The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-02-14
AN ANCIENT


The First Strike We Know of Was In
Egypt Three Thousand Years Ago.
"rhere is nothing new under the
receives nowhere n more startling
than In this matter of
The way in which our work
ingmen of modern Europe try to coerce
their employers was In substance the
way adopted by their dark-skinned,
meanly Glad, poorly fed predecessors in
the land of the Nile before Moses led
Israelites out, of Egypt. NJ. Mas
pero, who is we'll qualified to speak on
all points connected with Egyptology,
devotes several very interesting pages
to the subject in his charming Historic
1t seems hat the families
Of the working classes were quite as i'm
provident In Egypt thirty centuries ago
as some of them are In England at the
present day. At the beginning of the
month, when they had just received
their months ~rations, eating and drink
ing went on without restraint. BY the
middle of the month the stock began to
fail, and famine began to stare the
households in the face. So
again and again they went out on strike
in order to extort more from their SUI
periors. A strike of masons is described
by NJ. Maspero in detail, and some parts
of the description nigh. almost be mis-
taken for extracts from an English or
newspaper in the nineteenth
century of the Christian era.
The 10th of the month the builders
employed at a temple rushed tumultu-
ously out of the place where they were
working and sat Town behind a chapel
in the temple precincts, exclaiming: I'VE
are hungry and there are eighteen days
before the next pay day" They charged
the paymasters with dishonesty, assert
ing that the latter gave false measure.
the men with want Of fore
alleging that they spent their
wages as soon as they touched them.
After some further negotiations with
the officers of the Government the men
resumed work on the understanding
that the King himself should receive
their complaint. Two days later Pha-
raoh actually visited the temple, and
when the matter vas laid before him
ordered relief to be given to the woebe-
masons. For u short time there
and discomfort broke out again with re-
newed violence. On the 10th of the fol-
month the strike was in full
force again. Not a man would work.
On the 18th and 18th they still refused
to lift q tool. On the 10Th they at
tempted to leave the precincts of the
temple in order to carry their griev-
ances into the outer world, but found
that the person who was placed over
them had taken precautions so effective
ly that nc one could leave. So they
spent the whole of that day In laying
their plans On the following day they
resorted to more noisy methods. After
vainly appealing with loud cries to their
manager. they decided to apply to the
Governor of the city, and therefore
rushed through the busy streets to the
Inconvenience of pedestrians, o top
ping until they reached the Governors
palace. Like their European successors,
these disconnected artisans stubbornly
refused to work, spent many hours in
discussing their position and prospects,
disturbed the order of the streets by
their impetuous movements, and ulti-
mately obtained part, at least, of their
demands. So we can trace the strike
back for 5000 years; that Is, to n period
when Rome was not built, and even
Greek civilization was still in its infancy.
How old the method was at that time
It Is at present impossible to say. Per-
haps the custom Is as old as the Pyra-
mids. Perhaps the first strike preceded
the most ancient of the existing monu-
ments of civilization Pail Mall Gazette.
MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO HIM.
The Boys Put Up a Joke on Uncle Jim. But
Reckoned without Their Host.
A gentleman, Familiarity known as
''Uncle JIM" is one of the nations en-
ployes, not many miles from the Barge
Office. He Is genial, courteous and eff
Gent, but in no wise remarkable save
for an almost total deficiency in the
of smell.
Several days since a number Of his
friends went to n Whitehall Street cigar
dealer and asked him to construct a
cigar for them, the component parts of
which were to be tar, felt, cotton rags
and glue. The whole affair was to be
covered with a Henry Clay" wrapper.
The next time the crowd, including
Uncle Jim, came together, one of them
produced and informally presented the
old gentleman with the aforesaid abomi-
nation.
Uncle Jim, who, it may be remarked,
is extremely fond of cigars, took the
-,ora-l ,,onI olr,oJ - n,,l 800.
sively, lit 1t and finally smoked it. sew
eral of those present who had intended
to stay and see the outcome of the joke
had now suddenly changed their minds.
The aroma that filed the place was
something appalling. In five minutes
the room was empty, save for the pres
ence of the smoker and the original per-
petrator of the joke.
After enduring the stencil for several
minutes, however, he too had fed, leav-
ing Uncle Jim in sole and undisturbed
possession. After half an hour or so he
returned just In time to see the victim
making his final expectoration prepare
tory to throwing away the butt.
What do you think Of that cigar,
Uncle Jim?" he asked Its a genuine
Cuban Henry Clay"
90" returned Uncle Jim, with a self.
satisfied smile, ut was a fine cigar, yes,
a mighty fine cigar. But I tell you, my
boy this confidentially), they don't
make Henry Clays as they used to. No,
stree. IN. Y. Herald.
Loves Young Dream.
Wouldn't It be nice, Henry dear,"
she whispered, as the sleigh started off,
and she drew the robe up, ST we could
always go through life together this
way?"
"Yes," he answered; 'the coal bills
would be little enough; but, great
Caesar! Alice" he continued, after a
little thought, think Of the livery bill!"
-Harper's Bazaar.
Tom They say that Tomson writes
poetry" Jack-'But his friends are do
ing their best to contradict the report"
Yankee Blade
The pleasure OF bathing in q Pull.
man car is thus drollv pictured by a
gentleman who has doubtless expert
enced what he describes: The coach
swings and jolts along, and you feel
your way ~unsteadily to the tiny BATH
room. The portr fills the tub, which Is
narrow and deep and more like q barrel
tn n the vessels we use in our houses.
Ten to one, as you sit beside the nm