Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-16

CHAPTER III.
The Strike Begins.
d n this particular Monday
the Hennebeaus had the
Gregoires and their daugh-
ter, Cecily. to breakfast. Quite
! a party had been arranged. Al
ter breakfast Paul Negrel was to
take the ladies over st. Thomas,
a new pit, or rather one newly
rcopened, with all the latest me-
chanical improvements. But all
this was nothing more than
pretty pretext. This party was
the invention of Nine. Henne-
beau, to hasten the marriage OF
Paul and Cecily.
And just on that very Monday,
: at in the morning, the strike
had abruptly broken out. When,
on the LIST of December the COM
II pany had applied its new tariff
/ and system, the miners had re-
manned calm. At the end Of the
fortnight, when paid. not one OF
them had made the slightest OBJ
lection. The whole OF the ad-
ministrative staff. from the direc-
. tor to the lowest inspector, i'm
agined that the tariff had been
accepted. Their surprise on that
I morning was, therefore, proper
tionately great on receiving this
declaration of war, showing tao
tics and power OF organization
that seemed TO indicate an ener-
getic guidance.
Great Strike Begins.
At 5 o'clock Dansaert came
-, M
beau and to tell him that not a
single man had gone down the
Voreaux pit. The village of the
Two Hundred and Forty" when
he passed through IT, was fast
asleep, it's doors and windows
securely locked. And the moment
the director had jumped out of
bed, his eyes heavy with sleep.
he was overwhelmed on every
side. Every quarter of an hour
4 messengers ran up: kilograms
4. kept pouring in like a hall
storm
!. y At first he had hoped that the
revolt was confined TO the Voreux
pit, but the news became more
serious at each minute. At the
Crevesoeur and Marion pits the
work was stopped, at the Made
leine none but the stablemen had
gone down: at the Victoire and
+ Feutry- Cantel, the two best dis
I ciplined pits, the men were re-
duced by third; at st. Thomas
only every one was at his post
+-its men seemed to have re-
manned outside the movement
Until 9 o'clock he dictated tele-
grams tn everybody and to every
where--to the Project of Lille, to
the members of the company's
board, informing the authorities,
} asking for instructions. He had
sent Negrel on a tour Of inspec-
ton TO the neighboring pits in or
der to have authentic particu-
lars. All at once M. Hennebeau
remembered the breakfast. and
was about to send his coachman
20 the Gregoires to tell them that
n the party was off, when a sud
den hesitation. want of resolve,
made him wayer; him, the man
who had just in a few brief
phrases prepared his campaign
with almost military promptitude.
I He went up to the dressing room
OF Nine. Hennebeau, whose maid
was just putting the finishing
touches to her hair.
Insists on the Breakfast.
Indeed, they have struck" she
said very TRANQUILITY, when he had
consulted her. We'll, what is that
TO ,.s We are not going to stop
eating on their account, are WEI"
And to all he could say about
the breakfast being interrupted,
perhaps, about the projected visit
TO the pit having become impos-
sible, she had ready answer.
Why spoil a breakfast that was
already on the fire? And as for
the excursion 10 the pit, If the
thing seemed impossible, they
might abandon the idea after
ward.
Besides" she added, when her
maid was gone, you know well
enough why ! wish to have these
good folk here. This marriage
ought to concern you much more
than all the nonsense OF your
workmen. And--and l wish II, so
there's an end OF IT., and don't
contradict me"
He looked at her, his lips quiv-
ering slightly, the features OF the
stern and resolute discipinarian
showing for a few seconds the
secret Stiel OF broken nShrl.
She had remained seated before
the glass, her shoulders bare, In
the fully mature, but still re-
splendent. beauty of the woman
of 40 For a moment he felt in
clined to take her into his arms,
but he restrained himself because
for the last ten years husband
and wife had lived apart
Very well, then" he said, leav-
ing the room. Wen counter
mand nothing"
Husbands Hard Struggle.
Hennebeau was born in the Ar
denues. His start In life had been
difficult. Ike that OF most poor.
young orphans thrown on their
own resources In Paris After
having, by dint OF great priva-
lions, managed 10 attend the
courses OF the Mining Institute,
he had. az the age OF a. obtained
the appointment OF engineer 10
: the ST Barrie pit, belonging 20
The Grand Combe Company.
Three years afteFward he became
e!visionary engineer 10 the Marles