Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-02-11


sort leader among the discomfort
ed workmen. and he asked nothing
better than a chance to argue the
| point with one of the bosses.
There's two sides to that, Mr.
Griswold, and you hain't seen but
one. You don't know what it means
to earn your bread from day to day
like we do"
Don't IL" said Griswold. smiling
again. this time without the Gym
Iclsm. Perhaps l don't. and again,
perhaps I do. You're an older man
than l am, Martin. but I'll venture to
say that I've gone lacking more
meals in a year than you have in
your whole lifetime"
The man was silenced for a mo-
ment. but presently found tongue
| again.
"rhen what makes you so tarna-
ton hard on us fellows?" he de-
manded. "If you've known what
bare cupboard means for yourself.
l sh'd think you could put yourself
in workin'man's place.
Il can and do; and so does Ray
mer. But you won't believe anything
we say, and that settles it,
1T hain't come to anything like a
settlement yet" remarked the man,
sullenly.
1T has, so far as we are concerned.
Ii we cant be allowed to run our
business in our own way the plant
| may stand idle. It's ours"
81 don't know about that, Mr..
Eriswold."
about what?"
About the plant bein' yours and
Mr.. Raymer's. Seems like we fell
lows that helped earn the money to
build it ought to have some little
say"
Now this was one of the fOunda-
ton stones in Griswold's theories
and in his book; that the laborer is
entitled. not to a dividend share i'm
the product of his labor, but to the
entire product. But as yet he was
only broad enough to lay down the
general principle. He could by no
means apply it to the particular per-
sonal instance.
THAT is nonsense. Martin. and you
know it. Whose money built the
plant?"
The man took time to think about
it, and. as slow men often do, he
thought it over to some purpose.
Il s'pose you could say that amt
for me to say. but Pm goin' to say
1T. MIR. Raymer got his money from
the old man. and we. and others like
us. helped him earn it. | dunno who
helped you earn your money. Mr.
Griswold. Maybe you earned it all
yourself. but l don't believe it,"
At this Griswold flew into a pas
sion. there being no other retort for
such a thrust.
You don't know what you're talk
ing about" he snapped. LET me
pass"
The man stood aside respectfully
enough. and the master crossed the
street to the iron works side of it.
An arc light swinging from it's wire
In front of the foundry building flung
black shadows beneath the trees at
the curb line. and for aught a pass
er-by might see. street and plant
were alike deserted. But the quietude
was only seeming. AS Griswold
crossed the roadway, there was
binding flash of white light which
seemed to have it's focusing point
under tree which shaded the small
detached office building. The fash
was but momentary, but it served to
reveal knot of men in various atti-
tudes of expectancy at the corner of
the office. A glimpse was all Girls
void had, and it was followed instant
ly by yell of fury, the din and
clamor of a fray. and knot of ours.
ing. struggling men broke out of the
tree-shadow. Griswold flung himself
promptly into the thick of it. SEEING
nothing but that a dozen Infatuated
men were assaulting one.
For shame!" he cried, shoulderinu
his way into the group. "Stop it and
let him go. or I'll prosecute the last
one OF you in the courts!"
The melee quoted down. but two
of the men kept fast hold of their
prisoner. Griswold looked again. and
when he recognized the captive. had
curious little shock of surpr;se
The pinioned man was no other than
the man whom he had taken from the
island in the "Sprite." whose good
cigar he had smoked in the lobby of
the hotel. and whose occupation and
business In Wahaska he had by mo-
means been able to guess until Char.
lotte had enlightened him.
There was a moment of silence NJ
the portentous kind, and then the