The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1915-09-01

like q sentinel on duty.
A couple of young men entered tn,
building. They passed under a sigr
which said: Positively No Smoking.
And Tommy was annoyed to observ,
that both we're smoking cigarettes. One
threw aside his cigarette, still lighted
the other kept on smoking. and they
passed out Of sight up the stairs.
I'll report those two cubs to the
manager" he said. "And II he doesn't
seem properly interested I'll make
things hot for him."
So Tommy entered the premises OF
the Octagon Shirt company and began
to look for the manager. Some peo
pie said he was in such and such a
place, and others didn't know. But a
girl who seemed to be dying Of con.
sumption said that Mr.. Grady had just
stepped up to the fifth floor, whore
the sewing machines were, with a
young lady.
At once Tommy pictured this Grady
as greasy and bediamonded and hated
him. Also, so strong was his imagina-
tion, he imagined that he smelt smoke.
At the opposite end Of long dark
room Celestia's lovely earnest face
seemed to shine like light. She was
speaking very softly and gently, but
every word was distinctly audible even
to the farthest pair of ears. 1t seemed
to Tommy that the room contained
hundreds of girls and hundreds of sew
ing machines. AS matter of fact
there were almost hundred of each
Near Celestia stood q dark, stoutish
man with pencil over one ear
Grady" thought Tommy, and hated
him less, for although the man was
greasy and did wear something that
looked like diamond in his necktie,
there was kind Of reverent express
sion upon his coarse hard face.
Celestia was just finishing when
Tommy entered. She finished, and
there was no sound whatever in the
room. Then one girl left her place and
went slowly toward her; others fol-
lowed until as many as could be were
crowded closely about Celestia and
Grady.
AS for the man Grady, she had
looked into his eyes just once, and he,
too. believed. But dark thoughts tor
mented him. There we're upon his con-
science, for one had just been born in
him. many sins Of hard-heartedness
brutality and work. In that building
there was not one girl whose life he
might not have lightened. a little IL it
had pleased him. 1t had pleased him
to do the reverse. Suddenly he felt
moved to take the whole world into
his confidence. and to promise amends
to those whom he had injured.
"Girls," he said. in q loud, strong
voice. "Just one or two words, please.
/ don't know what the talk we've
been listening to has done to you.
But It got me. charged this--I
don't know whether to say Lady or
whether to say Angela big price for
the privilege of speaking to you for
ten minutes. ! want to say. first OF
all, that 1t won't cost her cent. And
II she needs money TO carry on her
good work In this world she can have
my pile. But that's not all I've got to
say. Be little patient Don't crowd
her So II I'm any Judge OF faces she
won't 80 without letting the last least
one OF you touch her hand. Girls. I've
been a slave-driver 80 long that ! got
hardened to the work. II there was
ever any kindness in me II seemed to
me / had to stamp it out to get re-
suits. I've driven you and driven you
till you can't call your souls your own.
| might have been different and got
the work done Just the same. But
wasn't Well. I'm going to be. She
said things would get better some
time. They're better right this min
ute. Can't you feel the difference?
Can't you fell that I'm sorry for the
things I've said TO you and done to
you? tell you I'm ashamed. don't
know what keeps me from sinking
down through the floor. The hardest
things I've got to say comes next.
Some OF you girls know me for hard.
cold-hearted man. Is there any girl
here who can say worse than that
OF met"
He paused as II waiting for a reply.
Then he went on.
We'll there is one girl here who
could say worse than that OF me II
she would. But she won't. She won't
squeal. So I'll have to do the squeal-
ing. Molly Bryant Step forward,
please, Molly Bryan. I've something
to say to you that want all your
friends and well-wishers to hear"
Very slowly a slender girl with
tragic haunted dark eyes came for
ward.
Stand alongside OF me Molly, and
turn SOS everybody can see you. Some
% you," he went on, have known