The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-10-06

more real charity right down here than
have anywhere else. Danville offered
20 tai care of some of the poor fami-
lies; and as for John Kennard, they
say he's living on nothing a year"
How do you mean?"
why, he's paying the pensions of
al his old employees himself-and
some of the others too, l believe. He's
rented his apartment and is living in
a boarding house"
Leslie was leaning forward with her
elbows on the table, listening to every
word
"But-but can't he compel-why
don't the men who are doing this see
why can't he persuade them it's
wrong?"
That's just the point, my dear. That
is what you should persuade your father
to look into. These people, not salts
lied with rObbing the pensioners, are
now proposing to rob the stockholders,
of whom your father is one. They've
cut down the wages of the workmen
on purpose to cause strike and lower
the price of stock, so they can buy it
2heaply. Rather than countenance this,
John resigned, and he's fighting to turn
them out at the next election, which
occurs very soon. If they defeat him.
it not only means his ruin, but the
ruin of lots of other men less able to
bear it. Now possibly your father may
no To o1C. nd
as some of them are persons who are
received in decent society and are
considered highly respectable, it's quite
likely they might impose on him. But
he's just the man to carry this thing
through with John, and I'm sure he
would"
"Of course they'll be on the same
side"
They will if your father under
stands the real situation, but he is
probably too busy with other things
TO give his best attention to this. Per-
haps he's authorized some one else to
vote for him. They do that in these
big companies, I'm told However, if
his attention is properly directed to
the matter, | know he'll take it up,
and there's time yet if it's done now.
That's why I've spoken to you"
But, dear Mrs. Parsons, what do
you want me to do?"
81 don't want you to do anything,
Leslie. l tell you the facts and leave
them confidently in your hands. If !
thought you were the kind of girl who
wouldn't know how to use them,
should have held my tongue, or gone
direct to Mr.. Harlan myself. But |
know you have tact and brains, and
will do the best that can be done"
Mrs. Parsons gathered up the ma
terial in her lap, wove her needle into
a seam. and looked at her watch.
Il must go now. ! suppose the next
hour will be your busiest, so you won't
want company, anyway. And, dear
child" Mrs. Parsons put her hands on
Leslie's shoulders and looked straight
into the girls eyes, IF you don't feel
right about interfering for any reason
whatever, let it drop. | can imagine |
which might make it
unwise or embarrassing, and l have
every confidence in your judgment.
wish l felt as sure of every one as ]
Go of you. Goodbye"
Had Dave Maddox felt as much con-
fidence in Mrs. Parsons, it is probable
he would not have called on Miss Har-
Ian that evening. Had he felt more
confidence in himself, he would have
stayed longer than ten minutes when
he found Neil Croydon at the house.
But in those ten minutes he managed
to exhibit himself at his very worst,
being didactfc, contradictory, cynical, |
and altogether far from agreeable.
They're puzzle, these women"
he muttered, as he stalked down the
street; you can't tell anything about |
them. I'd have sworn she cared for |
Jack, but after seeing her with that
faced bunco-steerer tonight
Bah, / don't believe girls ever know
their own minds five minutes to-
gether."
Two hours later Cornelius Croydon
left the house with a totally different |
impression, for Miss Harlan had made |
it only too clear to him that women
do, occasionally at least, know their
own minds.
CuApTER wy