Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-10-21

voice rang out clear and strong over
the crowd:
Lord. we need thy help today. We
ask for wisdom. Grant us to know thy
will. O Lord. keep us from committing
/ any lawless act. Keep every man here
from drunkenness and violence to prop
! erty or life. We want simply our rights
/ as men. We want wages sufficient to
! live in comfort. Show US what to do.
Keep US today from evil. Bless all men
who work with their hands. Bless our
| families. We ask it for Jesus sake.
! Amen" This incident is based on
| fact. The writer of this story was wit
ness to a gathering of iron miners in
! the great strike of July, 1895. where
one of the miners offered just such a
| prayer as the above. at Negaunee.
Mich. July "a. 1901
The speaker lifted his head, and the
miners put on their hats. Stuart look
ed out over the heads of the crowd
and up at the man who had just pray
ed and then out beyond him to the
pine covered hills dotted over with the
engine houses and stock piles of ore.
He noticed the smoke curling from the
furnace stacks and said to himself,
''The pumps are going yet" The whole
scene was very vivid to him. The
crowd, the churches, the park, the
stand, that familiar face and figure up
there, the hiIss the mines, the whole
with its strong setting Of human in
terest, smote him almost with q shock
And at the very nerve center of the
shock was that brief prayer. 1t was so
unlike real life.
Eric was speaking again. He was
making an appeal to the miners to COM
mend their cause to the world by their
conduct. He spoke, as before he had
prayed, very slowly and carefully. To-
ward the end Of his speech he caught
sight of Stuart.
His face flushed for an instant. The
eyes of the two men met. The look on
each mans face seemed to say, 81 Won
der if he is still the same?'
A clock in the Steeple Of the larger
of the two churches struck s. Eric
jumped down from the bench, and an
other miner took his place and spoke
in a more imprisoned manner to the
men. There were cheers and swinging
of hats. Stuart gradually worked his
way out of the crowd. stopped fire.
quently by acquaintance. At last he
had come out in front of the church
with the clock in the tower. looking
about him eagerly for some one from
his own home. when a strong voice
from a man standing on the church
steps above him eXclaimed:
''Say. Stuart. when did YOU Join the
striker
Doctor cried Stuart eagerly, with
a smile of welcome that lighted up his
thoughtful face wonderfully, next to
father and Louise you are the very
person | wanted to see most. Where
are they? They were to meet me at
the train this morning. Isn't this a
most astonishing affair? Tell me all
about it,
The doctor shrugged his shoulders.
you know as much about it as | do.
The men went out this morning with
out notice. The Freeport. Vasplaine
and De Mott miners are all here with
the Champion men. They walked over
from the lower range early this morn
ing"
What do the men want?" Stuart
asked vaguely. He had so many Ques-
lions to put he asked the first that &C.
Cured.
The doctor shrugged his shoulders
again.
The contract miners want 50 q day.
the trammers S1.75 and the men at the
top $3.50"
WHO is the leader of the men?'
You see for Yourself: Eric Vassall
And cnpnS only vpStar6ov yo15
two men were young kids in knicker-
bockers tumbli1:g down the mines and
worrying the life out Of the companies
because of your FRANKS And now
Erie is the leader of the biggest strike
on record among the miners. playing
the role of prophet and priest and l
don't know what all. and YOU
"And l." interrupted Stuart. with an
other smile. as he pulled the doctor
down off the step above him. Il am
so far-nobody, until ! have had my
breakfast. | can't understand where
father and Louise can be. Haven't
you seen them this morning"
mo, Get into my buggy. l will take
you up to the house"
The doctors office fronted on the
square, and his horse stood near by.
Stuart took one glance back at the
crowd as he and the doctor started up
the street.
at is remarkable scene. | have not
witnessed anything like it abroad. l
have seen several strikes in England
and Germany and France since have
been away. But l never knew a strike
to be opened with prayer. did you, doc
tor?"
mo" replied the doctor dryly.
Stuart looked at him. He was driv-
ing, as always. with one foot outside |
the buggy the lines gathered up in a |