The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-05
THANKSGIVING.
's1naSmuch As Ye Did It
Unto the'Least Of
These"
A STORY OF" THE TIMES.
VELMH' C,,.MELVILLE.

the home of James Benton, machinist
and striker. there were no signs of the
| festivities and feasting that seem synon-
| ymous with the ,day.i
| The Benton cottage stood Just in the
edge of the fiourishing young city, and
one year before had presented a picture
OIL quiet peace and moderate plenty, but
now there was no wood in the shed, nc
coal in the bin, no flour in the box, nc
meat-no nothing edible save few
| pounds of corn meal in the pantry and a
| few potatoes in the cellar.
A half starved cow roamed restlessly
| the length of the tether on the bit of un.
fenced common just beyond, vainly try
ing to get breakfast from the few re-
naming frost bitten weeds.
In the once pleasant kitchen, over a
smouldering fire of cobs, begged by the
children from mill across the town
crouched mother and four children.
Tina, the eldest, girl of Is, was speak.
| ing:
"Oh, mother, why can't father see to
what he is bringing us? Why won't he &c
| back to work."
| 'You know, Tina, that he belongs to
the union and dare not go back if he
| would" was the weary reply.
But why belong?' persisted the girl,
| as If the subject had not already been
discussed many times. r+
well, he thought he was doing for the
best in joining. You know 1 have never
! favored it, but it can't be helped now
/ 1T is six months and more since they
were ordered OUT Tina went on mus
| ingly, land what change it has made =
| Il suppose we will starve before long,
put in Bert, the 13-year-old boy, hope
| lessly ~
| His mother laid a thin, trembling hand
on his arm, but said nothing. Bert was
+ a delicate lad and perhaps felt the priva-
| tons more than the others. ~
| Olo Car no foy IL
| stand by, who was strong and CHEEKY
| despite it all, but didn't we have a swell
dinner last Thanksgiving! Turkey-such
| a bouncer-mince pie, cranberry sass
| puddin'-'
| Don't Carl, it makes me SO hungry
| interrupted Tina.
| ut makes me faint at the pit of the
stomach" said Bert pitifully, pressing
with his right hand in that region.
| Il thought it might be fillen to talk il
| over" laughed Carl.
| 1T don't fill me- said 6-year-old Clare
| "Not a bit!'
| 1t was the common story in the strik-
! ers home, and the sufferings of the Ben.
ton family were only counterparts OF
| those borne in thousands of such homes
II say" broke out Tina again, "a man
has no business to belong to any union
| slave, when it can compel him to let his
| family starve. It, is icruel, cruel!'
| At this Glare began to cry, and Mrs
| Bentons hands Shook worse than ever
Eyes, just seessa how. you shake nam
N.Y. you are starving, starving, right be-
fore my eyes; affd Bert never could live
| only as he had something nice fixed to
tempt his appetite. and these children
Here the frenzy of Tinas grief overcame
her and she walked the floor sobbins
! Historically.
Now don't, Tina!"i Carl expostulated
| "In go right OUT and find something te
do nd bring I'M fine dinner; see if
dontv
Carl was always full OF nope; san
guine even in the face of failure. Otter
to return with nothing or only few
pennies. There was not much that a ten
| year-old boy could 40, and then the towr
4 people We're generally against the strikers
and considered that IN any way aiding
| the families was encouraging the strike
Hastily Carl tied on his ragged muffier
| drew on his cap and left the house, hotf
bare hands thrust into the booklets Of his
threadbare coat. Bravely he puckered his
lips for whistle. but the sound was
| rather faint. No wonder! One potato ant
| Pinch square of bread, made by wettne
up cornmeal with water, is hardly cal
| cuated to put much courage into a grow
| ing boy.
Poor little soul!' murmured the mothe,
pityingly, as she watched him out OF
sight.
When worn out with her grieving. Tina
| bathed her face, put on a shawl and hood
| and babe Bert come for cobs." With ar
old clothes basket between them they
| trudged off. When they were gone, Mrs
Benton wrapped Clare up and gave hel
| permission to run out door a little while;
/ then she threw herself on her knees and
| prayed as only a mother whose children
were dying by inches could pray. Great
| tears fell on the chair before her, and
Ter hands clutched it's sides with the
| frenzied grasp of despair.
| Give them bread, give them bread;;'
she plead over and over again. And
for their sakes. save my reason; and, Oh
| Father, make the employer to do he
would be done by, and forever dissolve
the Unions that compel men to let theil
| loved ones starve!"
And then, when the wild, agonized ap-
peal was done, she arose strengthened fol-
one more effort. 1t seemed that the moth
err love must triumph over everything; she
| must provide at least one meal for hel
1 children.
+ Taking up a tin cup she sought the poor
| cows side, hoping to secure little milk
| although already she had drained the last
| drop, it seemed. Less than a pint of the
precious fluid rewarded her efforts but
/ she paused to pat the creatures emaciated
| side and say: Poor Bess, poor Bess, how
| it makes my heart ache to you SC
hungry And then she went sadly tow
| ard the house. murmuring: "A strange
| dreadful Thanksgiving Day How little ]
| ever dreamed Of coming to this.
| Glare had followed her, and now came ir
begging for a drink of milk; Just teenty
| drop, nanny, cause Use SO tired"
| Little Clare called all bad feelings tired
1 ness nor even guessed that it was lack OF
| food that allied her, but her mother knew
| and looking into the large, wistful eyes
she took desperate resolution. "Ill do it
| I'll do it," she CRIED defiantly, apparently
| addressing some imaginary opponent.
| When Tina and Bert returned, Juggling
| their baskets of cobs. the former noticed
subdued excitement about her mother
| and was much surprised when the latter
made herself as neat as possible, and an.
| nounced that she was going down town.
but she did not see the tiny box that she
had tightly clasped in under her shawl.
The Bentons had little money ahead wher
the strike began, but, had their rent paid
three months in advance; to meet the de-
mands for the last Three months, and to
keep them from actual starvation, almos,
| everything in the house had been sold
They were trying to find buyer for Bess
in the hope of keeping roof over them
! through the winter, but so far no where
near her value had been offered, and she
was daily becoming more unmarketable
James Benton himself was on the tramp
| Goaded into sulIen madness oy the sight
of the family's suffeEings, he had started
out, ostensibly to find work; but nothing
| had heen heard from him NOW for tu,c