Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-06-16

iluSt JOIN Tic unlOIl OF go. II 1871 I
question of wage scale or hours; II
simply revolves around Mr.. Chittenden.
Surprising he joins the union, what will
you give him to do2" B~ennington's
voice was hat of a man who wishes to
know all sides Of the question.
We'll, he'll a to learn where they
all started from"
mt. Chittenden, are you willing to
join the union?" Bennington smiled
as he piled this question.
Not I! My word, I'd as lief starve
as become a union man. and under
such a master"
Then out he goes" said Morrissy,
recovering his turbulence.
you are mistaken. | am master
here. Mr.. Chittenden will remain on
the pay roll"
Then in 10 minutes the men will
walk out on my orders Morrissy
made a gesture toward his watch.
Don't bother about the time. Mr..
Morrissy. Wen spend the 10 minutes
in the molding room"
Morrissy turned pale.
"Oh, we shan't come to fistcuffs, Mr..
Morrissy. / am a gentleman, and you
are not. Not O world" as Morrissy
clenched his fists. MIR. Shipley," said
Bennington to one Of the committee,
will you get all the men together? /
have a few words to say to them be-
| WV NAAAS ~ iltAkAuNS - W. - ca y "
give the men a fair show"
You can have 20 minutes, my Eng
lsh- bred gentleman" snarled Norris
sly. I'm kin of anxious myself 20 hear
what you've got to say"
The committee went out solemnly.
Morrissy was next to the last to go
down the stairs. Bennington followed
closely behind him.
Some day I'll get a good chance at
/ van M NTnrriSctF Il r1,nIl a %n t. +hnT
the law will be ound to fit you case"
Look here. o can't talk TO me that
way, Bennington"
Cant 1? I'll proceed. In the first
place, you're a scoundrel. You've al
ways harbored a grudge against my
father, and this seems to be your
chance. / should be willing to wait 10
guard in public. But / say to you now,
privately, you are both a thief n a
blackguard."
Morrissy stepped back. red In the
face.
Bennington laughed sinisterly. He
could crush the life out of this flabby
ruffian with one arm, easily.
Nothing more was said, and the way
to the great molding room was
traversed silently. Shipley sent out
orders, and in a few minute the men
| NcAk6ASS@NSo ~ ANb "AA@N AhS bOS5 Ao1
to say
Bennington mounted a pile Of molds
and raised his hand.
Men, you have no grievance" he
said. This mar Chittenden, the al
legged cause of your striking, takes nc
food or a from your mouths or your
pockets; he interferes with you IN no
manner whatever. The continuance he
is trying to complete will not limit the
output, but will triple 1t, necessitating
the employment OF more men. But
your leader say that the present out
put IS wholly sufficient. and you are
taking his word for It. Mr.. Chittenden
represents progress, but you have taken
1t into . heads hat you will have
none Of 1t. He refuses to Join the
union, and I refuse to discharge him
on that ground. Go not say that this
shall not be a union shop; I say that
l shall employ whom l will for any
purpose I see fit. 1t Is your Va so say
it; yours Is the power; use 1t. .
Patience, just a little longer. I have
shown much Of 1t during the past
year"
The men swayed restlessly.
Men, If you go out this day, not one
Of you will ever find employment here
again. My Of justice is large.
and nothing but that shall dictate to
me. / shall employ and discharge
whom I will; no man or organization of
men shall say to me that this or that
shall be dom here. l am master, but
perhaps you will understand this too
late. Stay OF go; that Is as o please.
If you stay, nothing more will be said
on my part; If you go Well,
shall tear down these walls and sell the
machinery for scrap iron!
He stood erect, his chin aggressive
and his mouth stern.
We'll, which is 1T to beT' he de-
manded.
Wen go out, Mr.. Bennington, and
what's more" said Morrissy, well see
that nobody else comes n"
He lighted a cigar, showed his hands
into his trousers pockets and walked
insolently toward the exit. The major
ity OF the men were grinning. Tear
down his place? IL was preposterous
Why, no man had ever dom a thing
like that. 1t was to cut off ones nose
bluff, pure and simple. So they began
filing out IN twos and threes, their
blouses and dinner pals tucked under
their arms.
Bennington jumped down from his
i%mpromptu platform and closed the
ponderous doors. Then he hurried to
the main office, where he notified the
clerks what had happened. He re-
turned to his private office. He ar
ranged his papers methodically, closed
the desk. and sat down. His gaze wan
dered to the blue hills and rolling pas
lures, and his eyes ~sparkled: but he
forced back what had caused 1t, and
presently his eyes became dry and
hard.
"You and your actress and her
lover" he murmured softly. MY God,
1 am very unhappy
Mr.. Franklin Haldene went to the
club, while his wife took a sheet of
writing paper and began 10 write a let
ter. Half an hour went by before she
completed her work with any degree of
satisfaction. She then took a pair of
shears and shipped the crest from the
sheet and sealed II in a government en-
velope. Next she threw a light wrap
over her shoulders and stole down 10
the first letter box, where she deposited
the trifie. She returned to the house,
feeling that a great responsibility had
been shifted from hers to another's
shoulders. Indeed. she would have gone
to any lengths to save Patty a life OF
misery. Poor Mrs. Bennington, with
her grey hairs; II would break her
heart when she found out. She
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