The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1902-12-12
Little
N e IL
Fowler
oepnsg,,,. 81. D. a. 5. Rtenar,l.on,. :

as far almost as the eye could reach
this dense mass of humanity. men, wo-
men and children. cheered and waved
parasoIs. bats, handkerchiefs and min.
iature flags.
The great Labor day parade passed
slowly along. and parties of pIcnickers
filed the street cars ON other thorough
fares.
Fathers. husbands and sons were
where every son of toll should be on
such day. in the ranks of the labor
men on parade. A few were working
in miniature shops erected as floats
representing some particular line of in..
dustry and drawn along the streets by
gayly .decked horses, but the multitude
were in the ranks, each in his respec-
tive urioa, doing his little to swell the
man. tile bone and sinew of great
nation.
Ted Gardner, as usual, was In line.
Teds friends always looked for him on
one of the huge fonts that preceded the
various unions aud labor organizers
representing the different branches of
mechanical art. For SIX years Ted had
been with the Westchester company,
and there was not n man of the five
hundred und more employees who
earned his livelihood within the walls
but had n CHEEKY wcrd for Ted. Since
the last Lnhur day parade, however, to
his most Intimate friends Ted had not
appeared to be just us cheerful as In
the old days. Moreover, he was doing
too much night work Mt home.
IT'S enough to work your eight hours
each day, Ted" said E'itson to him the
morning of the parade, land put in
your evenings knocking around
Not the kind that knocks around,
Fits" replied Ted.
go over and see the girl. then, my
boy" responded Fitson as parting
shot. THAT'S better still"
Good advice" muttered Gardner to
himself, but / quit that year igon
The Westchester employees always
met after the Labor day ceremonies
and had an excursion of their own in a
general, good oldS fashioned picnic
style. This year Ted had decided to
take charge.of the. two fonts that came
from the Westchester shops and see
them safely returned. He. was not go
ing to the picnic.
On one float, showing small marine
engine and three benches with the
same number of men busily at work,
was Ted attired in working clothes and
doing nothing in particular, but moving
about.
His mind was evidently on the other
float ahead, for he continually glanced
in that direction. On this foat was a
genuine, if small, naphtha launch, and
to add to the realistic effect three Ia
dies of the Office staff and as many
men from the same department, be-
comingly attired in boating costumes,
were lounging about on the cushions.
The small engine In the craft was not
working, but the SsHttla was occa-
sionally lighted to keep steam up for
the purpose of blowing the ear split
ting whistle at stated intervals.
1t was not the float itself that at.
ner, but little Nell Fowler. one OF the
daughter OF big Joe Fowler, for many
years foreman of the Westchester
works, and man who thought well OF
Ted and had kept his eye on the boy
in the early days for there's some
thing more than ordinary in that cuss,"
he would say. But Joe contracted diph-
iberia during the epidemic in the shops
in 1899 and was the. third of the eight
men carried on that never to be forgot
ten spring.
The company did Something hand
some" as the boys put 1t, for each of
the bereaved families, and in addition
In Fowler's case took into the office at
fair salary his daughter Nell, a young
woman of some twenty summers.
The day of Joe's death. Ted had met
Nell walking. down to the works to
deliver the message. She was weep
ing. He had never spoken to her be.
fore, but he suspected her mission
and, raising his cap politely, said feel.
ingly: please. Miss Fowler. I'll tell
them at the works. Don't you so down
there"
Nell hesitated a moment, looked APP
pealinglytat him, then THANK you"
she said. You are very kind" Quick,
ly she retraced her steps, and Ted,
watching the retreatihg figure for
moment. saunteredS Off to break the
news to the office staff
Yes he remembered all that MS
though 1t We're yesterday. yet 1t; was
almost three years ago. Labor day of
mat year Nell was not MT the picnic,
but on the next holiday she was there, 4
and on TINT very day he had told her.
1t needed no telling for Nell had
known long ago. as every woman does.
and she was proud of It, but she sat
silently picking Wild flower to pieces
as he spoke. and finally when he asked
that she give up. the Office and come
with him to new home of their own
she rose TO her feet and moved away.
lie had followed. From then on she
seemed to change Atleast Ted thought
SO. Again he had spoken and this time