People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-09-30
CHAPTER x.
LABOR AND CAPITAL.

CHAPTER x
LABOR AND CAPITAL
After had been provided with food
l was sent to bed in cool, airy room
through the open windows of which the
summer breezes came laden with
the sweet perfume of wild roses and
red clOvers. was too exhausted to
think or grieve, and within few min
utes after lay down on the soft, white
bed was sleeping soundly. All night
ng slumbered as an infant with no
hideous dreams and no nightmare Of
past or impending evils to haunt me.
awoke quite late the next morning,
bit when | descended to the family
room ! found Mr.. and Mrs. Cornell, my
host and hostess, awaiting breakfast
for me. They both received me with
free, open-hearted cordially that was
unaffected and which had the effect of
making me feel perfectly at home at
once. Mrs. Cornell asked me few
questions as to how felt and whether
had rested well, but made no allusion
to my past whatever Ignorant as l
was, ! readily understood that her 81
lence on that point was out of del
icate regard for my feelings, and l re-
solved to enlighten her concerning my
past when the opportunity offered.
Shortly after | entered the room, the
son, my rescuer, came in. He greeted
me with the same cordiality his par
ents had shown, and, like them, made
no reference to the past. His name, l
learned, was Charles, and, now that l
had the opportunity of observing him
well, discovered him to be what l
should term perfect model of fully
developed manhood. He was tall, broad
shouldered, broad chested, sinewy,
robust, yet not rugged or overgrown.
His eyes were keen and penetrating,
and felt that when they looked at
a person they saw to the bottom
Of the heart, yet they possessed a
sparkle of merriment, and there was a
softening light about them that spoke
plainly of generosity and tenderest
sympathy. knew nothing then Of
Charles Cornell, save what have writ
ten, but somehow l was impressed with
the thought that he was fit champion
of the cause of the weak and oppressed,
and that his sympathies were all with
the poor and friendless, and his great
est happiness was in serving them.
My impression, | soon discovered, was
well founded, for soon after we were
seated at the breakfast table the father
and son entered into a conversation re-
garding some local land trouble, by lis
tening to which | learned that their
sympathies were with the poor settlers
who were in danger of losing their
homes through the greed of capitalists
who held mortgages on them. Mr. Cor
nell, who lisped began the converse
ton by saying:
How with the meeting lath night,
Charleth?"
at was well attended, father" the
son replied, "but there was very little
accomplished The agent of the cap
italists wasepresent and he listened to
our requests, but he gave usno satisfac-
ton in his answer"
"Wull," exclaimed the father, what
doth he propothe? Ireckon he thurely
don't wanth to taketh the peopleth
hometh from them, doeth hep"
"Wel, | don't know" said Charles.
SIT looks very much as though the
holders of the mortgages were not
going to be satisfied with anything
short Of full and complete compliance
with the strict letter Of the contract
under which the mortgages were made. I"
"You thinkth they wonth, eh?"
I'm afraid they won't, father.
have no hopes of compromise being
effected"
"Wull," cried Mr.. Cornell, "why
didnth you explain to the agenth that
the thettlementh would be ruineth if
they wath held to the contract"
1--WE did, father" the son answered.
"We explained everything, and showed
how utterly impossible 1t was for the
people to meet their obligations and
redeem their homes after two success
sive crop failures"
"Wull, what didnth the agenth thay
to that eh?" d.
HE had a great deal to say, alto
gether. His main objection, though,
was that the settlers didn't try to pay
off their debts and that the more
leniency he showed them the more they
would ask and expect"
''Heth a fool, Charleth. Doth he
expecth that people can pay when they
can't live hardly? How it'll they to
try to pay when they amt got nothing
TO pay with?"
'1'm sorry, father" Charles said, in a
tone Of true sadness, that the meeting
resulted as it did. l am sure, though,
that the blame of our failure rests
shiehyon the shoulders Of 81 Anderson.
he d the leader Of the settlers, you