Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-13
The Argus Daily Story
Michael Hogan & Co.-By Ira Josin.
Copyrighted, 1912. by Associated Literary Bureau.

learning trades is like learning Ian
guaEeS-the more languages one knows
the easier it is TO acquire others. and
this is the same with trades. Michael
learned to be n mason much quicker
than he had learned to be carpenter.
And Yet he was not content. He learn
ell something of roofing. Of plumbing
and various other trades concerned in
construction. So intent was he in
whatever he took up that he made
rapid progress. Indeed. before he was
twenty-one years old he had acquired
an excellent knowledge OF carpentry
and considerable information in sew
eral other auxiliary trades
Michael was now ready, so far as
ability was concerned, to set up for a
contractor. but he had no capital, for
learning different trades had kept him
poor; but content TO hide his time. he
went TO work at the trade he knew
best and began to earn good wages.
1t was natural that so well taught n
young man should find employment,
but, hiring to a contractor who took
Jobs requiring different kinds Of work,
there was n special necessity for other
work he could be transferred TO the
new field.
Soon after Michael began his real
work. so solid. so thoughtful, so long
headed was he that his fellow labor
ers began 10 look up II him as n lead
er. II demand was to be made OF
employers no action was taken without
consulting with Hogan. and after pro-
Ceeding contrary 10 his opinion on sew
eral occasions and getting beaten they
not only consulted him. but acted upon
his advice
Michael being a steady sort of man
1t was not to be expected that he
would forget the little girl he had left
some six or seven years before stand
ing In her doorway looking after him
wistfully. Nor did he. But. as has
been said. he never hurried. He was
building his career as he would build
a house. He well knew that In Struc-
/ ture one must first dig space for the
Foundation, then put in the stones and
/ concrete, then build the wall and so on
up TO the peak of the roof. He had
] CoullueuCe IldI Ellen M'NpulTe WOulu
take care Of herself until he was ready
to take care of her. He only feared
that she might marry some one else,
for he had not spoken to her a word
of love nor had he asked her to wait
! for him. But even in this he followed
his bent-not to let anything interfere
with the course he had marked out for
himself If Ellen were free when the
time came for him to ask her TO he his
wife. well and good; if not, he must
abide by the fact
When Hogan was ready to set up
housekeeping ten years had passed
from his leaving home. His father
and mother-whOm for several years
he had supported had died, and no
was alone. 1t was then that his long
ing for Ellen put stop to his philoso-
ply, and he began to think that even
had he not been ready for her. he mus
have her. But he was ready for her
| and wrote to her addressing his lel.-
ter to the care of her father. His LED
ter was returned to him with a posi-
Office mark stamped on it not found"
Hogan took the time from work to
go and learn what he could as to Ell
lens whereabouts. No one could tell
him anything about her. He returned
greatly disappointed. He pursued his
inquiries wherever there seemed q
clew, but did not find her.
More years passed and Hogan had
acquired sufficient capital to set up az
a contractor, but just before he was
about to leave the field N a day III
hOrer to become boss his fellow III
borers became involved in one Of those
struggles with the representatives OF
the capital which is needed to keep la
hor employed. and. having lost conf
dence in their leaders. they turned TO
Hogan. Playing a losing game, they
desired that he should take the maIl-
agement of their case with view TO
avoiding the necessity for strike.
Hogan, true to his bent Of beginning
DIT the bottom Of things. looked over
list of the auxiliary Industries tn; t
could be relied on for support, then
went out to confer with their leaders.
In a certain mill where nearly all tho
employees were women he called upon
the managing woman of the workera,
anu lle lNb sill ilbN u Ib-fl ItT LOT con-
ference Hogan found Il business head
TO deal with and soon received what
pledges he deemed desirable AS he
was leaving the woman slid:
I'm glad to have met you again. Mr..
Hogan"
Hogan started There had been
something in her that had touched d
chord within him.
''YOu are
ELLEN Mcclure"
Hogan managed the affair In which
ne was engaged 50 adroi'ly that nil
the men sought to gain was achieved
without the necessity Of n strike. But
1t WAS the last time he ever acted on
the laborers' side. for he became a cap
italist constructor AID from that time
was an employer instead Of laborer.
Ellen Mcclure had saved some money.
md when she married Michael Hogan
the savings Of both were quite sum.
cient to enable the firm Of Hogan d
Co to begin business