The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-06-10

had not began to inquire into the rela-
lions between capital and labor and
there was no fixed time for closing
business places. Austria was a free"
country for the exploitation of labor
and Vienna, dear old Vienna, was the
first city in free Austria. The gen.
eral merchandise establishment of Leo
pold Swoboda was on it's principal
street and was especially noted because
it kept open until IL o'clock at night.
1t was 9:45 p m. The badly lighted
street was silent, deserted. The stores
were closed. Outside Of the taverns
and coffee house only the general
merchandise establishment of Leopold
Swoboda shed a pale yellow light
through its windows into the street.
Swoboda himself had a comfortable
seat in the Red Apple tavern.
There were three clerks in his store
with little to do. The door bell that
announced the entrance Of a customer
seldom rang. To be quite undisturbed
they had retired to the supply room
and seated themselves on liquor and
vinegar barrels. They yawned and
stretched themselves, tired from a
long days work.
They carried on a sleepy conversa-
ton concerning a former clerk who
had been sentenced to penal servitude
the day before.
II can hardly believe, Anton" said
the youngest clerk, a thin, eighteen
year-old boy with curly hair, that
you knew him so WE'LL"
HIn1ood l{d ror}o-5 +ho x>oreo,
dressed, a shrunken, wrinkled little
man with shiny, bald top, surround
ed by thin, gray hair. He sat here for
six years as we do now, on the alert as
we are for the bosses coming, and
every evening we were just as tired as
we are now. The same story. When
he went to the tavern he had chance
to rest for an hour and tell stories.
Just like today"
wasn't he a suspicious character
then? His eyes! His manner. Couldn't
you detect the rascal in him?'' ~~
IF I said yes it would not be true.
He had trouble with Swoboda but it
was on account of his racy stories.
Then he broke into the supply room
one night. Otherwise I know nothing
about him."
perhaps he is innocent" said the
third clerk, a tall Italian, whose clothes
hung loosely on his meager form. HE
! protested his innocence to the last.
! Twenty years confinement. Will he
survive it,"
The door bell rang and they sprang
from the barrels. The blond ran to the
coffee chest and began sorting out the
bud beans; the Italian seized the fun
, mel and drew off liquor into jugs; An
ton, with the Indifference Of experience,
waited calmly in the supply room. It
was only Mali from the third story
who needed a dozen candles. Anton
went out, ascertained her wants,
pressed the candles upon her, the door
bell rang and the store was empty
again.
In minute the clerks were on the
barrels again and the conversation was
renewed.
1T is impossible to outlive such a
sentence" said the young blonde
Funny, is it? He is twenty-four. He
will be a respectable middle aged man
of forty-four when he gets OUT
Such stupidity was too much for the
older clerks
"Have you any idea of prison life?'
asked the Italian.
mo-" said the blonde, II haven't.
Have you?"
"Why, yes" said the tactiturn Ital-
ian. II have heard tell. 1t is horri-
ble.'
II don't believe it," cried the blonde.
when we had the straight jacket and
red-hot pincers it may have been, or
in Siberia, where people are stuck into
cells, where the walls and floor are
covered with sharp nails. Nowadays
convicts can have good time in their
cells"
"Sil1y," cried the eldest angrily,
what are you thinking Of? Would you
enjoy sitting all day alone in the cell
or workshop with not more than half
an hours walk in the fresh air? The
miserable food, the continual exertion ?
They work so hard they are all in at
night. No, thank you. And think of
the foul air of the prison cells When
you are in for twenty years you are 50
accustomed to the rules that freedom
is bore to you"
The walk and talk of approaching
IlCI1 was ICdIu 1IOl1l Iuc street. SWO-
boda stood before the door with a
friend, the knob in his hand. The
clerks were down in an instant When
the bell rang the blonde was busy over
the coffee chest, the italian drew off
liquor, while Anton busted himself
around the counters.
"Come in," said Swoboda to a heavy
set gentleman, 1--WE don't close until
II or half past. Come in and try my
new brandy"
The heavy-set gentleman entered and
too seat and received glass of
brandy.
Eyes, we often close at half past
eleven"
when do you open up?" asked the
heavy-set gentleman.
six punctually.''
lin, Inn, the air is tri1e rank
in here
Pause. The gentlemen have nothing
to say. Finally the brandy-drinker
asks: "When do Won 90 awav FIR tho