Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-08-22

his employ, you would better be eau
| tious how you criticise him." answered
the discreet elder.
81 know. I kept my mouth shut over
there in the crowd. want to open it
now. Think of how many things the
men and their families will be deprived
of if they are forced OUT
"Such as a half-a-day Iay-offs, pic
mics, excursions on the river and so
| FORTH
"Well, shouldn't they have those di-
versions? ''
perhaps. But consider the other
| side moment. Mr.. White told me that
unless there was a shut down he could
neither take his family abroad next
summer nor permit them to spend the
season at Newport"
"Do you consider that a hardship"
exclaimed the young man, stopping and
turning toward his father.
"Why shouldn't it be? The poignancy
of ones disappointment depends upon
| how one has been reared. May not this
be felt quite as keenly by his wife and
| daughters as the wives and daughters
of our men will feel the loss of their
brief outings? And if somebody must
meet with disappointment and depri-
vations, you surely do not expect Mr..
| White to shield the men and their fam
lilies at the expense of his own wife
and daughters. A man must look out
| for his own first"
''Mr. White looks out for his own
| first, last and all the time. lean hardly
| think it right for him to run the risk of
bringing suffering to the families OF
| 400 men in order to prevent his wife
and four daughters from pouting be-
cause they can't go to Paris next sum-
mer."
The strike had been on for a month.
| Mr.. Gray had disposed of his stock
in the works and was no longer treas
urer. One evening a number of the
idle men had gathered in his store,
where he also kept the post Office. The
river was rising rapidly and the men
were discussing the probability of
| cheap fuel in the near future and the
consequent reopening of the works.
Harry Brown was there, too. He had
| had a good deal of business to trans
act with the cashier in the store when
the works were in operation and the
business hadn't seemed to lessen any
since the shutdown. The cashier was
Mr.. Gray's daughter.
While Harry was talking to Miss
Gray through the opening in the glass
partition behind which was her special
domain there was a commotion among
the men at the other end of the room.
superintendent Brown had come in
with others and appeared to have
some interesting information. Harry
was called, much to his disgust, and
joined the group.
Mr.. Gray had received letter from
the president of the Broadway Bridge
company. Among other things, he had
| written:
81 have bought the old Vulcan mills
from the litigants and propose to start
them as soon as they can be put in
| shape. I am sure you will do me the
! favor, Mr.. Gray, to accept the pres
idency of the new company. I know
that the best workmen will flock to
your standard. I have done with the
Rocky bottom works."
'Mr. White will certainly sue him
for breach of contract interposed SUI
| pe.intendent Brown.
"Wait a minute, Brown said Mr.
Gray, looking over his spectacles, ''and
maybe you'll change your opinion
And he continued to read:
| ''I have notified White that his viola
ton of the contract released us. dis
covered that he had forced the strike
| on the men, and am advised that he
had no more right to make an unrea-
| sOnable cut in wages and claim exemp-
ton from the obligations of the con-
tract on account of the consequent
strike than he would have to chuck
steel rail into his fy-whee1 and claim
exemption on account of an accident
to his machinery"
what do you say to that, Brown"
| Nothing. am not a lawyer"
"Now, Harry, here's something
that'll interest you," continued the old
gentleman, turning to his letters.
Tell young Brown that he can have
the superintendency of the Vulcan,
subject to your approval, of course
L have kept an eye on him when he
didn't know it and have observed that
he is popular among workmen and can
get more out of them with less gum
bling on their part than any man L
| ever knew"
Some of the men crowded around
their young favorite, and before he
was aware Of their intentions they had
| hoiSted him to their shoulders and
were carrying him with noisy goodna-
ture toward the cashiers apartment.
The young lady was soon informed
of the news and blushed prettily, but
could not be induced to come out of
her office and congratulate the young
man. She knew that she would have
an opportunity to tender her congrat-
| ulationS later.
Mr.. Gray end Harry Brown had NO