Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-17

The Strike Begins.
~ n this particular Monday
Gregoires and their daugh-
ter, Cecily, to breakfast. Quite
party had been arranged. At
ter breakfast Paul Negrel was to
take the ladies over st. Thomas,
new pit, or rather one newly
reopened, with all the latest me
chanical improvements. But all
this was nothing more than a
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,
ct in the morning, the strike
had abruptly broken out. When.
on the fst of December the com
pany had applied its new tariff
and system, the miners had re-
NAMED 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
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 o'clock Dansaert came
personally to awaken NJ. Hanne-
beau and to tell him that not a
single man had gone down the
Voreaux pit. The village of the
1.-TWO Hundred and Forty" when
he passed through II, was fast
asleep, its 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
messengers ran up; kilograms
kept pouring in like a hall
storm.
{ 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
F'eutry- Cantel, the two best dis
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 to 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 tour of inspec-
ton to the neighboring pits in or
der to have authentic particu-
lars. All at once NJ. Hennebeau
remembered the breakfast. and
was about to send his coachman
tosthe Gregoires to tell them that
the party was off, when a sud
den hesitation, a want of resolve,
made him waver; him, the man
who had just in a few brief
phrases prepared his campaign
with almost military promptitude.
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. well, what is that
10 as We are not going to stop
eating on their account, are We?"
And to all he could say about
the breakfast being interrupted,
ba al d ts4N
to the pit having become impos-
sible, she had a ready answer.
Why spoil a breakfast that was
already on the fire? And as for
the excursion to 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 10 concern you much more
than all the nonsense of your
workmen. And-and l wish 1t, so
there's an end of It, and don't
contradict me"
lie Looked al her, his lips quiz
ering slightly. the features Of the
stern and resolute disciplinarian
showing for a few seconds the
secret grief OF a broken heart
She had remained seated before
the glass, her shoulders bare. in
the fully mature, but sstill 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
DENIES. His start in life had been
difficult like that OF most poor.
young orphans thrown on their
own resources IN Paris After
having, by dint Of great priva-
lions managed to attend the
courses OF the Mining Institute.
| he had, at the age OF "a, obtained
the appointment OF engineer 10
ne St Barbe pit, belonging 90
The Grand Combe Comuany
Three years aftefward he became
e!visionary engineer TO the Marles