The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-11-12

are signs of renewed labor troubles. "
Mrs. Stems laid down the letter and
unused. 1t was a hard task set her.
The molders and polishers, from big
Luke to little Joe, her Office boy, Were
devoted to her. They would not trouble
the missis" But Parker, the book
keeper, was hostile to her and resented
her appointments as treasurer in her
husbands absence. Parker was an I'M
tried man, the trusty old bookkeeper
having died year before Mr.. Storms
departure TO England. Preston, too, the
manager, was against her and friendly
to Parker. Moreover, Parker was neph-
ew to the wife of the president of the
corporation, Edward Starkey. Starkey
was not pleased with Storms lack of
confidence i'll his relative as shown by
the latter's choice Of assistant treasurer
Storms had signed Starkey's notes. To
what extent Mrs. Storms did not know.
That way might lie ruin. She would
do her best, she replied to her husband s
letter, but she must know for what
amount he was on Starkey's paper. II
am confident that Parker is dishonest, +"
she continued, though cannot detect
any fraud. But l am continually ON
the alert aud shall unearth it if any ex-
lists. I"
The next morning at Mrs. Storms
was at her desk. She opened the morn
ing mail and passed the orders to Par
ker for entry, with the letters that must
be answered. She receipted the bills
that had been paid and placed the
checks in the handbook Looking up
just then, she saw Moore, the foreman
of the polishing room, standing by her
and waiting.
Il can't get them air chambers of
today, Mrs. Sterns," he said. "Jim's
out. He's sick with the copper dust. II
busted his lungs, and they're bleeding.
He'll be all right tomorrow. Nobody
can do them so good as jim"
I'm sorry for Jim," answered Mrs.
Storms; "but, Moore, we must send the
large air chamber today. 1t goes into I
great ocean steamer that sails from New
York Friday, and it will not get there
a moment too soon"
I'm doing that one," Moore said.
Don't hurt your lungs, Mike.
mo, l look out for mesilf. wears
wet sponges, he said as he left the
office.
The other foremen came for orders
They would net take them from Parker
/ 30,
Parker was unpopular with the men
chiefly on account of his curt way O
speaking to them.
So the day went. Soon after o'clocl
Parker returned from the bank with til,
money to pay off the men. Mrs. Stern
had previously signed check, which
he had cashed. He threw on the tabl
before him the heavy bag of silver ant
bills, which he proceeded to count ant
place in the pay envelopes. While h
was doing this Mrs. Stems noticed
peculiar flutter of the eyelids. 1t oc
Cured to her that she had been careful
ly excluded from the work Of the pa,
roll She turned her chair round to he
desk and inwardly debated what cours
to pursue i'll order to get this bushes
into her own hands in way that woul
arouse no suspicion on Parker's part
She knew that she must be wary.
After Parker had finished paying Of
the men he was obliged to go out of tn
city on business for the company. BE
ing hurried to catch the train, he mad
vertently left tho pay roll book out c
his desk, which he carefully locked bt
fore leaving.
Shortly after he had gone Don cam
in to ask her to have some files ordered
When she had made memorandum {
the sizes and kinds, she inquired:
How much are your wages week
Donoghue?"
Eighteen dollars, ma'am," he an
swered.
"Can You give me list of all I'll
mems wages per day, DOM"
"Yes, ma'am.
"Will you keep dark, Donoghue?"
eyes, ma'am, glad to. /"
81 depend ON you, Donoghue, " sal
Mrs. Storms, looking keenly at the for
man.
You're safe, ma'am, replied Il
foreman and respectfully touched h
paper cap,
Mrs. Storms put the pay roll book in
her black satin handbag, and as 81
was leaving the foundry Don placed
her hand the daily wage list. Then 81
went homeward.
Kaiser was on the piano looking S
rious. 1t was the swill gatherers' da
and he and the swill gatherers were
feud. Kaiser objected ON principle
any one that removed so much as
feather from the yard. He brighten
up as he saw his mistress approachil
l and marched majestically down t
walk to greet her.
Good fellow, Kaiser" she sd
r lightly as the dog sprang joyfully up
her face Have you been kind to t
Q pushes today"
S After dinner Mrs. Storms compar
$ the wage lists. Don reported himself
t receiving So per day. Parker's recc
%" A~-~-e'i,,r- IN non's ii