The record-union., 1898-01-31
my, however. frowned them all down,
and suggested Death to monopoly,

The next morning the boys filed into
the breaker as the seven o'clock whistle
blew, and took their seats with no
knowledge of what was about to hap
pen. No sooner had the great crushers
started on their noisy round and the
coal and slate commenced pouring down
the iron chutes than Tommy whispered
to his neghbor: DE time has come;
get ready" Rapidly the word passed
from bench to bench and row to row.
until the top end boy heard it and waved
his hand. Then With the exhilaration or
the suppressed excitement finding its
way to their fiinfier-ends, the boys
picked slate as they had never picked
before, until Dan Toole, the one-legged
breaker boss, sat on his stool watching
them work, in such utter amazement
that his ugly knotted leather switch fell
from his ready hand.
But Dams amazement was onthing TO
his astonishment when at = o'clock
Tommy and the members of the execu-
tive board arose from their benches
and, with Tommy leading, walked up to
the breaker boss. AT this unusual dem
onstration Toole grasped his switch
ready for action, for fights between him
and the breaker boys we're frequent oc-
currences. But it was a new kind OF
fight this time.
Mr. Toole,'' said Tommy, and the
breaker boss. who was generally called
Peg Leg Danny, sat UP straiShter 1T
this. Mr.. Toole, Wese are committee
from the Breaker Boys Union and we'se
decided to request D cents more er day
dan we'Se gittin' now. Down at No. -
de boys gifts u cents er day an Wese
only gittin' 40 cents. We desire as mucn
as dey is gittin', an if We don't gir it
We'se i'll have TO stop work.
Tommy had rehearsed this speech for
three days and delivered it like prize
recitation, with, it must be admitted,
considerable inward quaking, but bold
and determined front, and as much dig
nifty as he could muster.
For a few moments Dan sat silent,
overcome with establishment, and then,
as he saw all the boys looking at him,
and the coal and slate going down the
chute unheeded, he sprang up. snapped
his switch and hoarsely ordered them to
work or suffer sundry terrible punish
ments. They turned to their picking
with alacrity and so feared was Dan II
his angry moods that the Executive
Committee retreated with more haste
than order. Tommy, however, stood mis-
ground manfully, little nervous
though, as Dams half-raised switch
shook over him.
80 yer goin' to strike" said Dan at
last. lowering his switch; well, here's
fun"
Unless wese git the raise, we'se goes
out" answered Tommy with a note OF
defiance in his voice.
'Aw, gerlong." laughed Dan, ger
long back to yer work, an wait till yer
grow up afore yer talk about strkin.'
I'VE must have an answer before .
o clock in de mornin'," replied Tommy
as he resumed his seat; while Dan
climbed up to the head man to tell him
about the good joke the boys had.
Now, Tommy did not know that the
proper man to apply to in such a case
was the mine superintendent, and he
relied upon Dan settling the matter by
himself. On the other hand, Dan, af-
ter telling a number of his associates
about the boys joke forgot all about
it, while trying TO borrow a pipeful
of tobacco from nearly every man he
met, thus in the end getting a stock to
last him all that evening.
Nothing further was said among the
boys of the contemplated strike until
the whistle blew for quitting time, when
Tommy passed the word around that
everybody should watch him in the
morning and do as he did. A final
meeting of the Executive Committee
was also called for that evening at )
o'clock at Germans barn, which was
a short distance up the mountain, and
where the boys We're free from any in
terruption.
Tommy was on the way to the rem
devious when a girl called to him. She
was Sally McGee. Tommy's heart
throbbed every time he thought of her
while its condition when he saw her
can only be described by Tommy, and
that isn't in this story.
Tommy" said Sally, and she spoke
with becoming impressiveness, you Sc
boys is goin to strike to-morry, amt
you?" Tommy was startled at this
statement. He thought no one knew
it who was not actually concerned
Now" said Sally, "me and some other
girls has been a talkin' and we'se form
ed Ladies' Auxiliary"-Sally pro-
nounced this 'exilary" we'se 60
in to help you'se, same as the 'exilary'
helps the brotherhood of Trainmen."
Yes, but" said Tommy, who had a
not very exalted idea of the usefulness
of women in mems affairs, such as
strikes.
.Oh. it's no use er jectin','' exclaimed
Sally, decisively; 'we'se formed, and I
be aeoin' with you to the meetin'."
If she had been any other girl, Tom
nv would have refused definitely and
directly then and there to allow her to
have anything to do with the strike;
but she was Sally, and-well, he made
up his mind to argue against any OBJ
jections the boys had Fortunately
they were favorably impressed with
the idea, and the Ladies Exilary"
was allowed to join the Breaker Boys
Union. There was little to be done
that night beyond deciding that unless
the advance in wages was granted the
boys should strike in the morning. and
that the barn should be used as a meet
ing place.
THE STRIKE
Breaker Boss Dan sat smoking his
pipe and quite contented and comfort
able the next morning, With no thought
Of the unusual happening of the. day
before. A greater surprise was in store
for him, however. Promptly at 9 o'clock
Tommy. with the eyes of all the other
boys upon him. left his bench and
walked over to the boss.
rs der company a-goin' to give US
de : cents extra?" he asked, calmly. but
with every nerve in his body tingling
with suppressed excitement.
Dan sat up with start. What"
he cried; "de same old joke Get back
10 your work er I'll lay this switch
a.,.re. x+ar ch1,Ille,-S