Bisbee daily review., 1914-10-01

on the boundary of Virginia and North Carolina.
 Ahe1d of him were the great cotton mills of Che south, with their myriad workers and with their great masses of the most modern machinery turned out by geniuses in invention In this great mountain belt of industry he felt that he would find his future work.
 One day be put aside his humble tinker's kit and applied for work in a cotton mn as a machinist A year had passed since his escape from the prison on the Hudson.
 John Nelson had advanced far be- yond the circle of the ordinary man of his craft. and he could have pushed rapidly ahead Of many of his fellow employees in the first cotton mill where he obtained employment But he was content with obscurity for awhile yet. and he knew that the time would not be wasted, for every hour of it would give him a better grasp of cotton mill work.
 He lived in a mill town that seldom saw the coming of strangers. and he made his habitat among the poorer class of employees preferriug to spend his board money as a means of help where it was most needed. He made no intimate friends among the people, concentrating all his effort of mind in the study of mill machinery and in reading works on mechanical engineer Ing which he borrowed from bis super. intendent
 Despite his effort to remain in the background of workers. he was quickly recognized as an expert and was ad- vanced in wages as well as in the i'm portance Of his tasks. By sheer force of ability he had attained the degree of mechanical engineer and was al- ready at that point of honest attain. ment when at any moment he might be called to strip of bis Overalls and step to the desk of a ten thousand a year man.
 Nelson did not feel that his first mill was the place for his ultimate effort to reach the top. He had come whence no man knew. He had no past to of- fer He could give DO reference of any sort as to his life or character He could never tell truthfully where he had gained the working foundations for the knowledge he possessed He prepared to move on and made his first request for a letter of recon. mendation. which was gladly given by | his superintendent With this bit of ! paper in his possession he had estab- ished a past He had something by which he ceuld identify himself as | John Nelson. mechanic. No one would have to take his word only; he could | offer this reference. The few kindly words of praise written at his request 1 were more precious tO him than silver or gold.
 The garments of a laborer were no longer suitable. He parted with them l for clothes of better texture. His old l pack was east aside forever, and in its place was a heavy trunk. big enough and strong enough 10 carry his ward robe and the books be had begun to | buy with his savings
 He said gOOdby 70 his first mill and took the train south, crossing the North | Carolina state line into the Piedmont section of South Carolina.
 His objective was the g. 2rain city of Greenville and the " plant of ghe Reedy River m'ns These mills were situated outside of the city and were famous not only fot their superb equipment and product but also for the administration of their labor and social adaus. They made a commu- nifty by themselves, a community gov erned by the president of the company, humane. wealthy and crDable man. Montgomery had every ason to be- lieve that be would b0 fer employed with the Reedy Riy. company than he would be elsewiNe in the cotton belt He sought fir of all cover from bis pursuers.
 He left the train at Greenyille and found it a thriving little city resting in the deep cool shade of the Blue Ridge mountains. He looked toward the distant giant tumuli; they seemed to him a wall that God had flung up against his pursuers and as a mighty stockade against the evils and miseries of the outside world.
 He ordered his baggage sent to the hotel near the station and took a trol. ley car to the mills. He found the : superintendent, Howard Lansing, anK. i0us for just such a man, satisfied with the letter of recommendation. and was employed at high wages immediately Here. among the mountains, he would make his stand and hls fight. Here was the home of John Nelson. James Montgomery was dead.