Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-14

 enever concede the demands of tie Weas will never go an inch to meet them while they are in their present attk tude."
 "Do you think the men ask too muck father?"
 "Too much! With ore at the present price! It is outrageous, just when we. were beginning to get on our feet again. It has been a very dull winter. and things were just beginning to turn our way again."
 'But thought ore had gone up. Isn't that what the men claim as the reason for their demand for an increase They say the wages ought to go up with the rise in ore.''
 ''They are foo1sv' Ross Duncan struck the pillow beside him passion ately. "The companies were under contract for large quantities of ore at the old price before this rise came. The rise will not benefit us any until we have disposed of our old contracts"
 "Why don't the companies tell the men sop
 "Pshaw! Stuart, you are"- Ross Duncan controlled himself violently. Stuart was alarmed for him. He rosa and went over nearer the bed.
 Father, you must not get excited. Remember what Dr. Saxon said yes terday. You must not talk any moYe on this subject"
 "I shall. There, I can control my self"
 It was wonderful to see the change that came over the man. He stiffened his muscles, then relaxed them and let his hand, which had been clinched, open easily and lie open on the bed- clothes. Then he spoke without quiver of passion, slowly and coldly:
 ''The companies do not tell the men so because the men wouldn't believe g word the companies say. Yet there isn't man in our mines who can say Ross Duncan ever cheated a man out of q penny or ever told him an untruth. 1 tell you, Stuart, the men are the most stubborn, ungrateful, ignorant lot of animals that ever lived. Why, all last winter kept more than a dozen fami- lies going with food and fuel because they had been sick or shiftless, and I'll warrant you those very families are in the front row of the parades every morning! The men are cutting their own throats The companies will never give in.''
 Stuart did not say anything for awhile. Then: Don't you think, fa- ther, that the men have been very quiet and law abiding? There has been no disturbance thus far.''
 Wait till we get the new men in from Chicago and then see.''
 twill the companies try to do that?'
 TI,ny- ncfo i,,lx- f1,<. .f,,;l- tinues another week. We lose our con- tracts unless we can deliver the ore as specified"
 Isn't it c little remarkable, father,' said Stuart after another pause that the men have opened their meetings in the square every morning with pray er."
 Ross Duncan uttered a sound that represented more scorn than a hundred words.
 Whom do they pray to-the devil:''
 @The prayer I heard the first morn ing 1 came home was as good a prayer as I ever heard in church."
 ''Who offered it?'
 'Eric,'' replied Stuart, flushing up 8 little.
 ''He is the leader of the whole strike, the most dangerous man on the range today. 1 advise you to break with him.
 Stuart leaned forward a little. ''You remember. father. Eric saved my life when the skip broke in the 0haft:'
 Well. it was only 'Eha4 any man would do. Y>u are not Under aEV great deEt to him.
 Stuart did not reply. He felt the strange passion he inherited from his father rising in him, and after few questions as to his fathers condition he went out of the room.
 That afternoon he went up on the hills for the first time since his return He sat down near one of the mines and thought over his talk with his father Then he grew restless and walked down into the town. AS he passed the office he went in and found g letter in the box addressed to him. He put it in his pocket and walked on through the square past the band stand, crossed the railroad tracks and went up the street, which narrowed, as all the streets did, into the miners paths, un- til he reached the building belonging to another of his fathers mines.
 The pumps were still going, although some of the men had threatened to pull them out. There were only six men still at work in the engine house. Stu art walked up to a favorite seat on g. great stone which cropped out on the hill. One of the few old pines still left on the slope grew close by.
 He sat down and took out the letter. It was from Eric. As he read his face darkened:
 Dear Stuart-the letter began, with the old fa- miliar sound-I write to you because have been refused admission to the house. called twice this week to inquire for you, and the servants would not let me in don't blame you. The times are bringing many questions before us, and the rights of men men not to be ignored. don't know that you to keep up the old ac- quaintance. It rests with you to say. I don't know what year may have done for you. The new situation may also make change in your attitude toward doing what I believe is right. It may all wrong from your stand- point. If you will be at the old stone by the big tree this afternoon, will meet you there. Your old friend, ERlcE
 This was a most unsatisfactory letter to Stuart. The refuGal to let Eric into