The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-01

their chins. had showed the servants tc
lone side. and had elbowed their way
among the guests at Laura Powers colo
NAL party.
At last Tim and the angry Powers
Icame face to face.
For a moment the two men glared al
each other. And then Shand, with the
self-command and eloquence that hac
made him a leader among the workmen
quickly made his plea for justice.
I'VE come to you, Mr.. Powers. because
We realize that you do not know what
the men have suffered. We know that
IL you had realized the awful tyranny
of your underlings. conditions would
| have been improved long ago. We ask
you to take the men back under proper
! working conditions. And Chis firmly
we ask the removal of Snyder. Not for
ourselves alone. but for our wives and
/ children we appear. They are starv-
! ing"
LET them starve," was Powers an
swer.
Laura was a surprised and startled
! witness to this stirring scene. She had
never realized before that there was
| such a thing as starvation. Only today
at luncheon she had ordered an entire
roast destroyed because it had not been
cooked to suit her. Probably In the
course of a year she had ordered enough
food thrown away to feed several OF the
| starving families of her fathers striking
workmen.
A great compassion was born within
her. Her features showed the dawn OF
wondrous pity. Ptting her arms about
her fathers neck she asked him to tell
her all about the strikers and their hun
cry families. Laughingly he put her
from him.
'"Those problems are not for little girls
like you," he told her. Go and JOIN
your guests. They will miss you"
There was a troubled quicker In her
brow as she left him, a preoccupied air
as she Joined in the merriment.
CHAPTER III.
Nina Hurd was a frail and delicate
woman Of q. A constant battle win
poverty had left its marks. Far into
each night she toiled with needle In
a desperate endeavor to exc out the lit
tie family's slender income.
Bent over some hand sewing. urging
her weary fingers to unceasing endeavors
to add to the slowly increasing PIE OF
finished garments beside her. she hardly
deigned to raise her eyes from her work.
when a commotion at the implanted
front door of the shabby cottage warned
her that she was having visitors at an
unusual time.
Two laborers appeared at the door
way supporting the half unconscious
Hurd between them. His head was COW
cred with blood. His eyes were CLASSY.
His feet shuffied and seemed loo nea's
for him to lift. >.
"your husbands been hurt. ma am.
said one of the men, as guided by Nina
thew half dragged, half carried the IN
iured man to the scantily furnished bed
room and propped their stricken COM
rade in the shabby bed.
The happenings Of the next few hours
were as a dream to Nina. She had
hazy recollection that one OF the men
had called the kindly faced and gentle
DIR. Gray. She vaguely remembered hav-
ing fed something to little Nina. She
dirnly sensed having helped DR.. Gray and
one of the laborers dress her husbands
wound. But from out the chaotic tumble
of her tangled memory, one thing stood
bold and clear. It was the verdict Of the
doctor, spoken in gentle. kindly tones.
Your husband has severe injury to
the skull. He cannot work for many
weeks"
But Nina Hurd was not the only one
to whom these words had sent their hor-
rible portent Through the throbbing OF
Hurd's battered temples, through the
half paralyzed numbness of his brain
they penetrated to his subconscious un-
derstanding, and made him realize the
awfulness Of the poverty they foretold.
Followed days and weeks Of desperate
struggle for Nina, while Hurd slowly re-
covered his strength. Sitting impotent In
his chair. the injured stevedore watched
his fran and faithful wife grow Trailer
with each succeeding day. Each stitch
of. her needle was q separate anguish to
him Each time the bit Of sharpened steel
entered the cloth It was as IL It pene-
trated his soul. Small wonder he re-
solved. while sitting there. that Jake
Snyder and his millionaire employer
would pay-pay dearly for this tragedy
Of tyranny and toll in which he and his
iittis 2lAily we're playing the leading
roles