The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-05-12
THE CHAIN-MAKERS.

Shire black country, not ten miles from
Birmingham the metropolis Of the Mid
lands; yet are we in another world
"a world Of smoke and blackness and
fiery. furnaces. The ground we walk
upon is coal, and coal fills the air we
breathe.
A dark misty November day was
drawing to a close, it's gloom intcnsi-
fed by the perpetual smoke -engendered
fog that hung over all things. Ayoung
man, whose gentlemanly attire made
him quite CONSPICUOUS in this land Of
toll, was watching a scene whose pic
turesque' character had rivited his at
tentiOn.
1t was chain making forge. Here
men and women young and old labofed
together; some blowing the great bel
lows, others hammering the iron into
shape, while others took the small, red
hot pieces of metal frora the fire with
pincers, turned them deftly into circlets
and joined link to link until countless
yards of chain were completed.
And as they worked, beating away
their souls into the iron, as it were,
their voices blended in a harmonious
chorus, which lent it's charm to the rug
ged scene. Nor was the circumstance
an unusual one, for there is hardly
forge in this part Of Staffordville where
the tedium Of the daily toll is not en-
ivened by song.
One of the women turned; and, as the
Pickering freight illumined her fea
lures, the young stranger drew further
back into the shadow. Her age may
have been about eighteen or twenty,
but the ragged garments she wore, and
the coal dust with which she was be-
grimed, were poWerless to conceal her
exceptional beauty and refinement Of
feature.
Her sleeves We're rolled up half way
above the elbow, and as he came near
the open window-opening where the
young man stood, and raised a shape
ly arm to pull the bellows, he started
suddenly, and exclaimed, half-aloud:
"Good heavens! it is she! My search is
at an end at lastv'
In the town where our scene is laid
there was a wooden building dignifed
by the name of theater. At one time
plenty of the honest golfers and chain
makers money had been paid at it's
doors, but of late a more modern and
comfortable playhouse had superseded
it in popular favor. This morning, how
ever, the old theater was packed with
a dense throng of working men-men
who had not come there for amusement
but in desperate, deadly earnest; for
they were there to assert their rights
Ito fight that battle for existence
which, year by year, is growing harder
for the masses. It was a trades-union
meeting, at which a large number of
branches were represented, and the
men Of the district had crowded the
building to it's utmost capacity.
The conference was not long, but it
proved a decisive one. An influential
labor-leader was the chief speaker.
His utterances were listened to with
rapt attention, and he succeeded in
arOusing the faintest-hearted to some
show of enthusiasm.
A general strike was resolved upon,
and a change fell upon the whole town.
Men walked about and stood at street
corners in excited groups, or turned in
to the nearest public-house to discuss
their wrongs for it is wonderful how
readily the drink money is Forthcoming
even at the Worst of times,) while the
throbbing of the furnaces, the striking
OF hammers, the mems and womens
choruses at their WOrk-all the accus-
toned sounds were hushed
The struggle once begun, it was not
easily ended. On the one side there
were men StubbornlY determined
70 sturve. rather than give IN, wIr1ie 1fi
the o1her were masters, backed by the
pride of capital, just as resolved TO
fight hard.
And upon none did the common GALA
NIFTY fall more heavily than in the
family Of old Simeon Hayes; and his
pretty daughter Ruth, whom we have
seen working in the Jorge and lifting
up her voice in song, grew daily pale
and thin with want and care
Il can stand anything but this,'' Sim
con said. gloomily. Il can't bear to see
our Ruth suffer. Her beant made O. the
same stuff as we."
"Oh, don't speak like that" the Girl
answered bravely. II am yoong and
strong, and don't mind mooch. If we
didn't make a stand now and then.
fhey'd make us work and starve at the
same time"
"Ruth's raaght," said her mother;
hers allays raaght. All, if Mark was
here, he'd help u.s.
- A'Ae.AN NIlo hClC, Il w WCu1uu nave
un asked for help,' Ruth answered.
blushing furiously.
To accept assistance from her lover
even to confess that they were in need
of twas terribly repugnant to her
feelings.
At this moment there was a knock
at the door. Mrs. Hayes rose to open
1t, and admitted a young gentleman
the same whom we had seen watching
the chain makers at work
"Mr. Vincent!' Ruth exclaimed.
"Do you know this gentleman?' Sim
con asked.
'tHe has spoken to- me two or three
times" the girl answered, with some
embarrassment, 'and asked me ques-
tions about OR work.
II will come to business at once"
the stranger said, seating himself.
''This young lady was confded to
your care in infancy, and you have
brought her up as your own daugh-
ter At her mothers request have
sought her out The search has been