The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-02
A STRIKE EPISODE.

GuG tOWn vi w 10 GlNC OfCL W iili Uii
and jollity. In the lower quarters the poor
are enjoying themselves in their own pecul-
lar way, while the more fortunate denizens
of the local "higher world" are speeding
the old and welcoming the new year within
the council chamber of the town hall.
This ancient building, usually the seat
of municipal government, has thrown aside
it's sober, everyday appearance and now
masquerades as gay and festive temple
of the light footed goddess.
The officers of the Eighty-fourth depot
are giving their yearly ball. The SNUG
faced colliery proprietor is there, the pros
porous cotton merchant is there, the only
representative possessed by the district of
the landed gentry class is therein fact,
every body of any Importance whatever in
the neighborhood has received an invita-
ton, and it is his own fault if he is not
there.
Among the gay throng within is one
couple floating along together, the beating
of their hearts appearing to keep time with
the plaasaa6 strains of the "Eldorado
Waltz"
They are scarcely conscious of anything
but the bliss of the moment, till the music
stops with grand crash The girl is
slight and fair, of about one and twenty
years of age, with soft, hazel eyes and
light brown hair. Her complexion is pale
and her deIicate featr,res are sufficiently
regular to be called handsome. Her dress
is of pure white. her only ornament a small
gold chain and locket, but she needs no
adventurous aid to enhance her charms.
Her partner is tall, slight youth, about
two wears her senior. His erect bearing
nrocIaims the soldier and truly. for he is
I,ieutenant Eprenoat of the Eighty-sey-
enth Dragons
They Withdraw to q re..sss Tt is five
wears since they were last together. He
49,, hord1,, h,;v,'x h:z,,roIf ~ i5a,+;fn iii.
beautifnl woman nv his side with the mer-
nv little nlavmate of former DAVIS. Mutual
inouiries resnectine the past few wears are
made and answered. Truly language ia
given to conceal thoughts. for the thoughts
Of these two Young people are far from be-
ing EXPRESSED nv the words thew utter.
1You still wear that locket. Nab! It
gives me hope,
uTtbipk was foolish to wear If ton light
Frank ~ the girl replies. ttfor I feel sure
that time has not altered fathers determi-
nation. When he discovered that letters
had passed between us. his anger was
dreadful. and he told me he had absolute
" forbidden YOU to write to me. We must
wait and hone
.ssBut it is dreary work. this waiting
and hoping. Mab.n And the Young SOL
der woula fain saw more. but the sound
of the music warns them that the Iancers
are forming. and they separate to seek
their respective partners.
The father in question presently emerges
from the cardroom and soon after departs
with his fair daughter before the two
youna people can separate themselves from
the crowd in order to snatch a few min
utes' further conversation.
MIR. Stuart Brunton sat alone in his study
DIV in the mansion on the hill. RockIeigh
Manor it had been called in the years gone
bv. when the Norman and consequently
sristocratic Dvnewelles lived within ifs
massive walls. and the present owner, the
coIIiery proprietor. did not deem it neces-
sary to change it's name when his gold
satisfied the creditors of the last of that
noble but impecunious race. 1t sounded
well. and he was a self made man of the
worst type. Besides being in the study
bounded by four walls. Mr.. Brunton was
in a stt1dv of another kind. which knows
no material bounds and is generally STYLED
"brown."
He had no sympathy with the poor "No
man need remain poer unless he's fool, )"
was his frequent remark. His great wish
was to marry his only daughter to aris-
tocracy in the shape of the Hon. Cecil Dun
nington, eldest son of the titled brewer
blue blooded-though the color had only
lately been changed All had shaped we'll
Nab, the young lady who was to ennoble
her house, had never been known to object
to her fathers commands, although she
had some dangerous ideas touching the
condition of the poor Why, then, the lair
chagrin" of this prosperous and therefore
highly proper man? In few words-he
wanted money badly. Why this was so we
cannot stop to explain. Suffice it to say
his troubles were connected with South
American finance. Money he must have,
and that shortly.
He simply sat still for half an hour, at
the conclusion of which period he quietly
got UP, walked to his escretoire and wrote
q letter to the directing genius of the Col
Iiery Proprietors' association, whom he adj
dressed as t'Dear Mr.. Dangar." The gist
of the letter was: "The time has now ar
rived when reduction of the mems wages