The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-25

says US we lC just gun OuI lOl d lOtiC
spin in our car. Come along We've got
the drinkables on board. Well, say, they
looked like they thought they had been
havin' pipe saw EN- pinch each other
to sec il they was alive. why, cert, says
the big guy, after he got his breath, and we
piloted 'em around to where Jimmie was
waitin', and off we started. And say, they
certainly was dry. / could hardly keep the
big one from drinking SO much of that dope
he would kill his fool self. Easy as pie,
wasn't it, Annie?"
Miss Riley shrugged her shoulders with a
little shiver.
"Well," she gasped with a sigh of relief,
eve did it, and, of course, | wasn't afraid,
because | knew Jimmie wouldn't have let
'cm harm us, but it's kind Of hard for
honest girls like us payin ourself off that
way. You wouldn't like your wife to do it.,
Mr. Martin.
John Martin WINGED perceptibly, so they
felt it. even in the dark.
81 wouldn't like it," he said shortly.
81 don't like the business, but what else
can we do. We got to get the place-takers
out of town or we can't win the strike
Some we can persuade Some VIC can scare.
Some we can't. | don't stand for slugging,
and there you are
cts a tough game all right, assented
Annie, and President Eberhart nodded her
head vigorously and shifted her gum.
1t was six months since the fourteen
hundred molders and maChinists of Rock
port laid down their tools and the metal
workers strike began. Both sides held out
doggcdly. The strikers had proved them
selves equal to the endurance test, with all
that it involved of hardship; suffering,
heartaches, and even death
But the place-takers--!
AT the corner of Twenty-seCond and Fort
Streets, John Martin swung out ofthe motor
car and dropped into the shadow of door
way. The stairs behind him led up to the
cheapest of cheap lodging houses, one
barren room of which he occupied with
three others, each sleeping upon his own
roll Of blankets flung upon the floor. But
he did not go upstairs. Instead he stopped
just in the edge of the shadow where a
street light dimly illumined his features.
For a time he stood motionless, lost in rev.
erie Though the figure and garb were
that OF workingman in hard circumstances
the features in repose were benignant and
even noble.
And then suddenly they changed. The
shrill cry Of Scab!'' had floated out upon
the air The great face swiftly awokc
Lightnngs darted from the eyes. The
heavy brows were lowered The tense lips
tightened. Fists were clenched, and the
great figure, lean and muscular, crouched
like tiger for a spring, while hard, mask
like thing thrust itself around the corner
and peered cautiously into the street. The
immediate foreground was empty save fol
a woman carrying heavy child. The
mans eyes darted past her to the corner
where there was some kind of fight in
progress With long strides that were like
the leaps of beast of the jungle, Martin
crossed the pavement.
"Papa" screamed child's voice.
"Why, John" gasped the woman, reel
ing out Of his path.
Jennie For Gods sakel Is it your
the man Kissed hoarsely, checking his course
and almost falling to his knees in trembling
eagerness as he clasped first the child anC
sobbed hysterically for moment with he
face buried in her husbands shoulder. TheI
she held him off and scrutinized his feature
under the gas light, the man enduring j
at first with kind of shame-laced resolu
tion, and then with Frightening eyes.
ooh, John" she murmured "Yol
looked like a ravening beast"
Sometimes | think | am one" h
answered solemnly. But-where on cart
did you come from?"
He touched with a tender, caressin
motion the rosy tan upon her checks, ant
: brushed away a wisp of brown hair tina
hung down over her clear, blue eyes. "Yo
!, look ten years younger a day owe
twenty" he affirmed gallantly.
"Back from Cousin Wills ! earned tn
money for all of us myself, sewing" sh
answered proudly. 81 could not stay ou
J there in the country and leave you fghtin
! on alone here any longer. Somehow, Johr
| thought that everything wasn't right wit
you. Your letters were so short and thel
was such an awful tone of desperation
T, them that | was afraid for your mind, an
for your soul, too, John. You must G,
away, out Of this awful, terrible struggle
The mans wonderfully expressive fei
lures changed character again. There we
t heights and depths of resolution in ther
!, 1t was like some bit Of grand mounta
scenery, all full Of awful sublimities ar
intensities.
y "I'll never get out of it," he said, q
!. long as there is principle left to fight f
e or man to stand beside me. It's cost n
/, everything, already."/