The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-01-20

self together for a spring, and muir
muring a prayer for safety, he hurled
himself fercely from the swiftly
moving trolley and landed on top OF
a towering lumber pile. AS ne lay
winded and painting on top OF the
rude skyscraper, he saw JAKE car
ried swiftly past him on the dashtng |
trolley, shaking his fist at his escaped
quarry in impotent rage.
Slowly, his fingers gripping oes-
perately at the projecting boards MS
feet unsteady and his head swim
ming, Hurd climbed down the sloe
Of the lumber pile that had been his
Temporary haven. It seemed ages
before he reached the ground.
And then he came face to face with
Snyder.
Like wild beasts the men glared at
each other.
Slowly, cautiously they approached.
Snyder's attitude was eager, expect
ant, Hurd's was desperate. Snyder
swung his rude weapon easily, hold
ing it ready. Hurds fists we're
doubled. The two men closed.
Snyder, his intended blow blocked
for the moment, found himself borne
backward by the fierce rush OF the
other. He struggled with determine
ton worthy of a better cause. AND
his superior strength soon told.
Straining and painting he slowly
forced Hurd to release his grip, and'
showing his opponent from him, he
suddenly. with the swiftness OF a man
trained to such warfare, raised his
club and sent it crashing down upon
the skull of the underfed and poorly
nourished stevedore.
Hurd dropped like a stone. He was
done.
"Wait until my birthday, Perry-its
only four months-and then per-
haps-"
Laura Powers had gently withdrawn
her soft white hand from the more
masculine ones of Perry Travis and
had gazed dreamily out across the
we'll trimmed lawns and beautiful gar
dens
She was happy and pampered and
INDUCED. She had reveled in fathers
love-a love that amounted almost to
worship. And now she knew that she
had gained another mans love - the
love of a man who was worthy and
had her fathers approval.
Small wonder that the days had
flown swiftly. Small wonder that time
had taken unto itself wings. And now
her birthday was here. Already the
guests were assembling. Already Per-
ry was at the house, eager and 1mpa'
tient for his answer And even yet
Laura sometimes wondered just what
that, answer would be.
And Laura, while entering into the
gayety about her, yet found her mind
frequently wandering away from her
surroundings; found herself constant
ly trying to concentrate on the answer
she was so soon to give Perry.
And then he came to greet her. Lont
and fondIy he gazed into her eyes ant
unconscious of her surroundings she
let him hold her hand longer thar
was strictly necessary.
Quietly her father stepped up tt
where they stood.
Friends" he said, Il wish to an
nounce the engagement of my daugh
7 l. HNp.1yy re
The confused laugh and the prett!
bushes that mantled her cheek, chas
ing themselves in telltale profusion VI
to the very roots of her wavy hair
were enough to tell those present tha
her fathers words had not displease'
her. Perry had his answer.
Just then, as if the fates were lot
that happiness should reign supreme
there came an interruption. While tn
guests were crowding up and abou
\ Laura, the women kissing her and tn
men showering congratulations upo
her, the servants were trying to kee
a committee of workmen from entel
i ing at the gate.
4 Tim Shand was at their head-Tir
n the fiery-Tim the eloquent. Fo
weeks now the men had been o
/" strike. For weeks there had been tu
p MOL and strife. For weeks there ha
been starvation in the homes Of tn
strikers and destitution among tn
children of the workingmen. Eve
: since the trouble between Snyder an
Hurd the discomfort of the men ha
grown. And then had come the lai
IL straw-the order given by Powers an
- enforced by Snyder-an order, worI
- ing the men an hour longer each da
- and all day Sunday without extra pa
Even Snyder, tyrannical as he We
- known to be, had protested slight,
Iv at the latest outrage.
Il. "The men'll never stand it," he he
ia said.
IN "Times are hard and it must
at DONE" Powers had answered.
10 "The men will strike" Snyder hi
a ventured
ID "Then we will get Others" the m
Ie. lionaire had answered.
ne And so, going from group to ,grou
IT. Snyder had driven them harder, hi
So shouted the new orders at them, h;
ng sought to coerce them into submissit
ng by a volley of filthy oaths.
lis Even the worm will turn, they sa
ry and hungry, underpaid stevedores a
,,t less Datient than the earth-grubbil
on insect There were murmurs at Sn
a der's orders and open rebellion at b
.at language. Just how it started noboC
m seemed to know; just who began
ok doesn't matter. Suffice to say th
leaderless as the men we're, impell
DIV by a common instinct, they had 81
int denly rushed the rough-tongued fol
I'd, man and had thrown him off the do
ar. into the water. Then had come t