The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-02-02
enfhnsiasfic.

Va N"AAAsy
nature of what might be happening,
and none was further than Broadway
from a guess that what he had told
Higgins, In a sentence wherein anger
very freely mingled with the news OF
his determination to retain and op-
crate the gum plant, could have beer
accepted as good reason for such a
really notable demonstration of the
Joy of gum makers.
1t was the judge, at this instant,
busting in, who made the situation
| clear to them.
Great Scott" he said, aglow with
genial satisfaction. Tall about ex-
citementl The whole plant Is in an
uproar."
What is 1t, judge?" the owner OF
the plant inquired.
why, didn't you send a message out
there by Higgins"
"Er-yes, | did"
Well, that's. what they're cheering
about. The men are yelling themselves
hoarse and the boys are dancing with
JOY" The judge was beaming like a
full moon with gray tufts of hair above
it's ears. You'd think Bedlam had
broken loose. They're yelling for you,
| Broadway. Come out and let them see
you"
Broadway was In a state OF panic, of
blue funk, Of sheer, unspeakable al
fright. He ducked and looked about
as IL endeavoring to find that avenue
through which escape would be easiest.
No; not now, please" he begged
pitifully.
They might have let it go at that
had not the cheering within the works
broken out afresh.
Listen to that the Judge adjured
him, and urged him with a happy hand
upon his elbow.
His wife went to his assistance. "Oh,
do go out and say something, Broad
way!"
Yes" the judge insisted, come and
make a speech"
Il can't say anything" said the mis-
cradle and frightened Broadway. 81
never made a speech in my life!"
Josie, smiling gently, turned from
them. When again she faced them she
held in her hand the paper she had
thrust so recently into that sacred
secret place. Read this to them, -
she suggested.
He took 1t, but he did not see whence
II had been extracted, although Mrs
Spotswood did. The eyes of matrons
OF her age are sympathetically attuned
to signs of this sort, seeing them when
others miss them. She smiled al
Josie, Josie caught her eye and blusheG
furiously.
ooh, come on" The Judge now took
a irmer hold on him. 1T will make
them all feel good"
His faithful wife went to his aid
She took the other arm of the acutely
miserable youth, and between them
they propelled him from the room
through the short length of a wide
hallway stacked on either side with
boxes full of chewing gum already
packed for shipment, through a breath
lessly hot ~engine-room, and into the
main room upon the f~actory's grounC
floor.
Their appearance was the signal fol
an uproar of applause. The loudes
I cheering of the previous outburst wa,
surpassed so notably that, by compari
son, Il had been whispering. In tn,
, enthusiasm of the moment men, won
| en- and the younger workers OF tn,
force lost all sense of reserve.
Broadway ceased to be that terribl,
: thing, a new and untried boss, VIII,
with caution and regarded with re
I spect made up principally of fear. HI
was young; he had been fair to them
he was their economic savior.
They went mad, and, at first permit
ting him no opportunity to make tn
! speech which he SO feared, seized hin
> as If he had been the winning playe
at a football game and bore him roun
! the great room of the factory upol
their shoulders.
4 There was affection in the stronl
; arms of the men who lifted him; ther,
! were tears in many women's eye
: which watched. Not only was thi
: youth the boss; he was the younl
boss. They knew he had been pluck.
: in his loyalty to them, umo of tn
splendid offer which the trust ha,
! made had been circulated freely. H
i was accredited with that intention
| most admired by real Americans, an,
' these workmen, In this old New Eng
q land mill, in this old New England wi
{ lage, were principally native ons
q He was not content to be an idler
5 he insisted upon buckling down to
mans Job. And had he not decided t
, take up the burden OF gum.manufat
q ture largely through his feeling G
u responsibility to them and to tn
q town? Financially the offer OF tn
u trust must certainly have been NOR
c 'empting han the prospect of CONNER
) cial battle which, even should it VII
. would inevitably involve a long, exper
: sive and intensely wearing strain!
! Would they ride him round an
. round upon their shoulders? Woul
they cheer him till the blood rushe
to their heads? Would the woma.
want to kiss him and the ~youngster
l look at him as II he were a species @
superior being? Verify, they woulC