The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-04-24
ON SECTION NO. II
What We, Us and Company Did
With a Firm Hand to Guide
the Undertaking.
~ JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.

through the country within two miles
Of Major Charlton's country home,
and the retired army officer had made
bid for and secured the grading to
be done on section No. ~.
The major was widower with only
one child-a daughter named May.
She had returned from school and
was waiting. as all girls must walt,
and II was generally understood that
she was rather strcng minded for a
young girl II was rather independ-
ence than strong mindedness. Not
that she was mannish. but that she
rode around the country on her pony
without a chaperon. nshed. swan and
hunted at her pleasure. and could beat
her father at billiards or at almost
any other game. When the major
came home and announced that he
had secured the contract for section
~ Miss May applauded and said:
you will want a bookkeeper and n
paymaster. and | will serve az both y"
But you don't understand what
- OF help ! must employ" he re-
Foreigners. and mostly Italians. u
will be tough crowd. but that
doesn't scare me"
Too tough a crowd for a girl 10 be
MIXED with I shall count myself
lucky TO get along with a row every
two weeks. am told that ! cant
carry my contract through. do the
best ! can"
Don't you believe Il. daddy. We.
ms and company will start In with n
nrm hand and not let the padrones or
Black Hand take the authority out
OF our hands I shant expect to do
much bossing. but " called upon TO
take q hand I shant run away from
H."
4 shall. Of course, get man for
bookkeeper and cashier" observed
the father as he turned away.
But he did not From the time the
work began until the once OF the con
tractor was ready to step into. Miss
May spent most OF her time on the
ground, suggesting and bossing. and
when the hour arrived she took on
her hat and gloves and opened the
books and pocketed the key OF the
safe.
Wait until you see the sort OF
laborers that are coming!" said the
major as he shook his head.
Two days later 200 men arrived
Italians, Siavs and Huns. They had
their own quarters. but they could not
fAii to hear Of the girls presence. In
deed. she must come and 20 in their
full sight They were a hard lot and
one or two men dominated all the
others. One OF the leaders visited the
once to say TO the major:
why you have, the girl here
she II my daughter"
1T makes no deeference. No girl
should be here. She makes mistakes
and we are cheated"
when you think you have been
cheated come and tell me SO"
But the men don't like II. You
must get a man to take her place"
Two or three OF the unsuccessful
bidders had evidently tempered with
the men with view OF getting up a
strike at the very outset II was a
pueriie excuse they advanced, and II
aroused the major into saying:
Il shall not get n man. II you wan,
W raise a row go ahead"
1T IL not me. but the men"
Tell them TO strike at any hour
they want to-"
Bully for you. daddy" exclaimed
the daughter as the fellow left the Of
nee
II didn't want you TO come, but an
Hot going TO let them run you out
They won't strike until they can find
a better excuse"
Neither did they. The roadbed FOL
the new railroad ran parallel with the
highway for a mile and as Miss MAY
q de to and fro she received BLACK
looks and heard men cursing under
their breath II would have been foil,
TO pay any attention to II.
Nothing more was heard from tn,
leader as TO the girls leaving and 4
was two weeks before another cal
was made. Then the leader announc
ed:
I'VE were hired 10 work nine hour,
q day, and you are making II ten. We
must have an hour on or more pay"
Every man OF you was hired fol
ten hours a day" replied the major
"and | shall not shorten the time b,
n minute nor Increase the pay by q
cent
The men are very angry"
so am l."
~ think they strike. eh7"
IF they want to-"
IF they do then they will breal
and destroy"
when they begin to do that ther'
will be some shooting"
so? So? You are not wise man.
Il am wise enough 10 see you
game"
"Will they striker" asked the CIR
of her father.
Sure to, after coming with a thir'
pretext"
"And they may even attack usT
They certainly will"