The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-11-14


that the employees OF thcgreat Cresson
cotton mills had not chosen for their
strike a time when every news field
was overcrowding the paper, and
when an unusually active political
campaign was beginning.
Millions OF dollars were invested in
the Cresson manufactures, and the
mills had been compelled to shut
down in day. Hard az the situation
was for the mll-owners, the managing
editor felt that it was harder still for
the newspaper to be compelled to
send away one OF its best men just at
this time.
He drew his, hand YEARLY across his
forehead with the gesture OF man
whose brain is overworked.
At this moment an alert and very
young man, scarcely more than boy,
clear-eyed and frank in appearance,
looked in at the door. afs3
"Come in, Mr.. Harding shall have
TO send you away ON special work.
Those everlasting spinners and wea-
yers at Cresson have struck. | want
you to reach tho ground by tho first
train tomorrow morning. You know
upon such a matter it won't do for the
Magnet to be beaten, and I needn't
tell you that the Magnet wants the
whole truth about it. That's one
roason wny I send Won
Thank you, sir. ] shall be glad to
CO." .# vi Il
"Pll put someone else on that mat
ter OF Colonel Benson's candidacy in
ths tenth district. And, Harding"
Yes" ggs k..# ags
Return tomorrow night il you
can. II you cannot, stay over; but soc
it through, If it takes n month"
Harding WAS full OF nthusiasm, in
his work. He exulted boyishly in the
important assignment thus commit
ted to him, for he knew that n good
performance OF such duty would
contribute to lis advancement. u E#
When the Daily Magnet special cor
respondent alighted from the morning
express in the city OF Cresson the
looms and spndles were idle; the mill
yards were deserted, save by the pc.
licemen detailed to guard the property
there; agents and other officials were
in consultation in the Offices and
counting-rooms; angry and discon-
tented operatives were gathered
around the street corners. "a
All that day Harding went from
place to place, winning the confidence
oil the mill managers by his frank and
gentlemanly bearing, and that Of the
leaders OF the strike by his evident
fairness and desire to get at the exact
truth. F 8H#
He found that he could return Oh
the evening express; and when he took
the train at quarter past seven his
report OF the matter was already
nearly completed.
Under the dim car lights he scrib-
bled on industriou,ly. sure of u tri.
,imph. The othel newspapers, he had
found, were depending upon inefficient
local correspondents for their acs
counts OF the matter.
The train rushed through the gath
ering darkness. The sparks swept
back from the throbblig engine IN
golden showers. like the tail OF com.
ct. and the cinders ratified nOisily \
against the windows. Harding worked
on, concentrating all his energy upon
the making OF graphic account OF
the strike.
The lights OF the town OF Benton
were shining, only two or three miles
distant, along n straight. level stretch
Of track just in advance. when the
whistle sounded n wild, shrll note OF
alarm. Then came shock, crash,
the splitting and shattering Of tim
bers, the swapping of IRON and steel,
and, above all other sounds, the cries
-of human agony.
The express teain with its burden OF
people, crushed, manaled, iniprisonetl.
dead or dying. lay piled upon fthe
track, q CHASTITY wreck in the summer
night.
II was the old story. Someone had
blundered, and the fruits OF the blum
der were reaped in human lives. The
train had been carried upon an inn
properly set switch upon n side track,
and the express had been leaped in 1
fragments upon u row OF laden Hat
cars.
Tom Harding was stunned by n
broken timber, but only for ~ moment.
He reused himself with half-dazed
consciousness OF disaster that left no
room tor any immediate sense OF pain
He thought OF his inother-then' OF his
newspaper.
This thought reused him to- n con.
seriousness that he had work to do;
and in the sudden awakening to the
realities OF the situation lie became
aware TINT his legs were pinioned SO
that he could not move, and that
pains were darling through his body
unaccountable pains, growing cons
stantly more intense.
He moved slightly, and would have
cried out. but that the piercing
screams about him kept him still
from very shame. His nervouc grasp
frightened on the notebook and
pencil which he still held in his hand.
) Men approached with lanterns. He
called to them, and they came and
relieved the prcssure nbout his legs.
waiting for him to climb out OF the
wreck. ~ -
II don't know what's the nsatter,'
:. he said, painfully, '.but I'm hurt
= xnvv~~vhsro can't mova alone