News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-03-06


Ger. Stuart was conscious of the fact
that men were carrying the body out of
the ranks and that the young woman
was behind them, following. All that
he felt rather than saw as he stood
there.
Men" he said, praying in his heart
for wisdom to say just the right word,
''listen to me a moment. Every man
who strikes lawless blow here today
strikes at the cause of labor. If you
want to set it back and destroy your
own best good, now is your opportuni-
ty. 1t will be the act of madmen to do
it. In Gods name, in the name of the
law and of your best interests 1 beg of
you to use reason. For the sake of
Eric, who loves you if ever man did, let
these men go their ways and abide the
results as law fearing, God fearing
menu
There was stir all through the
crowd while Stuart spoke. Then the
silence was broken by cries here and
there by men who had helped Eric in
the organization of the union.
"He's right! Mr.. Duncan tells TRUTH
Lets keep law! We be fools other
wise!"
"Aye, we's fools a'readyw
Better for us to get men to go
backw
This last cry was caught up by large
numbers, and the mob fairly swarmed
around the coaches containing the new
men. During the events just described
they had remained inside, but the win
dows were alive with heads thrust out
to see what was going on.
Stuart felt that the immediate dan
ger of collision was over. There were
however, still any number of chances
for an outbreak. The troops lowered
their guns, but remained on guard.
The scene around the coaches now
assumed an intensely pathetic charac-
ter. With it all there was an element
of danger and the stirring of the tickle
wild beast in the mob.
"Now, boys" pleaded an old miner,
standing close up by one of the coach
es, ''you doesn't want to take bread
Out VI US LuOuIuS UP hClCy uOCo JOu :
Come! Say you'll go back and leave us
to fight it out with the masters. We
make to win if let alone"
AYE, that we will" said another
eagerly. "The owners is losing on
contracts every day now. Give us a
chance. What have we done to you
that you should come up here to take
away our wages"
"We've got families, too," replied a
gruff voice from one of the windows.
"And no work for over a month and
women and babies crying at home.
What would you have us do?"
This was hard question to answer,
and no one tried it, but hundreds of
voices were beseeching the newcomers
to go back and leave the mine owners
to struggle with their old men.
At last one of the miners, a middle
the union and next to Eric was as in
fuential as any one in Champion, Sc
cured hearing. He mounted one of
the switch blocks, and the men anx-
iously listened.
"Tell you what the union will do.
man here back to his home and some
thing over if you go back on the next
train"
"Aye, that's the thingw yelled hun
dred voices. AS matter of fact the
union, numbering now nearly 5000 men,
N pocitinn RI do this N tho
desperate fight it was making it could
afford to wiring every possible cent
from its members rather than give way
to the influx of new hands. Once the
mines opened up their chances of
bringing the owners to terms would be
gone forever. Besides, there was no
telling what events might occur if once
public sympathy was large enough to
enlist other workingmen with them.
The appeals now made to the men in
the coaches were frantic. Miners climb
ed up on the platforms and squeezed
inside the ears to argue with the men.
1t was a scene of peculiar interest. one
great swarm of hard listed and hard
faced men begging another crowd of
the same kind to keep from exercising
the natural desire to work for home
and children. Surely what was first
pronounced as a curse on our first par
ents has now become a double curse
when work is the object of such a
strange contest.
1t would perhaps be difficult to tell
how far the strangers were Influenced
by their sympathy for the miners or
whether the sight of 1000 men carry
ing walking sticks the size of a mans
arm had its weight in bringing them to
a decision. There were about 500 men
in all. At last about 400 of them said
they would go back on the condition
that the union do as it agreed.
They came out of the coaches and
were received with tremendous burst
of cheers and shouts. The remaining
men, who for one reason and another
refused to go back, were saluted with
Kisses, jeers. threats and abuse, but no
violence was offered. The miners felt
jubilant over the result of their appeal
and were disposed to ridicule the hand
full of men now left.
"Let 'em go on, boys! What can the
miners do with such a handful of
greenies"
"Aye, let 'em go! They don't know