Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-01-27

" Tule Wnlcn nad held good for the bet
ter part of a cautious, self contained
lifetime. The following morning the
miners and all the. white men employ
ed in the furnace and foundries ami
coke yards at Gordonia went on strike.
DuXley Farley had resources, a COM
Portable fortune as country fortunes
go, amassed by seeing shrewdness,
a calm contempt for the we'll being of
his business associates, and most of all
by a crowning gift in the ability to
recognize the psychological moment ut
which to let 60
But under pressure Of the combined
disasters he lost his head, quarreled
with his colder-b -blooded son, and In
spite of Vincent's angry protests, began
the suicidal process of turning his
available assets into ammunition foI'
the lighting OF a battle which could
have but one possible outcome.
Strike breakers were imported at
fabulous expense. Armed guards under
pay swarmed at the valley foot, and
around the companys property else
where. By hook or crook the foundrles
were kept going, turning out water
pipe for which there was no market,
and which, owing to the disturbances
which were promptly made an excuse
by the railway company, could not be
moved out of the Chiawassee yard
Later, when the striking workmen
began to grow hungry, riot arson and
bloodshed were nightly occurrences. A
charging of coal, mined under the
greatest difficulties, was conveyed to
the coke yards, only to be destroyed
and half of the ovens with it-by dy-
Mantle cunningly blackened and drop
ped into the chargings. For want of
fuel, the furnace went out of blast, but
with the small store of coke remaining
in the foundry yards, the pipe pits
were kept at work. By this time the
promoter president was little better
than madman, fighting like a be--
serker, and breeding certain awed re-
spect in the comment of those who had
hitherto held him only as shrewd
schemer.
And Thomas Jefferson: how did this
return to primordial chaos, brought
about In no uncertain sense by his
own premeditated act, affect him? Only
man quite lost to all promptings of
the grace that saves and softens could
look unmoved on the burnings and
riotings, the cruel wastings and the
bloodlettings, one would say.
When he was not galloping Saladin
afar in the country roads to the land
ward side of Paradise, Tom Gordon
was idling purposefully in the Leban III
forests, with the fowling piece under
his arm and Japhets Pettigrass
dog trotting soberly at heel, as care
free, to all appearances, as a schooi-
boy home for a holiday.
1t was on an evening a fortnight
after the furnace had gone out of blast
for lack of fuel that Caleb followed his
son out on the veranda. The Indian
summer was still at its best, and since
the early frosts there had been a re-
turn OF dry weather and mild tempera-
lures, with warm. soft nights when the
blue haze seemed to hold all objects In
suspension.
Tom had pushed out q chair for his
father, when he suddenly became aware
that the still air was once more thrum-
ming and murmuring to the familiar
orb and sigh Of the great furnace
blowing engines. He started up quick
ly.
Whats that?" he demanded. Sure
ly they haven't blown in again2"
Caleb nodded assent
II reckon so. Colonel Duxbury al
lowed to me this mornin' that he was
about out O. the woods-in spite of
you, he said as If you'd been the one
that was dom him up"
But he can't bel" exclaimed Tom.
so earnestly and definitely ythat the
mask fell away and the father was no
longer deceived
I'm only tellin' you what he allowed
to me, son. ! reckoned he was about
all in, quite a spell ago; but you can't
tell nothing by what, you see-when
It's Colonel Duxbury. He got two car
loads O. new men to-day and he's
shippin' Pocahontas coke, and gettin'
it here, too"
I think l know now what has happen
ed"
Caleb took time to let the remark
sink in. 1t carried differences. 80
Buddy, l been suspectin for good
while back that you know more about
this sudden smash-up than you've let
on. Do your"
"I know all about it." was the quiet
reJolnder.
You dor"
Tom held up his hand for silence. A
man had let himself in at the roadway
gate and was walking rapidly up the
path to the house. 1t was Norman;
and after a few hurried words in pri-
vate with Tom. he went as he had
come. declining Caleb's invitation to
stay.
When the gate latch clicked at Nor
mans outgoing, Tom had risen and
was knocking the ash from his pipe
and buttoning his coat.
'T was admitting that knew" he
aaiA Il can tell YOU more now that