The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-01-16

closed up together and he knew that
Johnny had had time to reach the car,
he, too. disappeared in the darkness.
When Ransom reached the way car,
Johnny was just concealing himself in
a locker. The mob must have OWNED
the place of his refuge. for thpy were
soon clamoring about the car demand
ing the boy: Big Jim finally told them
that two Of their number could come
in and search the car, and when the
two. men came in Jim cautioned the
one that understood "English''~ that he
had, better not: hunt toos:clo se7and find
ny thing Z hes italian, observing the
ugly: looking Revolver that Jim held in
his hand, concluded that he was of the
same mind and the search was very
brief and not very thorough, the result
Of which was that Johnny was not
found.
The wrecking crew had reached the
scene by this time with an operator
who tapped the wires and Ransom was
| ordered to return to Balm, pick up his
train and go back two stations and
go over another line where, by a
roundabout way, he would reach his
destination with the time freight much
sooners than he would if he waited
for the wreck to be cleaned up.
Big Jim had been doing some think
ing for Johnny's benefit and he decided
I that the boy had better go away for
time at least and go at once, and he
SO advised Johnny as they backed up
to Balm. The result was that Johnny
gathered up his effects and when No.
II backed out Of Balm to resume its
journey he was aboard. When Ran
som reached the end of his run, in the
| town across the line in the States, Big
| Jim Ransom, as he shook Johnny S
| hand in goodbye, left a $40 note in it
| to help him on his way. There were
tears in Johnnys eyes as he babe his
| friend goodbye and he mentally vowed
| that if the day ever came when it was
| possible for him to do so he would re-
! pay the favors shown him.
Fifteen years had passed away. Big
Jim Ransom had lost OUT on the G..
| P. & c.. c. Railway, and crossed over to
| Chicago and was running a train out
| of that city in 1894. Jim was just as
warm hearted and impulsive as he was
the night when he helped Johnny Day
|
ians: He sometimes wondered what
had become of Johnny. The boy had
sent him back his $40 with generous
| interest, and from that day Ransom
had heard no more from Johnny.
There was trouble brewing in the
| railroad world A battle was to be
waged between the employees of a great
corporation and their employers, and
through that bond of~syppathy which
binds the hearts of mankind togethehr
with chains of love, to aid the weak
and oppressed, to resist their oppres-
sions, thousands of men entered the
struggle and sacrificed all but their
manhood in conflict in which, even
| in defeat, they did not lose. Chicago
| was the storm center, and when it was
! all over. Big Jim Ransom, like thou
sands Of others, was out of work and,
| what was worse yet, no road seemed
| to want his services. For many days
Jim travelled as weary road. Work was
scarce and seemed daily to be growing
scarcer. Twise he found employment
end worked for short time but some
| thing was wrong with his references
and he had to go. He felt the injustice
of his treatment and the second time
he said sharp things to the superin-
/ tendent who let him go, but it did no
! good and the oppressed striker was
| fast being forced to become a. tramp or
criminal. He left Chicago headed for
| the boundless West with only a few
dollars in his pocket The rest of the
money he had, and it was not large
sum, he left with. his family in .Chica-
go.a He had always found employment
Ebeforez and surely i & would now, Some
iEwhere #inz the great.W est II here must be
nan ch ance sf nn q ne ind
it ana ths an his ips and AN
osol., BRAY