The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-08-14
A knaye of Conscience
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
Copyright, 1900, by Francis Lynde.)

cambridge ordered the demi-tasses
and lighted cigar. "That's about
what l suspected. You couldn't keep
your peculiar views muzzled even
while you were writing bit of pot
boiler. That brings us back to the old
contention. You drop your fool So
clalistic fad and write book that a
publisher can bring out without COM
hitting commercial hari-kari, and
you'll stand some show. Light up and
fumigate that idea awhile.''
Griswold took the proffered cigar.
1T doesn't need fumigat ting; if I could
consider it seriously, it ought to be
burnt with fire. You march in the
ranks of the well-fed, cambridge, and
it's your business to be conservative.
I don't, and it's mine to be radical"
"What would you have? The worlds
as it is, and you can't remodel it,
eyes, and my kind can remodel it,
and we will some day when the burden
has grown too heavy to be borne. The
aristocracy of rank went down in fire
and blood in France a century ago;
that of money will come to it's end here
when the time is ripe.'
"That's rank anarchy. didn't know
you'd gotten so far along"
"Call it what you please; names
don't change facts. Listen"-Gris-
void leaned across the table and his
eyes grew hard and the blue in them
was steely-"For more than a month
I have tramped the streets of this &C
cursed city begging-yes, that's the
word-begging for work of any kind
that would suffice to keep body and
soul together; and for more than half
of that time, I've lived on one meal
day. That is what we have come to-
we of the submerged majority. And
that isn't all; the wage-worker himself
is but serf, a chattel among the other
possessions of some fellow-man who
has acquired him in the plutocratic re-
distribution of the earth and the full
ness thereof"
cambridge applauded in dumb show
with his thumb-nails. "Turn it loose
and ease your mind, old man." he said,
indulgently. 81 know things haven't
been coming your way lately. What is
your remedy?"
Griswold was fairly started now, and
ridicule was as fuel to the flame.
"The money people have set us the
example. They have made us under
stand that might is right; that he who
has may hold-if he can. The answer
is simple; there is enough and to spare
for all, and it belongs to ALTO him
who has sown the seed and watered it
as well as to him who has reaped the
harvest. That is violent remedy, you
will say. So be it; it is the only one
that will cure the epidemic of greed.
There is an alternative, but it is only
theoretical"
"And that?'
MAY be summed up in seven words:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self When the man who employs
and governs-uses the power that
money gives him to succor his fellow
man, the revolution will be indefinitely
postponed"
cambridge looked at his watch. 81
must be going" he said; "the tAdelan-
tado' drops down the river at eleven.
But in passing I'll venture a little
prophecy. You're down on your luck
now, and bit hot-hearted in conse-
quence, but some day you will strike
it right and come out on top. When
you do, you'll be hard master, or I'll
lose my guess"
God do so to me and more, if I am"
"That's all right; when the time
comes you remember my little vatici-
nation. But before we shake hands,
let's get back to concrete things for
the minute. How are you fixed for the
present. and what are you going to
do?"
Griswold laughed mirthlessly. liam
! fixed to run twenty-four hours long
er, thanks to your hospitality. For
! that length of time I presume I shall
conform to what we have been taught
to believe is the natural order of
things. After that
He paused, and cambridge put the
question:: "What then?'
"Then, if the chance to earn it is still
denied me, and am sufficiently hun
cry, shall stretch forth my hand and
take what need"
cambridge fished in his pocket and
found ten-dollar bill. "Do that first"
he said, offering Griswold the money.
The proletary smiled and shook his
head. "No; not to keep from going
hungry even to oblige you, Balm
bridge. It is quite possible that shall
end by becoming robber, as you para
phrasers would put it, but shan't be-
gin on my friends. Goodnight, and a
safe voyage to you"