Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-08

mite the building OF one OF the most
unpopular employers. This method,
it was thought, would divert suspi-
cion from the men, while no one would
dream of connecting q woman with
such deed. Even this wild rumor
received serious attention, and the
guards about all the buildings where
the strikers had worked were in
creased.
BY Friday the excitement had
reached fever heat. Along the streets
through which the procession was to
pass, all the shopkeepers put up their
shutters and closed their doors early
in the afternoon. By three o'clock
crowds had begun to gather, and the
police passed up and down, forcing the
people to move on.
AT about this time two Russians-a
man of middle age, with q long, rough
beard, and girl of perhaps sixteen
turned the corner of the street where
one part of the procession was to form.
"This is the street, Helena, my child, "
the man said, and they stopped to in
quire for house the number of which
was written on card the girl held in
her hand.
They carried large bundles in their
arms, wrapped in cloth, and were evil
IDENTIFY strangers and not known to any
of their own countrymen crowding by
them. They We're noticed by the
police as they passed on and entered
the dark doorway of No. 81, one Of
the tall tenements which frowned
down on the narrow way.
The afternoon wore on, and by five
o'clock the sidewalks were packed
with solid mass of people. A little
later even the roadway was filed, save
for passage kept open for the pro-
cession. By six the strikers were as
sembling and ranging themselves in
order between the restless masses on
either side. To show their good faith
and peaceable intentions, or as some
said, to cover their real designs, those
who We're to go on before carried an
American flag. A few of their num-
Der, who made up a rude band, with
a drum or two and some wheezy wind
instruments, gathered about the flag.
The police escort took its place.
There was a strange feeling of ex-
citement and expectancy in the poor
throng. Hunger revealed itself in
their faces; anger at real or fancied
wrong; dread of evils to come; hope,
too, that this gathering of awkward
and meanly clad men, as it marched
on, marched on, as if to final battle
|, with its evil fortunes, might some
how bring victory to their cause.
A woman in the crowd held up her
child to see its father standing in the
front rank, ard the child gave cry OF
delight. Then one of the musicians
sounded a hoarse signal, the men
Strengthened themselves in their
places, and silence fell on the throng
in the darkening street.
: All at once some one was seen to
raise his hand and point upward. All
eyes followed its direction Leaning
far out from high window they saw
a girl waving a red flag, lighted up
by the rays of the setting sun. An in
stant the silence lasted; then dull
: roar like the sound of waves rose
from the crowd below.
Half a dozen policemen made a rush
for the doorway of No. 81 and passed
} in. Other officers here and there
pounced suddenly on men and boys
, and dragged them away. Others got
} the procession under way and hurried
it on with all possible speed. The
} people on the sidewalks were crowded
and pushed and driven along in the
, | same 1iraotion ond q farv ", ,o,,o,+.