News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-02-13

that his bark was worse than his bite.
only it's all bark" His face grew
stern again as he saw from the window
sight that was growing familiar to
the people of Champion.
1t was now about l / O'Clock, and into
the open space around the band stand
In the center of the town square the
miners were beginning to come in
groups of twos and tours and by little
companies. They came in from their
homes out on the hills, each miner car
rying a stick, the uses of which be-
came more apparent as the men formed
afterward in marching order.
The different miners bands had al
ready gathered near the stand. They
united in the playing of several stir
ring pieces while the crowd was gath
ering. Very fast the square filled I'D,
At last, as the clock on the tower point
ed its hands at a quarter after II. 1000
men were packed into the open space
surrounded by the town buildings.
Stuart remained looking out from the
Doctors Office window. The whole
scene was before him. He could hear
as well. Since that first day when he
had come home from his European trip
he had seen the miners together in this
way several times, but today he was
impressed more than ever with the ap-
pearance of the men, with their rude,
misspelled banners, with their music
made entirely by men out of the mines
who had trained themselves with great
patience to play march tunes. More
than all, he was struck with the faces
of the men-the stolid, dull, but deter
mined look that most of them wore.
He was impressed with their general
appearance as human beings making a
fight for few more cents a day. And
with all the rest he could not help feel
ing that the men regarded him as an
aristocrat removed from them by his
whole life, so different from theirs,
and unable from their point of view to
sympathize with or understand them.
'And yet" Stuart said to himself,
with a Sigh, 81 would almost exchange
places with nearly any one of them. |
mean that l am not where | can use
what | was born into as | would like to
use it."
The bands stopped playing, and
miner went up into the stand. This
time it was not Eric. The men all I'M
covered their heads. 1t was very quiet.
The people of Champion stood looking
on from the sidewalks, the church
steps, the railroad depot platform and
the store and Office windows. The man
in the stand lifted up his face and Of
fered a short prayer.
20 God, grant us a blessing today as
we go TO our place of meeting. Be
with us there in our council together.
Grant that we may be led to do the
right. Keep us all from trespass or sin
or drunkenness. And when we have
ended our strife here below may we
all, master and men, meet in heaven.
We ask ii for Jesus sake Amen"
Stuart heard every werd-oGthe 49,
er FROM where he sat There was
something indescribably sad to him
in the whole scene. The miners put on
their hats, and the bands at once
struck up n lively tune. The men be-
gan to move out into the main street,
forming a double line or column four
abreast The bands marched each one
in front of a section or division of the
line of march. The men at a signal
shouldered their sticks, and, accustom-
ed by this time to the marching, they
presented a military appearance as
they swung past the church and into
the road leading over to the park,
where they now held a daily meeting
at noon.
Stuart watched for Eric and as he
came by called to him from the win
dow:
"I'll drive over. My horse and buggy
are here"
Eric waved his hand and went by
without replying. Stuart came down,
and after the columns of men had
passed he drove along at a little dis
lance behind them.
All the way over he was debating
with himself what he would say. 1t
was the first time he had really met
the men. A great many of them did
not know what the feeling of the new
mine owner was. They supposed that
Ross DunCans son was like the ia
Their, Others among them had known
him as a child and boy and liked him.
He was a favorite in the town. Many
a rough, reckless, stolid Dane and
Cornishman had admired the lad who
had been so fearless in going up and
down the shafts. There was a good
deal of favorable comment among the
men in line over his coming out today.
SO when he finally came into the park
and was met 10y committee there and
escorted up into the pavilion where the
speakers went he faced a great crowd
that was in the humor TO give him fair
play at least A thousand more men
had come in from the other ranges,
and an audience of over 5000 was
packed deep all about the pavilion.
Stuart could not remember afterward
all that was said that day by himself
or the men. Eric had spoken briefly,
| and then in behalf of the union so re-
| Gently formed he said that he had the
pleasure of introducing the owner Of
! the Champion mines, who would ad-
|