The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-07-20
CHAPTER X.
LABOR AND CAPITAL.

LABOR AND CAPITAL.
After had been provided with food
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 1 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,
but 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 cordiality 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 ST.
lence on that point was out of a del
icate regard for my feelings, and I 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, ]
learned, was Charles, and, now that l
had the opportunity Of observing him
WELL | discovered him 10 be what
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
q person they saw to the bottom
Of the heart, yet they possessed
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 was impressed with
the thought that he was n At 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
we'll 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 conversa-
tion by saying:
Glow wuth the meeting lath night,
Charleth?"
at was well attended, father" the
son replied, "bpt there was very little
accomplished. The agent of the cap
italists was present and he listened to
our requests, but he gave usno satisfac'
ton in his answer"
"Wull," exclaimed the father, what
doth he propothe2 reckon he thurely
don't wanth TO taseth the peopletl
hometh from them, doeth hep"
"Wcll, I don't know" said Charles
at looks very much as though th'
holders Of the mortgages were mo-
going TO be satisfied with anything
short Of full and complete compliance
with the strict letter Of the contrac
under which the mortgages were made.
"You thinlkth they wonth, ehP"
"pm afraid they won't, father.
have no hopes Of compromise beint
effected"
'Wuil," cried Mr.. Cornell, "wh.
didn'th you explain to the agenth tha
che thettlementh would be ruineth !
they wath held to the contract?"
ave did, father" the son answered
= ave explained everything, and showe
how utterly impossible it was for tn
people to meet their obligations an
redeem their homes after two succes
sive crop failures"
"wull, what didnth the agenth tina
TO that, eh?"
"He had q great deal to say, altc
gether His main objection, though
was that the settlers didn't try to pa
off their debts and that the NOR
leniency he showed them the more the
would ask and expect"
"He'th fool, Charleth. Doth h
.expecth that people can pay when tn,
can't live hardly2 How ith they
try TO pay when they amt got nothin
TO pay with9" ..
"I'm sorry, father" Charles said, In
tone OF true sadness, that the meetin
resulted as 1t did. | am sure, thougl
that the blame OF our failure res
shieny on the shoulders Of 81 Anderson
He is the leader Of the settlers, yc