Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-10-06
THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
A New Story by Katharine Pearson
Haods Author of ssNIetzerotf.N

WOODS, AuCnOr OF ueCZcrOCCs .
The Septem Der number Of Lippincotts
Magazine contains story by Katharine
Pearson Woods, author of ''Metzerott,
Shoemaker. It is entitled 1.-The Mark
of the Beast" and is, like "Metzerott, a
contribution to the literature of Chris
tan socialism. The central character is
Grandfather Engel, an old German, a
wood carver by trade, who is so opposed
to the system Of modern commercialism
that he refuses to accept money in ex-
change for the products of his labor.
The old man is thorough Christian,
the following Bible sentiment: 1.-THE
mark of the beast is in the right hand
and on the foreheads of all. the small
and the great, the rich and the poor, the
bond and the free, so that no man is
able either to buy or to sell. save he that
hath the mark, even the name of the
beast, or the number of his name"
The representative of capitalism in
the story is clothing manufacturer,
who let's out the work of his establish
ment to the sweaters. who in turn grind
and cheat the sewing women. With
characteristic consistency the rich man.
ufacturer iustiies himself by using the
cold blooded excuse of the present time,
that he gives his work out to contractors
and pays the price, hence he is not re-
sponsible for the sufferings of the work
ers.
The women form an organization and
begin to plan strike, when Grandfather
Engel. who believes in mild and per-
suasive methods, goes to the manufact-
urer to warn him and to plead for JUS
tice to the workers. He is coldly re-
ceived and arrogantly treated. being
finally ordered to leave the premises on
penalty of forcible election. The manu-
facturer, professed Christian, declared
that he wanted none of the old socialists
''infernal piety." In leaving the Office
Grandfather Engel walks into an open
elevator shaft and is killed. while the
capitalist, who could have warned him
Of his danger, looks ON. nor utters word
to save tn. old man.
Remorse at once seizes the manufact-
urer, and he charges himself with muir
dering Grandfather Engel because he
looked on indifferently while the old
man walked II, his doom. While in this
frame Of mind his eyes are opened, and
he realizes that he is in the same way
largely responsible for the miseries of
the women who do his sewing. His
change Of heart is almost complete, and
the sweaters are no longer allowed to
stand between the factory and the work
ers. The women are taken into direct
employment by the manufacturer.
wages are advanced and everything pos
sible is done to tighten the toll and in
crease the happiness Of the workers
So Grandfather Engel. even in his
death, had an influence for good. It
was, as one Of the young men who had
learned to love the old grandfather said:
1.-The greatest reformer is he who so re-
forms his own life that it purifes and
ennobles every life that touches it. Of
what use will it be if we reform the
body of society without touching the
soul? Yet there are outward reforms
that must be made. but he who over
comes the Beast, the mammon of greed
and selfshness, must do so by the word
which proceedeth out of his own mouth,
by the breath of the life that is in him."
A pretty little love story is woven into
"The Mark of the Beast, but there is an
entire absence of straining ut the roman
tic; everything is real. as real as life it.
self.
Miss Woods has in course of prepare
ton for the publisher another novel
which she has called "A Web of Gold"