The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-18

turning their corners up, getting |
pinches of dust out OF their remotest |
recesses; he put his blouse pocket |
through similar process. He found
no pockets in his well-patched over
sued the dust into its lining, and sepa-
rated it carefully from little dabs OF
wool. Then he put the collection in
TO an extremely old, black clay pipe,
lifted q coal in with his fingers, and
took his supper.
1t would be absurd to assert that,
on this continent, a strong man could
be so poor as Peter, unless he had done
something very wrong or very foolish.
Peter McGrath was, in truth. out OF
work because he had committed an
Outrage on Economics. He had been
guilty OF the enormous error ofmisun-
Outstanding, and trying to set at
naught in his ownperson, tn ,immuta-
BILE law OF Supply and Demand.
Fancying that a tirst-class newer IN
timber shanty had an inalienable
right to receive at least thirty dollars
month, when the Demand was only
strong enough to yield him twenty
two dollars month, Peter had refus-
ed to engage at the beginning of the
winter.
"Now, Mr.. McGrath, you're making
a mistake" said his usual employer,
old John Pontiac ''pm Offering you
the best wages going mind that.
There's mighty little squared timber
coming out this WINTER
ppm ready and willing to work,
boss, but Tn fit to arm thirty dollars,
surely"
$50 you are, so you are, in good
times, neighbor, and I'd be glad if
men, wages were forty. That could
only be with trade active, and q fine
season for all of US; but I couldn't
take out raft this winter, and pay
what you ask" .. ...
Cpd work extra hard. I'm not
afeard OF work.
"Not you, Peter. There never was
a lazy bone in your body. Don't l
know that we'll? But look now: Ii /
were to pay you thirty, should have
to pay all the other hewers thirty,
and that's not all. Scorers aud
teamsters and road cutters are used
to getting wages in proportion to
hewers. Why, it would cost me a
thousand dollars mont to give you
thirtyl Go along now, that's good
fellow, and tell your wife that you've
hired with me-"
But Peter did not go back. s'l'm
bound to have my rights, so / am, !"
he said sulkily, to Mary Ann when he
reached his cabin. .'The old boss is
getting too hard like, and too set on
money. Twenty-Five dollars! No!
ll'H go in to Stambrook and hire. =
Mary Ann knew that she might as
well try to convince a saw-log that it's
proper course was up stream as to
protest against Peters obstinacy.
Moreover, she did think the
offered wages very low, and had
some hope he might better himself:
but when he came back from Stam-
| brook. she saw trouble ahead. He
did not tell her that there, where his
| merits were not known, he had been
offered only twenty dollars: but she
surmised his disappointment. -
You'd better be after seeing the
boss again, maybe, Peter, dear,' she
said, timidly.
Not a STEP" he answered. "The
boss'll be after me in a few day 5, you'll
see" But there he was mistaken, for
all the gangs were full.
After that Peter McGrath tramnnd
Tar and wide, to many backwoods
hamlet, looking vainly for a Job at
any wages. The season was the worst
ever known on the river. and before
january the shanties were discharg.
ing men, so threatening was the out
LOOK Tor lumbermen, and so glutted
with timber the markets of the world
PETERS conscience accused him eyerv
hour, but he was too stubborn to 90
back to John Pontiac. Indeed. he
soon got it into his stupid head that
the Old boss was responsible for his
mlsfortunes, and he conseuuentlv
came to hate Mr.. Pontiac very bitter
ly. -, -,
After supping on his pipeful of to-
oacco-dust, Peter sat, straight-back-
ed, leaning elbows on knees and chin
on hands, wondering what on earth
was to become of them all next dav
For a man out of work there was not
dollar Of credit at the little Village
store; and work! why, there was only
.>AiiSA " WOIh dL winch mOnoV
could be earned in that district in
winter.
When his wife took number Eleyen's
cradle into the other room, she heard
him, through the thin partition OF up.
right boards. pasted over with news.
papers. moving round in the dim red.
hlckering light from the stove grating
Inc children were all asleep or pre-.
tending it; Number Ten, in the bio
straw bed, where she lay always be.
Tween her parents; Number Eleven in
her cradle beside; Nine crosswise at
the foot; Eight, Seven, Six. Five and
TOUR 70, III the other bed; one, Two and
Three curled up, without taking off
their miserable garments, on clocks;
OF straw beside the kitchen stove.
Mary Ann knew very well what Pc.
ter was moving round for. She heard
MN groan, so low that he did not
know <, he groaned, when he lifted off
the cover OF the meal barre, and could
leei nothing whatever therein. She
mao l, actually beaten the meal out of
Inc cracks to make that last pot Of
musn. He knew that all the fish he
had , saited down in the summer we're