Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-07-27
CHAPTER xY1.

own troubles, and when some one tele-
phoned the editor Of the Morning Trib-
une that Chiawasse Consolidated had
succumbed at last, he did not deem 1t
worth while to inquire whether the
strike at Gordonia was the cause or the
consequence of the sudden shut down.
but day or two later, when rumors
OF threatened violence began to tricklc
IN over the telephone wires. Tribune
man called, in passing. at the general
OFFICES in the Coosa Building. and was
promptly put to sleep by the astute
DSckman. who. for reasons of his own.
was quite willing to conceal the true
state of affairs. Yes, there was sus-
pension of active operations at Gordon
Ia. and he believed there had been some
hot-headed talk among the miners, Bat
there would be no trouble. Mr.. Farley
was at present in London negotiating
for English capital When he should
return. the capital stock of the COM
pany would be. increased, and the plant
would probably be removed to South
Tredegar and enlarged.
All of which was duly jotted down to
be passed into the Tribune's archives;
and the following morning Tom, doing
guard duty with his father, the two
Helgersons and squad of the yard
men at the threatened plant. read a
pointless editorial in which misstate-
ment of fact and sympathy for the abb
sent and struggling Farleys were
equally and impartially blended.
Look at that" he growled. wrath
fully. handing the paper across the Of
fee desk to Caleb. zone Of these fine
days I'm going to land that fellow
Dyckman in the penitentiary."
The iron-master put on his specta-
cles and plodded slowly and conscien-
tiously through the editorial. turning
the paper. at length, to glance over
the headings on the telegraphic page.
In the middle OF 1t he looked up sud-
denly to say:
Son, what was the name o. that In
diany town with the big water-pipe
contract?"
Tom gave It In word. and Caleb
passed the paper back. with his thumb
on one Of the press dispatches
Read that" he said.
Tom read, and the wrathful scowl
evoked by the foolish editorial gave
place to a fitting smile of triumph.
There was trouble In the Indiana city
over the awarding of the pipe contract.
In some way unknown to the press re-
porter, 1t had leaked out that a much
lower bid than the one accepted had
been ignored by the purchasing com
mittee. A municipal election was
pending, and the people were up in
arms. Rumors of a wholesale indict-
ment of the suspected officials were
rife, and the city offices were in state
of siege.
Tom put the paper down and smote
7 on the desk.
II thought perhaps could give them
run for their money"
"You?" said Caleb. removing his
glasses. "How's that?'
ut was shot in the dark, and j
didn't want to Drag beforehand" he
explained. 81 wrestled 1t out Satur-
day night when was tramping the
hills after Doc Williams had brought
mother around. One member OF the
purchasing committee was ready 20
dodge; he gave me pointer before
left Louisville. didn't see anything
in 1t then but revenge: but afterward l
saw how we might spend some money
to q possible advantage"
II reckon I'm sort O. dull. Buddy;
what-all did you do?"
wired the disgruntled one that
there was a letter and q check in the
mail for him to be followed by another
and a bigger one IL his pole proved
long enough to reach the persimmons.
The old iron-master left his chair
and began to walk the floor. six steps
and turn. After "a little he said:
atom, is that business"
ut il the modern definition OF It."
.sWhat,s goin' to happen up yonder
In Indiany
.If 1 knew. I'd be good bit easier
in my mind. What I'm hoping Is that
the rumpus Will be big enough to make
.en turn the contract out way.
.Where's your heart, Buddy? Would
voui take the chance of sendin' these
fellows to Jail for the sake OF gettin'
that contract"
.cheerfully." said Tom. They're ras-
Gals. L could have bought them II I'd
had money enough; and the other fell
low did buy them"
The old man resumed his monoton-
ons tramp UP and down the room. The
hardness in TOMS voice unnerved him
After another interval of silence he
spoke again.
II wish you hadn't done 1t, son. It's
n dirty Job. any way you look at IT,
NORMAN says it's a condition, not a
theory; and he is right We are liv-
ing under a new order OF things, and
AZ we want to- stay alive, we've got to
conform to It. 1t gagged me at first:
reckon there are some traces OF the
christian tradition left. But. pappy
I'm going to win. That is what I'm
here for. There is nothing for US to dc
hut to sit tight and wait. If we get O
telegram from Indiana before these
idiots Of ours lose their heads and GO
to rioting and burning. we shall still
have a fighting chance. II not. we'r;
smashed"
..You mustn't be too hard on thu
men, Buddy. They've been mighty pa
tent"
-1f 1 could do what I'd like to, I'd
FIRE the last man of them. 1t makes
me savage to have them turn up and
knock US on the head after we've beer
sweating blood to pull through. Have
you seen Ludlow2"
Yes: saw him last might He's
right ugly; swore he wouldn't raise 9
hand even II the boys took kerosene
and dynamite to u.s."
z. ''Well. II they do. he'll be the first
man. to pay for It," said Tom: and hi
left the once and the house to make
the round Of the guarded gates.
Ludlow was as good as his word. Or
the night following the day OF sus-
pense an attempt was made to wreck
the inclined railway running from ths
mines on Lebanon to- the coke yard
It was happily frustrated; but wher
Tom and his handful of guards got
back to the foot of the hill they found
a Are started in a pile of wooden flask.
heaped against the end of the foundry
building.
The fire was easily extinguishable
by willing hand or two. but Ton
tried an experiment. Steam had beer
kept up in single battery of boilers
against emergencies. and he directed
Helgerson to throw open the great
gates while he ran to the boiler room
and sent the firecall of the huge sirer
whistle shrieking out on the night. Ths
experiment was only meagerly success.
full. Less than score of the striker.
answered the call. but these worked
with will. and the fire was quickly