Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-06-23

Under the stimulus of the words o1 their leader. the forces rallied suf- fciently to reach the hospitable roof of Widow Flaherty's barn. Widow Fla herty, who lived in the upper story oi the barn, was a devout admirer of the departed Miss Mullins, and, Maggie knew, would be valuable addition to her forces.
 When the policemen made their way to the temporary fortress. with many sly jokes and laughs at the easy task before them, they met with locked doors below and vigorous response from the upper window
 And don't ye dare set foot on me premises, not one of ye, and if my voice can't make 1t plain to ye, I've somethin' that will talk so yell under stan it." and she held to their view . kettle of boiling hot water
 The arguments of the widow proved unanswerable, and the policemen de- parted.
 The victory was won, but alas for the way of great leaders. In the cor ner of Mrs. F1aherty's barn, as the November afternoon darkened into evening, sat the victorious leader of the hundred, her face buried in her apron, weeping with a woe not to be comforted. What cared she that to- night her name would be upon the tongue of every boy and girl in the ward, that even now the newsboys in the streets were crying her as the chief attraction of the evening paper?
 These things were as nothing, for awful thought-Roderick Dhu, the idol Of her heart, was lost. In that fearful moment when the advance of the en- emy seemed to endanger her cause, she had dropped the hand of the in fant Roderick, and in the confusion which followed he had strayed away.
 It grew still darker. Something must be done. for Roderick Dhu feared the dark shadows Of the night, and it was drawing near to that delicious hour when hc vas won't to lay his lit- tie head upon Maggie's devoted shoul- der and start on his journey to Slum- berland
 As she hurried past the deserted school-house, she bethought herself that she had forgotten to search that building.
 Was mat light at the end of the hall? Probably the janitor, still at work.
 Through the glass door Maggie peeped She drew back in dismay. She had quite forgotten that this was the ofhce of the despised principal. How the hot blood diu pump itself up from her valiant heart, as she beheld the hated tyrant sitting in his chair, reading-lamp by his side What was that? Maggie's heart stopped pumping for very astonishment. for, snuggled close in the tyrant's arms, as com fortably as he ever lay in Maggies own, was the recreant Roderick, look ing up into the tyrant's face with the same. fascinating goodnight, baby ways that Maggie loved. And the ty- rant-the hated tyrant--Maggie's eyes almost swallowed up her face, they grew so large from looking, this same tyrant was smiling down into the baby eyes as he softly crooned a lullaby. The voice ceased singing, and the wor- ried look that Maggie had noticed upon the face of the principal that morning. returned. The intuition of her sex. stimulated by a somewhat troubled conscience. told Maggie that the worried look was one for which she was responsible. As if fearful that she might be led to change her mind, she bolted into the room, planted her self in front of the astonished princi- pal, and explained somewhat inco- herently:
 'Oh, sir. it was me that did 1t all! I stirred 'em up, l did. They'd never a one of 'em dared do 1t without; they said so theirselves. And when the cops came, they'd everyone of 'em backed out. but I called 'em towards. And 1t was then ], lost the baby. and wished I'd never been born before ever heard of strike or union, sir. And then you found him. and cuddled him up for the night just as he likes to be cuddled. and I'm so sorry I made all the trouble. and you don't need to worry any more about the old strike, l for I'll declare 1t all on tomorrow and the kin that dares to | stay away. rll-I'll-" and although 1 Maggie's fervent voice and earnest eyes spoke volumes, the words were interrupted by a strange choking in l her throat
 If the reporters could have looked i Into the Skelton school just then. they would have found abundant material for a scoop. for the erstwhile leader !, of the strike. as the pent-up emotions of the day found vent in a veritable | Niagara of tears. felt herself drawn {, close to the tyrant's side. her heid | resting upon his immaculate coat sleeve. as he tenderiy wiped away the tears.
 When interviewed the next day as 10 the settlement of the novel strike. the principal only smiled a quiet smile and said:
 "Yes. the strike is settled. and an-