Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-02-06
CHAPTER II.
LARGE RESPONSIBILITIES

LARGE RESPONSIBILITIES.
A week after the death and burial
of Ross Duncan, Stuart ana Louise
were talking together of their future
plans. Louise lay on lounge, looking
very pretty, dressed in mourning Of O
fashionable pattern. She appeared
vexed at something Stuart had Just
said and tapped her foot smartly
against the end of the lounge.
Il have no patience with you, Stu
art Why don't you talk sense?'
II thought was talking sense" re-
piled Stuart, who was standing up by
one of the windows of the room look.
ing out on the front lawn. He turned
and walked back to the end of the
room and continued to pace up and
down. He was very thoughtful and
part of the time seemed not to hear all
that Louise said.
We'll, you lose all your sense the
minute the subject of these llorrid min
ers comes up" continued Louise. '.If
l was the governor of this state,
would order out the militia at once"
"Why" asked Stuart, with a slight
smile. 1.-THE men are not doing any
thing. What would you order out tho
troops for?"
II would get new men in to take the
mems places and then order the militia.
And, you know, Stuart, 1t will have to
come to that at last
Stuart answered nothing. He was
thinking hard of that very thing.
Louise went on talking while lie stood
still by the window for minute look
ing out ut the hills. 81 regard fathers
death as caused directly by the miners.
They frightened the horses and caused
the accident that killed him. don't
see how you can side with the men in
this strike"
81 DON'T" said Stuart without turn
Ing around.
"Then why don't you do something
to start up the mines? Haven't we a
right to manage our own business and
hire other men? If the miners threat
en- to interfere, we have right to cali
for state troops"
II hope it will not come to that re-
piled Stuart gravely as he walked up
to the lounge and sat down by his sis
ter Louise, want to talk plainly
with you about this matter. I do not
feel just as father did about It."
"You just said you didn't side with
the men,
Louise sat up and arranged her dress.
Some ribbons at her throat kept her
fingers busy for minute.
81 don't side with them in the sense
that believe they are doing the right
thing to strike this way. But be-
lieve they ought to have more wages
and that the companies ought to pay
them the scale they have drawn up"
Stuart was talking aloud to his sister,
for the first time really expressing his
convictions as they had grown on him
every day since his fathers death had
thrown the burden Of ownership upon
him.
| Louise heard his statement with q
frown. For awhile she was silent;
then she rose and walked out of the
room, angrily saying as she went:
Ross Duncan's son is not much like
his father. That's true If you did say
| It,"
Stuart rose and went over by the
window again. He was vexed not with
Louise, but with the whole situation.
Since his fathers death he had gone
through great many struggles. and
each one had left him with the feeling
Of his responsibility heavier upon him
The strike was in the same condition
as when 1t began. The different mine
owners at Cleveland had conferred to.
gether and were united in their deter.
mination not to yield to the demand fol
higher wages. Stuart had been asked
to come down to conference to be
held in the city that week. He expect
ed to leave the next day. AS he stood
looking out at the stock covered hille
he knew that crisis was rapidly ap
preaching and that within the next few
days events would be precipitated that
would leave their mark upon his whole
life. He was not a coward, and that
was the reason he could not run away
from the situation. The interests OF
the mines at Champion were all in his
hands, but the other mines on the up
per and lower ranges We're involved
with his in the general strike. He was
not at full liberty to act alone. Be
sides, the men had within week form
ed union and would not treat with
the separate mine owners, insisting
that the companies must recognize the
union as q whole.
Meanwhile matters were coming to q
crisis very fast. Stuart clinched his
hands tightly and bit his lips nervously
as he turned again from the window
and paced the room. He was worth
more than 100000 in his own right,
and yet the possession Of the money
caused him little real pleasure. With
all the rest he was having an inward
revolution of education toward the en-
tire problem. And he could not avoid
the feeling that before the week was
gone he might come face to face with
| the greatest fact of his life.
AS he stood there thinking it all over
the bell rang, and one Of the servants
came and said that Eric was at the
door. Stuart went himself out into the
hall.
"Come in, Eric he said quietly.
Eric came In, and the two men shook
hands silently. Since Ross Duncan's
death these two had met several times,
and it seemed as if the old family re-
lation between them might be possible
again. There was, however, still a
serious barrier, caused by the condi-
tons that surrounded the two men.
Il came up this morning." began
Eric, with his usual directness, ito tell
you that the men want you to speak
to them at the park today at noon."
Stuart was surprised. 81 thought
the men would not admit any one to
the speaking stand except those of
tleirtOwn nI1mharD