Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-15
as he ought? Had he been sufficiently
solieitoUS about his well-doinp

bat come and see how ] get on" II,
pushed open the door of one of tn,
plank she!s-the giants stock had in
hnitely better quarters, both inside
and outside-and ushered the old maj
INTO a long, low room, ceiled will
rough, unplalned boards. There was
no carpet on the floor. A few homely
prints were on the walls, rough tabI,
was in the middle OF the floor, contain
ing few dishes; there were two ol
three discolored chairs and woodel
stools scattered about the room; two
beds were in the room that might
have been good ones to sleep in, but
not good ones TO look at. A woman in
patched calico dress was by ittle
stand mending a child's coat that had
already suffered the same operation
many times; two children were crying
| in corner. The whole scene was one
of want and suffering.
"Ground pretty fne" said the son
eying bis father.
| "Ground pretty fine, indeed!' repeat
ed the father, ,inyoluntsrily. "How has
this came about my son?"
"Oh, it's too long story. You see
what I am. l am willing to work.
God knows am not lazy or drunken.
But three men have been decoyeu
here, where there is only sufficient
work fol one, III order that I and men
like me may be kept under; and be-
cause | have simply protested against
this injustice, / am turned out to die
or depend on charity. When you met
me to- might was walking in the street
that / might not hear the cries of my
little children for bread-bread tnat l
would sell my hearts blood to obtain!
Bread that [ and my wife have de-
priyed our selves of for the last twenty
four hours that they might not utterly
starve."
"Why don't you leave?n suggested
the Old farmer, timidly.
Leave. Great God, hear the man!
| am as com pletely owned as were the
black men, whom we liberated, own
ed before the war! Leave! when l
haven't had cent of money in twenty
years! | am compelled to buy every
thing | have at the store of the giant,
and he is too sharp to ever let me get
anything ahead, or even out of his
n I II ,
on half time. Leave! when every
horse, mule, ox-wagon, cart, carriage
and buggy, and the land for twenty
miles around, is owned 10y him. He
doesn't permit his teams to be used to
haul one of his slaves away from his
mines, and if / am turned out upon
the street tomorrow, not one OF my
neighbors could give me or my family
shelter for single night, though it
should he sleeting, for fear OF the same
fate. [ can't even walk away. How
can this half starved woman and these
weak from want of food,
leave? Where would I go: what
could / do? I have been miner from
my youth, as my boy will be. Should
I go to another mine, l would find my
name there ahead Of me, and at none
of them would I ever be listened to.
No, l am hopelessly and helplessiy IN
his power! He is literally eating me
and mine. It were better that he took
the little babe before it gets older, fat
ten it, slaughter, and serve it up at his
table, as he serves up young lamb
1t would be more merciful to it-and
let the rest of US live. Is he not de-
vourIng US anyhow? What is the diff
terence between keeping my food and
devouring me bodily? Does it not
amount to the same thing? The latter
is the more merciful way of the two.
No use to suggest; l am helpless and
hopeless! My only chance to saye
these people depending on me from
starving is TO go to him in the morn
ng, like a whipt cur, and beg on bend
ii knee for the poor privilege of earn
ng enough to keep soul and tody to-
gesher. Curse him! Curse him! Some
lay there will be something worss
5han curses light on his head"
1--WE must set about righting this
wrong, and put our trust in the Lord"
,aid the old man. Trust the devil"'
broke out the sou. Look at that girl |
,yer there: what will she become |
amidst this swarming crowd of pau
1ers? You saw the people on the |
he street. She must work among
hem! 7 can't make enough to let |
hese children go to school, after th1y |
ire seven or eight years old, for then
hey must begin to help me make
! living. What will become of her?
You know what the chances are! |
What will become of all th ese children?
They are becoming brutalized before
nv very facet What must happen in
, generation or two, il this goes on?
DON'T talk to me about the Lord! Ifl
here is any, he never gets over among
h ese mountainsn
Tut! tut! no blasphemy" exclaim-
ID the old man; "if a wrong has been
lone, let us set about righting it, but
I is bad way to commence a good
work with cursing. / thought" he
vent on "you were protected; that we
rad built up barrier about you, so
won ppIli Tavpr hoaarpa 1iko tho |