The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-02-14
voice rang out clear and strong owe
the crowd.


Lord. we need thy help today. "
ask for wisdom. Grant us to know Il
will. O Lord, keep us from committ;
any lawless act. Keep every man Il,
f ON drunkenness and violence to plt
erty or life. We want simply our ri
as men. We want wages sufficient
live in comfort. Show us what to d
Keep us today from evil. Bless all III
who work with their hands Bless .
families. We ask il for Jesus 81.
Amen" This Incident is based
fact. The writer of this story was "
ness to gathering Of iron miners
the great strike of July. 1919. VII,
one Of the miners offered just such
prayer as the above. at Negaun,
Mich, July "a. 1901
The speaker lifted his head. and {
miners put on their hats. Stuart loo
ed out over the heads of the GROW
and up at the man who had just pra
ed and then out beyond him to /.
pine covered hills dotted over with L
engine houses and stock piles of OF
He noticed the smoke curling from
furnace stacks and said to himsc
"The pumps are going yet" The who
scene was very vivid to him. 7
crowd, the churches. the park.
stand. that familiar face and figure
there. the hills. the mines, the W
with Its strong setting of human
terest, smote him almost with ST.
And at the very nerve center oi
shock was that brief prayer. II ":
strange. so unusual, SO like sto:
unlike real life.
Eric was speaking again. Uc
making an appeal to the miner
mend their cause to the worh
conduct He spoke, as before l.,
prayed, very slowly and carefully
ward the end of his speech he ca
sight cf Stuart.
His face flushed for an instant Z
eyes Of the two men met. The look
each mans face seemed to say, Il wo
der II he Is still the same"
A clock In the steeple Of the large
of the two churches struck 8. Fri,
jumped down from the bench. and an
other miner took his place and spok,
in a more impassioned manner to thu
men. There were cheers and swingin,
Of hats. Stuart gradually worked hi,
way out Of the crowd, stopped fre
quently by acquaintances. At last h'
had come out In front of the churcl
with the clock In the tower. lookini
about him eagerly for some one from
his own home, when a strong voic,
from a man standing on the churcl
steps above him exclaimed:
"Say. Stuart, when did you join tn,
strike"
Doctor" cried Stuart eagerly. will
Q smile Of welcome that lighted up hi,
thoughtful face wonderfully, next t
father and Louise you are the .yery
person l wanted to see most. Wher,
are they7 They were to meet me a
the traip this morning. Isn't this {
most astonishing affair? Tell me al
about It."
The doctor shrugged his shoulders
"You know as much about 1t as | do
The men went out this morning with
out notice. The Freeport, Vasplain,
and De Mott miners are all here will
the Champion men. They walked owe
from the lower range early this morn
ing"
what do the men wantw Stuar
asked vaguely. He had so many ques
tions to put he asked the first that oc
cured.
The doctor shrugged his shoulders
again.
"The contract miners want So a day
the trammers $l.75 and the men at tn,
top $1.5O."
"Who Is the leader of the men?"
"You see for yourself: Eric Vassall
And 1t seems only yesterday that yol
two men were young kids In knicker
bockers tumbling down the mines ant
worrying the life out Of the companies
because Of your pranks. And nov
Eric is the leader Of the biggest strik,
on record among the miners. playin,
the role Of prophet and priest and
don't know what all. and you
"And l." interrupted Stuart. with an
other smile. as he pulled the docto
down Off the step above him, ~ am
so far-nobody. until | have had m!
breakfast. can't understand wher,
father and Louise can be. Haven
you seen them this mornlngY'
"No. Get INTO my buggy. ! will TAX
you up to the house."
The doctors office fronted on tn
square. and his horse stood near by
Stuart took one glance back at tn
crowd as he and the doctor started VI
the street.
ut Is a remarkable scene. have no
witnessed anything like 1t abroad.
have seen several strikes In Englan,
and Germany and France since hav
been away But | never knew a strik
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 outsid
the buggy. the lines gathered up In
| careless way in one hand and the hOrS