Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-12-13
l0BERll' II Dll(|
cam and Its Consequences
By CHARLES M. SHELDON
Author Of I'm His Steps lathe Crucifx ion OF
Philip Strong, " Malcom Kirk, :" Etc.
Copyright, 1900, by Advance Publishing Co..
- ......s CONTINUED /

z II ,,
Z Copyright. 1900 by Advance Publishing Co.
y CONTINUED !
Mr.. Hardy replied, still speaking
pleasantly, "The matter of more pay is
one we cannot well discuss here now,
but l will say to you and all the rest
that as far as it Is in my power there
shall be no more Sunday work de-
manded" live" Mr.. Hardy
was on the point Of saying. but he
, said instead, "of the men in the shops"
"Still, that is not the question" re-
= piled the man in an insolent tone. Mr..
Hardy looked at him more closely and
saw that he had been drinking. Sew
eral of the workmen cried out:
"Shut up. Herman! Mr.. Hardy be
right! We be fools to make row now
at this timer
A dozen men started for their ma
chimes to go to work again. while
Burns went up and laid his hand on
the NOrWegian's arm and said to him
roughly:
"Quit off now. You've been dipping
that beard of yours into whisky bar:
rel. Better mind your pegs or you get
your walking papers,"
mind your own, Burns" replied the
big man heavily. "You be something's
of beard drinker yourself if you had
the beard"
Burns was so enraged at the drunk
en- retOrt that he drew back as If to
strike the man, when the Norwegian
smote the foreman a blow that laid
him sprawling in the iron dust. H.
stantly Mr.. Hardy stepped up between
, the two men before Burns could rise.
We have spoken of Roberts intense
horror Of the coarse physical vices. 1t
seemed totally wrong to him that a
workman should degrade himself with
drink. Besides, he could not tolerate
such actions in the shops. He looked
the drunken man in the face and said
sternly:
"You are discharged! l cannot af-
ford to employ drunken men in these
shops. You may go this instant"
The man leered at Mr.. Hardy. raised
his arm as if to strike, while the man.
= ager confronted him with stern look.
but before he could do any harm two
or three Of the men seized him and
hustled him back to the other end Of
the shops, while Burns rose, vowing
vengeance. ..~,.:.
The men went back to their ma.
chimes. and Mr.. Hardy. with an anx-
1ous feeling Of heart, went back into
the Office, satisfied that there would be
mo trouble at the shops for the rest of
the day at least. He felt sorry that he
had been obliged to discharge Herman,
but he felt that he had done the right
thing. The company could not afford
in any way to employ men who were
drunkards, especially not just at this
time. when 1t began to be more than
plainly limited that the result of the
accident on the road was due to the
partial intoxication of a track in
Spector.
That accident was complication in
Robert Hardy's seven days. It was de-
manding of him precious time that he
longed to spend inshis family. At one
time in the afternoon as he worked at
the Office Mr.. Hardy was tempted to
resign his position and go home. come
said, even in his most selfish moments
formerly he had been faithful to his
duties at the Office. At present no one
could take his place at once. He felt
that his duty to the company and to
the public demanded his services at the
time Of a crisis in railroad matters.
So he staid and worked on, praying
as he worked for his dear ones and
hoping, as no bad news came from
home, that Clara was better. He had
been to the telephone several times and
had two or three short talks with his
wife, and now, as it began to grow
dark in the Office, just as the lights
were turned on, the bell rang again
and Mrs. Hardy called him up to tell
him that the minister, Mr.. Jones, had
called and wanted to see him about
some of the families that were injured
in the accident in the foundry room.
10 '"Tell Mr.. Jones will try to see him
at the meeting tonight" Qn Barton
the church meeting fell on Wednes-
day. "And tell him will have some.
thing to give him for what he wants.
How is Clara nOw?'
"s."No change yet. Will is suffering
some from nervousness. He says he
had a horrible dream of the accident
this afternoon. Bess is about the same.
Her escape was miracle"
'Has George come home yet?'' ~
'''No. L am getting anxious about
him. wish you would inquire about
J him at the Bramleys' as you come up
{ to supper u ~.>s.,f' a
1,s II will. must leave very soon. This
y has been terrible day down here. God
keep US. Goodby." .% =
III 81 CHAPTER VIII. Ill,
Robert finished most Of the work.
toiling as never in all his life before,