soothed her with gentle words till she
smiled on him. 1t was not because she
wanted the thing so much, but it was the
first time he had ever crossed her wishes.
Philip was so absorbed in his thoughts that
he did not observe that he was close upon an
excited crowd of village people, until such
words as these fell upon his ear:
"a noice friend of the poor man he be,
with his four fancy bosses, his silver dishes
to eat his victua!s out of, and his house like
kings palace, while we lives and dies In dirt
and poverty Who made him better nor uss
do he work harder9 do sleep lesss No, but
III have his venison and his game dinners,
while Us starvos on tea and crackeis;5 he
sprawls on his fine cushions, and sleeps IN his
soft beds, while we rot in close atticl1s, and
loafs in dirty Saloons the poor mans only
home. What title have he got to have bet
ter than We and give himself airs over us!'
Philip was astonished. The man who stood
on the steps OF one of the tenement houses,
instructing an audience extending quite
across the highway, was no other than the
incendiary who lad so nearly caused the ruin
of the Breton Mills the night of the great
fire. The fellows hair was cropped as close
to his bullet head as it was then.
The audience was mostly made up of old
men, women and children, with here and
there an able bodied man, who preferred talk
ing about his rights to deserving anything.
One or two had observed the young mill
owner but they took no pains TO spread the
intelligence and in a moment more the aglta-
tor had caught his breath and went on:
"He feeds his bosses moren would keep two
poor families The wines he drinks every day
cost enough to keep another two.
Perhaps the man was right in his TRADE.
Perhaps Philip Breton had only begun to
grasp the first outlines of the great question
he had fancied mastered.
"But ye kiss his hand.n
''No, we won't@ shouted the crowd. There
stood Thomas Bales, Philips discharged SER
want, in the middle of the street, shouting
with the rest. He could afford to be idle
since his last liberal present,
ssYe win thank him for his bein' so kind 10
ye."
'.No, non screamed the women. What a
fool Philip Breton had been to count on graft
tude. Human nature is too progressive to be
grateful. Perhaps h deserved no thanks.
lie had done more than others for his help.
The more fool b. was, all sides would agree,
unless he went further He ought to have
been either a thorough radical, or a thorough
conservative All parties abuse the half way
7.efo1,no1. a ,-essel Of rofterv between two