Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-07-13

waiting lot MIN, ana Tom stated the
case succinctly. adding brief of the
interview which had Just taken place
at the hotel.
You say they agreed to your pro-
posal?' observed the lawyer. did Mr..
Farley indicate the method?'
NO"
Have you copy of the bylaws of
your company"
Tom produced the packet of pape.s
received that morning from his father.
and handed the required pamphlet to
Mr.. Croswell.
H'm-ha! the usual form. A stock
holders meeting. with resolution.
but that can't be held without the pub
lished call. You say your father Is a
stockholder?"
He has four hundred and three of
the original one thousand shares.
hold his proxy"
The attorney smiled shrewdly.
You are a very remar kable young
man. You seem to have come pre-
pared at all points"
The conference in Room 327, Fifth
Avenue Hotel. held while the carriages
were waiting to take the steamer party
to the pier. was brief and businesslikef
Something to- Toms surprise. Major
Dabney was present: and little later
he learned, with shock OF resentment.
that the Major was also q minority
stockholder In the moribund Chiawas-
| see Consolidated, The master Of Deer
Trace was as gracious to Caleb Cor
don's son as only Dabney knew how
to be. ~
Nothing could give me greateh
pleasure. my deah boy, than this plan
OF having youth father in command at
Gordonia, he beamed. shaking Toms
hand effusively. II hope you'll have US
! all made millionaihs when we get back
home again: l do, for fact. suh."
Tom smiled and shook his head.
1T looks pretty black. just now, Ma
jor. I'm afraid we're in for rough
| weather.. r..
The leave-takings were brief, and
somewhat constrained. save those of
the genial Major. Tom pleaded busi-
ness, further business, with his attor-
ney. when the Major would have had
him wait to tell the ladies' good by:Y
hence he saw no more OF the tourists
after the conference broke up.
Not TO lose time. Tom took a noon
train back to Boston, first wiring his
father toytry and keep things in order
at Gordonia for another week at all
hazards. Winning back to the technl-
cal school. he plunged once more into
the examination whirlpool doing his
best to forget Chiawassee Consolidat
ed and its mortal sickness for the time
being. and succeeding SO we'll that he
passed with colors flying,
But the school task done, he turned,
down the old leaf. pasting 1t firmly in
place, Telegraphing his father to meet
him, on the morning OF the third day
following. at the station In South Tre-
degar. he allowed himself a few hours
for run up the North Shore and
conference with the Michigan iron
king; after which he ttirhed his face
southwark and was soon speeding to
| the battlefield through land by this
time shaking to its industriaf founda-
lions in the throes Of the panic earth
quake.
CHAPTER XIV.
AS early as o'clock In the after.
noon, the elder Helgerson, acting rs
Iday Waterman at the iron works. had
opened the great yard gates,A and the,
men began to gather by twos and
threes and in little caucusing knots in
the sand floor Of the huge. iron -roored
foundry building. Some OF the more
heedful sat to work making seats of
| the wooden flask frames and bottom
boards; and in the pouring space 'front.'
ing one Of the cupolas they built a
rough and-ready. platform out OF the
same materials.
AS the numbers increased the men
fell Into groups, dividing first on the
color-line. and then by trades, with the
white miners In the majority and doing
most of the. talking.
4 Whats all this buzzin' about Young
Tom" queried one Of the men In the
miners caucus. Wright nigh every
other word with old Caleb war. tom,
my son. Tom. Why. I ricoliect him
when he wasn't mo more'n knee high
to hop-toad!
We'll. you bet your life he's heap
highen'n that now" said another. who
had CHANGED to be at the station when
the Gordons. father and son, left the
train together. He's half head
taller than the old man. an built like.
one O. Maze Dabney's thoroughbreds.
But ! reckon he amt nothin but a
school, boy. for all o. that"
"Gar-r-r!" spat third. We've had
one kid too many In this outfit. all
4 along" ~ -
sYes. chimed m fourth.a 'huckle-
berry, miner from the Bald Mountain
district II don't believe the old man
| knows. himself. He ftSaround and Mt
! around. talkin' to me. and never said
nothin' more'n that there was goin' to
be meettn' here at o'clock. and Tom
his son Tom-was goin' to speak to
i 1T"
Tom and his father, entered the
building from the cupola side. and Tom
mounted the fask-built platform while
the men were scattering to find seats
He made a goodly figure of young
manhood. standing at ease ON the pile
OF frames until quiet should prevail.
and the chances flung up from the
throng OF workmen were friendly rath-
/ er than critical When the time came.
he began to speak quietly, but with a
certain masterful quality in his voice
that unmistakably constrained atten-
ton.
II suppose you have ali been told
why the works are shut down-why
you are out OF a Job in the middle OF
summer; and understand you are NOT
fully satisfied with the reason that WAS
Il 6tNSh"IAAtAAu SAAAAcosa = w hANS pSSA 60y-l
ing among yourselves that II the presi-
dent and the treasurer could go of on
a holiday trip to Europe. the situation
couldn't be SO very desperate. Isn't
that Sc? 2"
That's SO; you've hit 1t in the head
first crack out o. the box" was the
swift reply from score of the men.
Good: then we'll settle that polnt
before we go amy further. I want TO
tell you men that the hard times are
here, sure enough. We are all hoping
that they won't last very long: but the
fact remains that the wheels have
stopped. Let me tell you: I've Just
come down from the North. and the
streets of the cities up there are full Of
idle men. All the way down here
didn't see single iron-furnace In
blast. and those of you who have been
over to South Tredegar know what the
conditions are there. Mr. Farley has
gone to Europe because he believes
I. H.. l. =. ~