The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-01-01
freightroom and got his inspiration.
Then he accosted Bruder.

Then he accosted Bruder
'Waitln' for Harris team, amt yer?"
Bruder looked at his wife, and she
said, YES"
Coin ter work on the lob. amt
YER"
Again Bruder looked at his wife, and
again she said, YES"
We'll, I'm right glad ter see yer"
said the uneonscionable diplomat eff
fusively. II tell yer, we've been havin'
great COINS on aroun' here"
Again Bruder looked at his wife and
again she said Eyes" softly and press
ed a little closer under the shelter of
his mighty thigh.
Between you and me-" continued
the willy Smith, these woodchoppers-
l mean the Beaver Meadow fellers, -"
he fastened to explain as n slight con-
traction of Bruder's forehead warned
him that any slur upon the craft would
not be welcome-"don't know when
they're we'll off"
He paused, and Bruder looked Mt his
wife, but she remained silent.
"Of course l amt got nothin' against
these men here, and 1t may not sound
we'll comm from me, me bein' IN the
employ of this corporation, as amt sup.
posed ter show no Partially, but seems
ter me these men Is n little unreason-
able. Yer see" he went on as neither
Bruder nor his wife spoke, "tlmes have
been pretty hard around here, with
crops failin' and good deal of sick
ness in the neighborhood, and l think
these men ought TO been glad to get
steady employment. or course they're
really in the power of the company,
eos they mint got no money, and the
officers knows IL, and so they cuts
down their wages. Now. some of 'em
finds out that the big fellers Is maxim
dead loads of money, and so they
makes big kick and goes on strike
So the company jest shuts down. and l
heard the superintendent say as that
they was goin' to start process of
starvation. OF course | don't want
that to 20 no further"
Did the company treat the men
fairF asked Mrs Hruder.
"0f COURSE II did" said Smith quick
money out any way they like? Couldn't
these 1aen pick up and leave If they
didn't like II p
Most Of these mon has their own
homes, hasn't theyf" asked Mrs Bfu-
der.
Yes, they has" said Smith, hut II
they keeps en- this way they won't
have no one left in their homes Thcu
he added rs he walked toward the eff
fee: "Ye'd better come in AMI sit
down. Harris team may not be here
for an hour yet. They generally comes
ter meet the down train. Big Four Is
waitin' here fer it ter pass
He adroidy halted the couple in
front of the open door of the freight
| room, and instantly the maternal eye
of Mrs. Bruder caught the little coffin.
"Whose is thatT she asked
THAT'S cy Selder's baby said
Smith, lying heroically.
Mrs. Bruder looked at her husband
then back to Smith. What allied it?'
she asked Cholera morbrsfn
Smith drew closer and lowered hi,
voice a bit That's what they civ,
out" he said, but between you ans
me it didn't have enough ter cat"
Just then Smith found sudden bust
ness in the ticket office, where lie re-
manned until he heard the booming OF
the down train, when he went cut on
TO the platform to pass up the mails.
lie fingered for Il moment and watch
ed big -Four" pull out from the sid
ing; then lie looked all around. There
WAS no one in sight.
'How'd yer Go IT, Bill?" asked Jack
Lundy that night. while n half dozen
strikers smoked and listened
81 didn't do nothin', and | don't
know nothin'," snapped Smith. "They
come, and they've gone, amt they?"
And then to modify therebuke the good
soul continued in a tone that smacked
suspiciously Of tenderness as he puffed
his pipe reiectively In the darkness
Strange; | used to know those folks
years ago-didn't know 1t till terday-
they WIS good deal younger then
just married, | guess-thcy were pref
ty poor-had little baby that died.
don't know, but folks nroun' there said
the little thing died-cos it didn't
electromagnetic eat"