Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-02

We've had the most exciting timer
crowd turned to look at me. The lecturer
stopped. | wasn't afraid. ! was too an
CRY. / SAID: ! beg your pardon. but am
| Minerva Bluebottle. and | want to tell
you that what you are saying Is untrue.
The lecturer smiled. How do you know
| IL is? he asked 4 know, | told him,
because | have asked my father and he
! has SAID that these charges are without
! foundation "
Minerva paused, and | looked at her
{ with admiration. Surely she was a Blue
bottle. While ! deplored the publicity of
| the whole affair, it moved me deeply to
| be thus assured that no lady of the Blue
| bottles would sit silent while her family
| was attacked.
| II sat down" Minerva went on. THE
! lecturer was still smiling in a very wise
| way, as though he knew so much more
| than any one else. Your father he be-
gan, then stopped I should like to talk
to you after the lecture he said. And he
| turned to other topics. But before he
ended, he spoke OF revolution that was
! coming. And the mill owners know 1t Is
| coming. he said, for about the mills OF
SaXton you will see miles of high iron
! fences which no man can scale. What do
| these fences mean? Does the man who
deals honestly with his fellows need such
| protection? No those iron spikes are the
| outward sign OF guilty consclences. The
mill owners know that sooner or later
the mob will clamor for justice at their
doors. And they are ready.
"lt was dandy lecture, contributed
/ the Washburn girl.
After the lecture said Minerva, we
went up to talk TO him.
minerva" | shuddersd. "A Socialist"
why not?" asked my incomprehensible
niece. "Ee was very courteous, even II
/ he did say some pointed things. lie told
/ me TO ask father the size of our dividends
| last year lie told me TO ask him how a
| man was to support family on the aver
age wages at Gaxton-sS l6 a week. He
said / should tie father in a chair. and
/ then read him what the government re-
/ ports. written by unprejudiced experts
/ said about living conditions in the wool
/ towns of the State. And he said | should
ask about that iron fence"
what about it?" | cried. aroused. Has
/ gentleman no right to protect his prop
erty from the wolves of the slums stirred
up by these cheap orators?''
| And ne said" Minerva went on, her
voice strangely vibrant. her eyes thought
/ full that every time I stepped into my
motor l was TO think OF those other wo-
mAn-in the mills. While my maid did my
hair, | was to think OF them. At dances,
at the theatre, l was TO think of them.
I
and look at some of them, so that when l
| thought OF them / could picture them
more easily"
| Rank anarchy" / cried. Minerva.
you ought never TO have listened to him"
But l did listen" said Minerva. "and
/ | am going TO ask father the questions
he told me to. Also. may 80 down TO
/ Saxton."
/ / sighed. In the old days l should have
/ expostulated vigorously, but somehow we
/ OF the older generation have come 10
know how little is the use. pictured the
/ Interview between Minerva and Roger.
Roger is apOplectic, intolerant, set; 10
mention the question Of our dividends 10
| him Is equivalent 10 putting a lighted
match to a skyrocket. When / sighed the
second time. 1t was with good reason.
/ The girls stood up 10 go. looked at
( them Clcily WashbuTn Is a noisy little
body, - Cor new adyea,',-az in Social