News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-05-01

these men, nearly all of whom had
been in his fathers employ. 1t was
true they were of the rudest, most I'M
educated sort. Their type of Chris
tianity as church members was not
very exalted. They were at this very
moment engaged in a method of strug-
gle against capital which was contrary
to all Stuart's real convictions, but he
had reached a point where he looked
upon the struggle from a different ba-
sis. The men in the church were for
the most part prayerful, honest and
IbOve all generous with what they pos
bessed Stuart did not know it, but
bread and wine. had that very morning
given one of the suffering families in
COrnishtown third of his own saw
ings which he had stored up for the
winter to take him through the strike.
But it was not about the type of Chris
tianity that Stuart was thinking as he
sat there. 1t was about his relations
with these men with whom he was
ION doSOCIdICu d lnClllDOl VI lllC
body of Christ. If he had been grow
ing more and more to believe chat he
was his brothers keeper ever since the
death of his father, much more now,
especially since his conversion and this
days communion. Andrews prayer
touched ON that. The service was very
impressive.
At its close Stuart asked Andrew if
he might say a word, and very simply
but strongly he stated his Christian
church that strength and wisdom
might be given him to live the true life
of disciple. His words as he stood
there in all the strength and glory Of
his young manhood touched the
men deeply. They did not show it
much, but they felt it and talked of it
on their way home Such a scene had
not been known in Champion in their
lifetime.
In spite of all this and the tremen-
deus hold that Stuart was obtaining
over the men the union held for it's
original terms and showed no signs of
weakening The Salvation Army still
continued to exercise it's restraining
influence over the majority although
the drinking was increasing. Almost
the only hope Stuart had now was that
the Cleveland owners would be COM
PEELED to yield before the winter was
over owing to the demand for ore
which for the last weeks had been in
creasing. He had little expectation
that the full demand of the miners
would be granted, for he remembered
that III the history of strikes very few
large strikes had ever been successful.
But he hoped the owners might make
such concessions that the union would
agree to go back ON large rise in pre-
vi0uS wages.
So the week following communion
Sunday opened with special meaning
to Stuart. 1t was memorable week
for Champion. The fever epidemic had
reached its height. Most of it's victims
were children. The number of deaths
daily was appalling, Andrew, Eric,
the doctor, the nurses, Rhena and Stu
art, with all the available help from
the Christian people in the town, were
battling with the enemy with all the
might of skill and the exercise of all
that money and watchfulness could
accomplish.
Stuart and Rhena had met several
hot Mos IL oil
was By the side of some dead or dying
child They said little. Each seemed
to be waiting for something. Rhena
was worn and thin. but there had come
into her eyes look she dared not let
Stuart see. The winter had its influ-
ence in addition to all this to repress
and bear down the hearts of the peo-
Pile Never had such snOwdrifts been
known in Champion or such severe
cold. The nights set in with bitter
winds sweeping down the hills, and
after the evening train had plowed its
way out of the station on its dreary
trip westward Champion seemed to be
abandoned by God and man. All con-
nectiOn with the outer world seemed
cut off. the iron hills shut down hard
and close about the town, and the long,
terrible night began. night of agony
to those who lived and those who died.
The date of the great strike and the
great fever will never be forgotten by
the children who were left untouched
by the grim death.
One night that week Stuart had come
home very late, thoroughly exhausted,
with the frost chill in his bones, the
benumbing sense of his responsibility
weighing him down and his heart cry
ing out. 20 Lord, how long, how long!'
He had gone up to his room and had
sunk into a heavy sleep. He Weakened
between and 3 O'Clock with feeling
of something wrong. 1t was so press
ing that he rose and dressed and went
to the window that looked out on the
town. The night was one of the bitter
est ever known. The wind was blow
ing an icy gale through the valley.
Even the Duncan mansion, warmed as
it was with the best and most eXpen-
sive apparatus, felt the shock of the
almost solid cold that struck through
everything.
Suddenly Stuart saw a light in the
lower end of Cornishtown. The min
ers' houses or cabins there were built
for the most part of logs or slabs from
! tha mill Thou wprn ornw1ad ypry