River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-08-14

his employ, you would better be eau
tious how you criticise him." answered
the discreet elder.
II know. 1 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 haIf-a-day lay-offs, pic
mics, excursions on the river and so
forth"
"Well, shouldn't they have these d.
versions?"
perhaps. But consider the other
side a 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 ut Newport.
"Do you consider that hardship,
exclaimed the young man, stopping anu
turning toward his father.
why shouldn't it be? The poignancy
of ones disappointment depends upon
how one has been reared. May not TINS
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 deP[l-
vations, YOU surely do not expect MI
White to shield the men and their lam
lilies at the expense of his own "lle
and daughters. A man must look out
for his own first"
"Nr, White looks out for his own
first. lastand all the time. can hardly
think it right for him to run the rlsk OF
bringing suffering to the families OF
400 men in order to prevent ms WlIe
and four daughters from poutlng be-
cause they can't go to Paris next sum-
mer."
The strike had been on for 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:
II 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. [ know
that the best workmen will flock to
your standard. | have done with the
Rocky works"
''Mr. White will certainly sue him
for breach of contract" interposed Su-
perintendent Brown.
''Wait a minute, Brown said Mr..
Gray, looking over his spectacles, land
maybe you'll change your opinion
And he continued to read:
q I 1. L
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 a
steel rail into his fy-wheel and claim
exemption on account of an accident
to his machinery"
what do you say to that, Brown
Nothing. l am not lawyer"
snow, Harry, here's something
that'n interest YOU" continued the old
gentleman, turning to his letters.
Tell young Brown that he can have
the SUPPLEMENTARY 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 grum-
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 good ma
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 and Harry Brown had no
trouble in securing first-class work
men. The Rockybottom men were the
first to offer their services. AS John
Mason phrased it: 1--WE know our
friends and propose to stand by them.
from Mr.. Gray and Harry Brown down
no, up to Miss PEARL
Harry thought so, too, and was con-
WINGED beyond any doubt when. a
month later, he learned that a davis
pay of every man in the mills had been
quietly contributed toward the pur-
chase of magnificent service of silver
as wedding present for himself and
Miss Gray.-Sunny South, Atlanta.