Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-07-10
css Storyette
WHEN THE STRIKE WAS ON.


The strike was on and Ferguson
had lost two things, his job and b.
sweetheart. At the meeting the even
ing previous, when his union had de-
cided unanimously to remain AVA
| from their work, he had been a central
! figure. He had even thought it neces-
sary to say a few words in support OF
the position his fellOwworkmen had
taken; and to fortify his courage haC
done a very unusual thing for him
| One or two drinks, taken at just the
wrong time, had loosened his ton yue
and born in his soul an aggressiyeness
entirely foreign to his pnlegmatlc TEN
! permanent. After the meeting, where
| he had distinguished himself, he went
| to see Kate.
Kate was a girl who had promised
/ to marry him as soon as he had laid
| up $500, which sum she considered alb
! solutely necessary to the comfort If y
prospectively happy home. He was
almost there" as he expressed IT.,
when the strike came.
There was an unusual glitter in his
eye as he came into the modest parlol
of Rates home and her keen senses
| detected the odor of strong spirits IN
the first kiss.
Jerry" and she pushed him away
from her Indignantly, you've been
drinFing-and you promised me"
At another time he would have been
shcepish and crestfallen under the
stern arraignment; but now the false
| courage that had upheld him through
the trying ordeal of the few words"
he had said at the meeting sustained
him and he looked at her fearlessly,
CondesCendingly even.
"Well, what of it," he demanded
loosely. Then a trifle more earnest
ly: Really, Kate, had to, this time
just this once, but it shan't happen
again"
you had to-? This once!"
She repeated the words disdainfully.
"What was the matter? Cause you're
goin' to lose your job you're goin' to
give up everything else with it?"
81 had to say somcthing-just few
words at the meetin'-and | took a
glass to give me courage"
Courage" she laughed mockingly.
ITS queer kind of courage you
need, it seems to me. Amt it funny,
women never needs that kind of
courage? A man-some men" slowly
can't do anything, bear anything, un.
less they have something to give them
courage. D'you think If | was to lose
my Job at the restaurant tomorrow I'd
need any of that kind of courage 10
help me bear it? I'd need what
money | had to help me get another
You're a woman"
and is "a woman drawer than a
great, big strong man? No, you can't
talk to me. | told you when we made
1t up that SO long as you kept from
drink and was sober and steady I'd
do my part. You've broken your
promise and you can go, Mr.
Ferguson"
The last words were the quintes
sence of ruthless sarcasm, and the
mood of the man was to crafty her
desire to get rid of him.
So the next morning found him
hands in pockets, lounging against =
white post at one side of the common
duh vain IN his head, which wa
not quite clear from the libations OF
the niaht before, and a sinking feel
ing in his heart, where the "achine
void" had begun to grow. He hat
been ha.d-working and sober for he
last fivo or six years since he hat
known Kate, and now he was an idlel
with Clcuded senses. But he did no.
blame himself Not yet. He curset
his informal luck and maligned the
girl who had pointed out TO him +;
folly.
The wind whistled shrilly around al
adjacent building. and he pulled thu
collar of his REFER farther over HI,
face as he turned his attention to tn,
passing crowds. One steady stream c
pederstiaus poured out of the grea
gates Just behind his shoulder, anC
mingling with the surging throngs OF
the sidewalk IN front of him were
J swept along like the rush of grea
= waves laundering up to the encroach
ing sands
/ There vas blockade of street car
; just ahead Motormen changed thel
gongs and stamped impatiently to en-