St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-05-12
Selected Story.
Ne OF THE MAGNET" STAFF.


ropped the speaking-tube, and ex-
zaimed, half to himself:
"Why in the world couldn't those
Dthersome Cresson opera tives have
aiken some other time to air their
Grievances 2"
"a The managing editor did not mean
. be unreasonable, but he did wish
hat the employees of the great Cres-
EOn cotton mills had not chosen for
heir strike time when every news
ED was overcrowding the paper,
nd when an unusually active politi-
ii campaign was beginning.
MilIions of dollars were invested in
&c Cresson manufactures, and the
ills had been compelled to shut
% wn in a day Hard as the situa-
on was for the mill owners, the
Managing editor felt that it was
'ArGer still for the newspaper to be
compelled to send away one of it's
best men just at this time
4 He drew his hand YEARLY across
lis forehead with the gesture of a man
whose brain is overworked.
s. At this moment an alert and very
#ctive young man, scarcely more
han a boy, clear-eyed and frank in
appearance, looked in at the door.
"Come in, Mr.. Harding 1 shall
lave to send you on special work.
chose everlasting spinners and weav-
RS at Cresson have struck. l want
lou to reach the ground by the first
#rain tomorrow morning. You
now upon such a natter it won't
ID for the Magnet to be beaten. and
needn't tell you that the Magnet
Sants the whole truth about it.
Xhat's one reason why | send you"
Thank you, sir. l shall be glad
10 go"
I'll put some one else on that
ma tier of Colonel Benson's candi-
lacy in the tenth district. And,
Harding"
Yes?
Return tomorrow night if you
IAN. Ifyou cannot, stay over; see it
hrough if it takes MONTH"
Harding was full of enthusiasm in
be important assignment thus COM
pitted to him, for he knew that
zood performance of such duty
WOULD contribute to his advance
hent.
When the Daily Magnets special
alighted from the
Morning express in the city of Cres-
on the looms and spindles were idle !;
he mill yards were deserted save by
he policeman detailed to guard the
Droperty there; agents and officials
were in close consultation in the
offices and counting rooms; angry
and disconnected operatives were
adhered around the street corners.
j All that day Harding went from
place to place, winning the confidence
of the mill managers by his frank
and gentlemanly bearing, and that
bf the leaders of the strike by his evil
Gent fairness and desire to get the
Exact truth.
He found that he could return on
he evening express; and when he
ook the train at quarter past seven,
lis report of the matter was already
early completed.
HI Under the dim car-lights he scrib-
bled on industriously, sure of a tri-
mph. The other newspapers, he
II lad found, were depending upon in
fficient local correspondents for
their accounts of the matter.
81 The train rushed through the gath
bring darkness. The sparks swept
back from the throbbing engine in
Golden showers, like the tail of a
comet, and the cinders ratified noisi-
against the windows. Harding
*R orked on, concentrating all his en-
&ergy upon the making of a graphic
Recount of the strike.
81 The lights of the town of Benton
Svere shining, only two or three miles
Instant, along straight level stretch
of track just in advance, when the
whistle sounded a wild, shrill note of
alarm. Then came shock, a crash,
he splitting and shattering of tim
beers, the swapping of iron and steel,
and above all other sounds the cries
zpf human agony.
81 The express train with it's burden
of people, crushed, mangled, impris-
#oned, dead or dying, lay piled upon
The track, a CHASTITY wreck in the
ESummer night.
4 1t was the old story. Some one
had blundered, and the fruits of the
blunder were reaped in human lives.
The train had been carried by an i'm
properly set switch upon side track,
hnd the express had been heaped, in
fragments, upon a row of laden fiat
EARS.
Tom Harding was stunned by a
4broken timber, but only for mo-
rnent. He aroused himself with hall
&dazed consciousness that he had work
Ito do; and with the sudden awak-
zening to the realities of the situation
The became aware that his legs were
so pinioned that he could not move,
and that pains were darling through
his body-unaccountable pains grow
ing constantly more intense.
He moved slightly, and would
have cried out, but that the piercing
5screams about him kept him still
#frOrn very shame His nervous