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

1hcy culd not help lingering for a
mcucnt AID looking on. The bespectaclcd
grocer was serving some one now. Canned
goods, varicolored cartons and packages
that looked like sugar and beans and coffee
were heaped on the counter, and the grocer
was taking from the scales a huge piece Of
salt pork. 1t was just the size and cut that
John used to buy
The purchaser stood with his back to the
door. As he turned to lay his money en- the
counter, John saw his face.
"Lool he exclaimed excitedly. "That's
the place-taker. That's Carr, the man that
took my job; the man that got arrested
for talking TO. He must live down here
somewhere He's got my jobl" Martin S
words were Kissing through his teeth in
fanatcal frenzy. "Thats my money he
earned. That's my money he's putting
on the counter there. That's my grub, my
sugar and coffee and meat. He's pirate
He's robberl"
"Oh, come away, John You're going
madl " whispered his wife, fearfully, Selling
his arm and dragging him away from the
fascinating sight, as if She feared he might
leap in and throttle the man.
Before the critical moment had passed a
thing of legs and arms, Of blue eyes and tan
and freckles, with features all excitement,
appeared in the light that streamcd
through the shop window, and created a
helpful diversion by catapulting straight
into the arms of John Martin. This was
ten-year-old Jack
pal" he gasped, when he could breathe.
"Theres somebody livin' in our house.
Got kid same as me. He says it's theirn.
| licked the puddin' out Of him. Sayl 1t
amt theirn, is it? Is it, PAP"
Hush, Jack" said his mother.
Martin was walking stiffly down the
street, carrying Tommie in his arms, his
wife on one side OF him and Jack dancing
along with his insistent quesiionings on
the other. John stared straight before him
and moved like one in a.dream, yet guided
his footsteps to the opposite side Ct the
street from that on which theiriormer home
stood, and when he came before it, stopped
and looked vacantly across. The front was
dark A light cleaned from the dining
room window. Jennie stood close beside
her husband.
"The light looks so natural, falling on
the fence pickets, there" she Observed
mournfully, with an ill-suppressed sob.
Little Jack felt himself oppressed into
silence by the crying of his mother, and
the sombreness of his fathers mood, but
for all that, gripped his great hand stoutly,
as if TO say, "I'll stand by you, old man,
whatever's happened.
,lD Ia,
other side OF the street and turned in at the
gate, entering the house by the side door,
which seemed to close with hollow, dismal
echo
"Tm going to ask who's living in it,"
declared Jennie, moved by sudden i'm
pulse. John, not realizing her purpose in
time to stop her, nor even knowing whether
he wished to stop her, followed across to
the curb, and stood half concealed in the
darkness when she rang the bell.
The door was opened by the man.
"Who-2 Who's renting this place
now?," asked Jennie, timidly.
"Nobody's rentin' il, answered the man
testify, 81 oun it."
"Oh, sighed the little woman, shrinking
away with complete loss OF heart
As the man, seeming trihe puzzled,
drew back to close the door, light from
within streamed past his profile and Martin,
out on the curb, recognized him.
"It's Carl" he gasped "'The place
takerl He owns it," he groaned "IIe's
got my job, and now, on top Of that, he's
got my house, while my wife and children
walk the street"
Jennie had reached her husbands side
almost instantly, but he went on talking
partly to her, and partly to relieve his
feelings
"The place-takers, curse them are what
have ruined us We would have won this
strike long ago il it wasn't for them. We
can hold out as well as the bosses; but these
traitors come in here and they take oui
jobs and theytake our wages, and they take
our very houses. ! tell you, Jennie, that's
the secret Of winning a strike; keep tho
place takers out. It'ain't fair fight when
they bring in these men from all over. the
country, pay their fareeand put them tc
work instead Of us But don't blame the
bosses so much as blame the place-takcrs
He's a-a-a a-a-a-
The man felt frantically about in his
vocabulary for an epithet strong enough tc
characterize the place-taker, and failed
With sort Of helplessness he gave up hi:
search for the word and his passion sub
sided. "He-he's selfish" he murmurec
disspiritedly, "If labor would stand by
itself we could win, but when man car
be found who will take advantage OF thu
fight other men are making for better wage
conditions to get better job for himsel