The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-07
THE MUTABLE r1ANY
BY ROBERT BARR.
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
Gibbons knew that Monkton and
Hope had gone to the continent before
Marsten shouted out this bit of infor-
nation on the street in the presence OF
the men, He saw that the game was
I'D, and all he wanted was time in
which to beat a retreat, posing, If pos
sible, as the man who had brought
about a settlement. AS soon as Gibbons
learned that the two nominal masters
had gone, he tried to open communlca-
ton with Sartwell. and sent private
letter to him, saying that, taking into
considerat ton the privations of the men
and the large money loss to the hrr1,
he was willing to sink all personal
feelings and waive the proviso hereto
fore insisted upon regarding meeting
between the manager and himself CID
bons expressed his willingness to
withdraw from the conflict, and have
a committee of the men appointed TO
wait upon Sartwell to arrange for the
termination of the strike, but asked
that his letter be regarded as conh-
Dental
Sartweil, with perhaps unnecessary
contempt, returned the letter to Glib
bcns, saying .curtly to the bearer that
there was no answer.
1t is usually unwise to hunliliate I'M
duly a beaten adversary; but Sartwell
was not versed in the finer arts of
courtesy, and when he hated man.
he hated him thoroughly, caring little
for any reprisal his enemy might at
tempt
Gibbons had ground his teeth in help
less rage when his letter was returned
to him He saw that no concession
he f.O1r1d TO e-O11fd nlaNafp SaTfWpll.
SO, as the strike was doomed, he re-
solved TO make the best of the newt
able retreat. The committee agreed
that it was no longer possible to hold
out, although they had refused Mar
stems request that a meeting be called
and a vote taken. 1t was resolved that
they convene a meeting at once, not
waiting for nightfall, (hoping in this
way to deprive Narsten of any credit
that might accrue from the surrender),
and march the men in a body from the
hall to the works, where the commit
tee. with the exception of Gibbons,
would Drecede them, to induce the
manager to open the gates. Gibbons
would then be able to say that he, not
MarSten, had ended the strike, and he
might even enact the role of a bene-
factor. who had sacrificed his own
feelings in the interests of the men.
But luck was against Gibbons that
day. When he reached the works he
found MarSten there haranguing his
fellow workmen, imploring them to give
in before it was too late. assuring
them the two buildings would be full
of workers on Monday, and then all
efforts to enter would be fruitless. 1t
was very apparent that the young man
was already angered at the slight eff
feet his appeal was making on the
seeming Indifference of the men, and, if
(NtkhnnC hod from the
rebuff he had received from the man
ager. he might have taken advantage
of the position and scored. AS it was,
he had little time for planning any
new line of procedure. The moment
he appeared, MarSten demanded that a
meeting should be instantly called and
a vote taken. Gibbons asked him to
mind his own business, saying he had
an appointment with the owners of the
works and there would be a meeting
to consider their reply. Then Gibbons
learned that his falsehood was useless,
and that Marsten knew the owners had
fled
of Braunt, and the results that fol-
lowed, tumbled all schemes to the
ground like a house of cards.
Braunt, if he had thought about the
matter (Which he had not) was re-
venged at the end of the strike for his
ANONYMOUS election from the hall at
the beginning.
Gibbons retired with the committee
to consult over the new situation. 1t
was a gloomy consultation. As the
men came out of the small gate one by
one, each with half weeks wages in
his pocket and a packet of tobacco in
his hand. ScimminS and another mem
her of the committee stood outside
proclaiming that a meeting was called
for that night. to discuss the events of |
the day in a friendly manner. No man
answered; each hurried away to get !
to eat or drink; nor did any |
appear that night at Salvation hall. !
Next morning Scimmins and his fell !
low committeeman applied to Sartwell !
for reinstatement, and were given /
their old places. Gibbons resigned the I
of the union, and his !
resignation was accepted, somewhat to |
his surprise, as he, knowing the men !
had been practically unanimous in !
on the strike, expected to be |
asked to keep the office, with perhaps |
a vote of formal thanks. However, all !