The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-24
HARD TIMES
Continued from page fourteen.l

before had lighted up only at the ap
pearance of Tom would take on q
smile upon his own appearance. Ever
since her marriage Louisa had treated
Cecilia Jupe with great cOldness-she
who used to be so tender with her.
The fact was that when Louisa had
told Cecilia that she was about to
marry Bounderby. Cecilia had looked
at her with an expression which Louisa
had never forgiven.
One evening Bounderby summoned
before him one of his hands who had
got into trouble with the trades union.
This hand, one Stephen BlackpOol, had
refused to join the union. Stephen
was cursed with a drunken wife, who
occasionally appeared to him, in a
state Of intOxication, pawned what she
could Of his household effects and then
disappeared again. There was one
Rachel, the love of his youth, whom
he might have married had he not
been bewitched by the pretty face of
the woman who had ruined his life,
and this Rachel tried to be his good
angel. She had unwisely extracted
la promise from him that he would
have nothing to do with the union and
its loud outhed making pro-
fessional agitators. Therefore was it
that he refused to join the union and
the other hands had sent him to
stephen to hear the facts. To the
horror of Mr.. Rounderby. Stephen APP
proved the aims Of the union, and said
that only his promise kept him from
Joining it. ell also detailed some of
the grievances of the hands, and said
they ought to be recited. Cried Mr..
Rounderby: You can't pull the wool
over my eyes. l can see that you are
a dangerous agitator Out Of my mill
you go, my man-and l should like
to see you get work anywhere else
when I tell EN- what l discharged YOU
for"
Louisa who had heard this brutal
TRADE, went 10 the poor lodgings of
Stephen BlackpOOl that night, taking
Tom with her, assured the poor fell
low Of her sympathy and forced upon
him as a loan-a sum OF money suf-
ficient for him to seek some other
place for work. While Louisa was
taking an idea occurred to Tom. He
took Stephen aside and said: 4 want
to help you, too. Don't go away from
CoketOWn just yet, but hang around
the bank every afternoon. Watch for
the light porter; when the time is
ripe he will call you in and tell YOU
Stephen huns around the bank for the
length of time specified. but was not
called in. The day after he left Coke
town the safe was found to have been
robbed-a false key to it was picked
up in the street. The light porte.
who was none other than young BIT
ger, who had once SO triumphantly
defined a horse, had heard no one
m owing about the bank on the night
of the robbery. Stephen was sought
for, at first quietly and then advertised
for. Rachel declared that she would
have him to the place where the man
was working under an assumed name
Meanwhile Mr.. Harthouse was pro-
crossing, and Mrs Sparsit was watch
ing with the eye of a lynx Mr.
Rounderby was in London on business
Mrs. Sparsit was hidden behind a tree
in the grounds Of Bounderby's country
house, and Mr.. Harthouse was talking.
with Louisa within hearing Of the
esumable spy. My dearest child"
said Harthouse, will you not bear
With my society for a little while?''
Not here! not here said Louisa
But we must meet, dearest. Where
shall it be?' Mrs. Sparsit had heard
enough. She saw Louisa enter the