The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-08-14
CHAPTER x.
A woMAN's woHD.


From plague, pestilence and famine,
from battle and murder and from sudden
DEATH" says the grand old Litany,
Good Lord, deliver u.s." ana assuredly,
if the inspired sage who wrote these
words had lived in the latter days, he
would have added: "And from strikes
and walking delegates" for humanity
confronts no evil more appalling than
the pitilcss cdict which goes forth that
the breadwinner shall not toll, and his
women and children shall be martyrs to
the Great Cause of Labor versus Capital.
Down in the dust fall the devotees of
reform and the jugGernautic car of
demagogism crushes them to powder.
Only one little month of four weeks
has elapsed since the shadow of evil
fell upon the shipyards, and see what
changes it has wrought. Mems very
natures seem twisted from their normal
beings from the passions which stir
within them.
And poor Joe Hcndcrson-Harland's
young friend, who had just carried him
the evil tldings-as honest young fell
low as ever welded IN adze, was one
of the first victims of the unreasoning
hatred of wcalth-wrecking everything,
even to Alice Palmer's love, for the
bright "salcslady" was bctrothed to
him.
The shipbuilders, driven to eXaspcra-
tion by the unreasonable demands Of
the union on Moore & Marston, had
voted a general lockout" and two
thousand heads of families in the city
Of Chicago were out of employment.
Men gathered at the street corners,
crowded the great labor halls, paraded
with bands and flags, or chccrcd in
mass meetings Schlossingcrs fierce de-
nunciations of the bloatcd bond
holders.
Meanwhile supplies from the labor
league were served with tolerable reg
ularity, and all felt that right must
triumph over might.
Two months passed, and the subsidies
from the central committee became
less frequent. Still the masters stood
firm; the men solid. Then went the
startling whisper abroad that one hun
dred French. Canadian skilled mechan-
les had been hired in the place of the
strikers, and that work would be re-
sumcd, under protection of big patrols
of police, at Moore g. Marston's yard
on the following Monday.
Meanwhile how Jared it with tho
Harlands? But badly. The insurance
policy has lapsed, the upholsterer has
taken away the parlor furniture, though
it was nearly paid for, the sewing ma
chine has been rcplcvied, and Ncllie's
pretty volumes have been seized under
"cutthroat contract" by the book agent,
1t is not a question of luxuries with
them, but of bare subsistence.
An empty cupboard! 1t is difficult
for one living in this land of plenty
to realize what that means-what it
means to see ones loved ones in want
and lack the means of relieving them.
In vain Alice Palmer hulnbly ap-
pealed to Cohen for unemployment; the
strike had hurt business, she was told,
and she was not wanted.
Grey meanwhile was busy. He had
spoken at one or two meetings and per-
haps had done more harm to the cause
of order than Schlossinger could ac-
complish in his widest flights of bla-
tant fury, for this young enthusiast
brought forward batteries OF strong ar
gument that appealed to the reason
rather than the emotion of men and
made him converts of the cooler,
steadier'hands, who had but laughed at
their comrades frenzies. Grey was in
tense, earnest, ready to lay down his
life for the cause.
Now, when the Monday morning
came on which it was announced TINT
Moore g. Marstons yard would be in
''full blast" again, George Harland,
who had all along declared that no
union in free country should stop him
from working when work was to be
got, started from his homo with his
dinner pail in his hand.
"Do not be fool; you are riskmg
your life," had been Grey's advice, net
tied at the obstinacy of the man who
would not acknowledge that the few
must suffer for the benefit of the many.
"Do not go!" Alice cried, clinging
tearfully on his arm.
"Pshaw, grill" he replied roughly.
81 never drew n cent of the unions
money, and I've always declared that
would take the first job that came
along. No man shall dictate to me
whether work or lie idle"
So George Harland went to his doom
The day passed YEARLY for the
women. Night came on, and with
heart-beating anxiety they waited the
coming of the breadwinner. George
is late" Nell said, nervously; II dc
wish he would come"
"Oh, he will be here before long, "AlicC
replied, with assumed cheerfulness.
"Hark" the young wife screamed al
she flew to the door: what is thai
noise in the streetP"
Grey, attracted by the tumult, flew
downstairs and joined the trembling
women.
What sight met their gael Theil
George-the idol of this humble home
with blood-stained face and torn clothes
swinging his AK over his head anC
battling for his life against hundred
fierce assailants. In vain dozen po
licemen rally round him. They ar
beaten down like grain before tn
sickle; and the mob, hoarse and furi
GUS, rushed over their bodies on to tn
victim. There was something grand il