The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-10-20
Magnificent Was
Michael Rubens
His Gratitude to the Widow Of the
Man Who Saved His Life
Was HBeautifuI."

London is in England. I tell you
this lest you think it is in Missouri
and to convince you that my geo.
graphical knowledge is accurate, l
further inform you that England is
not in Holland. SO, having located
the exact spot of which we intend to
speak, we will proceed and tell you
what has inspired our high intent.
Some years ago there was situated
about a quarter of a mile from Bat
tersea Bridge and near the banks Of
the Thames, a mantle and corset
factory owned by one named Michael
Rubens. The employees were fe-
males. Rubens, who was a high
tinancier on a low scale, had devel-
oped a system of remuneration for
labor done that was distinctly a
credit to his genius. The system
was this: Each new employee was
enrolled as an apprentice; after three
months apprenticeship a period of
probation commenced lasting any
where from six months to century,
during which the worker received a
wage amounting to one-half or one
third of the ordinary wage paid for
similar work elsewhere.
Great was Rubens!
Also, he permitted young ladies or
elderly women who wished to better
their conditions to take material
from his factory to their homes and
return it when fixed and fashioned
in a manner he designed. On one
occasion when Rubens, who was of
sporting disposition, was out with
a boating party on the Thames, be
was seized, evidently under the infu-
ence of some unnatural excitement,
with a desire to initiate and emulate
the oratorical antics of the parlia-
mentary representative herein men
toned, with the consequence that
the craft gave a larboard lure h
which deposited Rubens and his
companions in the river at a spot
where the water is deep and unsweet.
His companions, two in number,
were young men-not as mentally
vigorous as he perhaps, but better
adapted to cope with the emergency
than he was. So, spluttering a few
maledictions upon the cause of their
plight, they turned their attentions
shoreward, moving onward and away
from Rubens, W h o, gasping an
splashing and swallowing mouthfuls
of the fetid water, was dangled be-
tween Battersea and Eternity by the
buoyancy afforded by his clothes.
From this dangerous and ridiculous
position he was rescued by a young
wherryman named Jack Spurgeon,
who, after getting him out of the
water, conducted him to shack used
by lighterrnen where he was mas
saged and exercised and given an
opportunity to dry his clothing.
His gratitude towards his rescuer
was boundless.
I shall never forget your' he de-
clared, when sufficiently recovered
to speak. No, never! Not in a
thousand yearsp'
oh, that's awlright, Mr.. Roob'ns,' .
protested the young bargee, 'taint
nuttin' wuth speakin; Of"
All! your generosity wou d
make light of noble and unselfsh
deed, but / understand! Michael
Rubens is not the man to underprize
the value of your conduct. No! /
am of generous disposition myself
and l know when, what, and how to
reward. Listen to this" :" And with
a sweep and flourish he raised his
hat aloft and called on Heaven and
all therein, to bear witness to his
eternal gratitude)
Take this" he sobbed and he
handed Spurgeon rag label stamped
with his name and business address,
which he usually carried stitched
on the inside of his hat, take this
and if difficulties should ever neces-
state an appeal for assistance let
me be the first upon whom you shall
call"
Magniloquent was Rubens. n Q
one was his equal at game of talk.
He might have been poet, or an