The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1916-04-20
TRAILING AN AGITATOR!

| lure we Huu WIN u5' ne secretary
of Local kennydaIe and her husband
had very pleasantly entertained US at
supper before the meeting, and
pressed us to spend the night with
them, but after thinking the matter
over, we decided it would be better to
go on to Renton that night, and take
the stage, there, for lssaquah the next
morning.
The stage for Issaquah left Renton
at IA. m, and it was Il cold, disagree
able drive of an hour and thirty min
utes duration. | felt very similar
to an icicle" when we were dumped"
at the door of the palace Of Sweetest"
But warmth soon returned, for we had
walk of Il mile and half, to the
home of the gentleman who was sup
posed to be arranging the meeting.
There we learned all we needed to
know about the preparations that had
| been made for the afternoon, and re-
ceived a letter from man at Fall
City-Parker, by name-with the al
most enthusiastic information that a
meeting was being arranged there for
the night, and that some of the Com
rades" would probably meet the speak
er at the station. We then walked
back to town, and had lunch.
The lssaquah comrades had secured
a good hall, and the meeting had been
well advertised. was surprised to
find that there are no women in Issa-
quah! | was the only one of my sex
in the hall, and | felt intentionally
conspicuous!
After the lecture, we waited about
an hour for the train to Fall CITY,
where we were met at the station by
Comrade Carlson, of Preston, with his
"litte old Ford" which was a good
thing for US, as otherwise, we would
have had to walk about a mile and a
half (maybe more) from the railroad
Fall City to the main town. When we
reached town, it was still early, so
Comrade Carlson agreed to take US to
the Falls before the lecture. Have
you ever seen Snoqualmie falls in the
afterglow from an early spring sun
set? 1t is a sight to remember, and
to dream of But we could enjoy it
for only few minutes, as we had to
get back for the meeting.
An Enticing Meeting Place(?)
1t was ten minutes of eight (the
hour set for the meeting to commence)
when we were set down in front of the
hall, and no one else in sight. And
say! | wish you could have seen that
hall! 1t was originally intended to be
used as a grocery store, but had been
| abandoned and the showcases and
counters removed. Front and back
windows were patchwork of dirty,
broken panes and boards and it was
locked with large paddock. Comrade
Carlson went in search of Mr.. Parker
and the key, and pretty soon we were
admitted to the interior. An oil
lamp, set upon small, rickety table,
fought with the shadows, and but
slightly Illuminated the dirt and con-
fusion around Dust lay thick upon
the two small tables, and the three or
four wooden benches of varying sizes,
without backs, that were scattered IT.
regularly about the room. The floor
was Uttered with scraps, and wads Of
paper, and other trash, and caked with
dirt.
Mr.. Parker began, ndifferently, to
light fire in the dilapidated stove,
and | asked him if this was the only
hall in town. He admitted there were
others-one, a good one-but they
would cost money! The best one
would have been FIVE DOLLARS!
How much was this one? ooh, maybe
a dollar; maybe nothing!" He looked
nonplussed at the suggestion that the
school house could have been had "for
nothing" also.
AS if by magic, five women, and
about as many men, appeared and
ranged themselves upon one of the
benches against the wall, close to the
stove. There was great deal of loud
talk, by two or three of the men, but
no one made move to straighten up,
nor to eliminate some of the dirt. The
speaker suggested that an effort be
made to borrow some chairs from the
hotel, and Mr.. Parker said "we'd bet
ter wait and see if we need EN-" Re
marking that "then it would be too
late" the speaker started after the
chairs, and after a slight hesitation,
Mr.. Murry and Comrade Carlson went
with him. Six pretty nice chairs were
quite an improvement; and | asked
my husband, while helping him ar
range the seats and tables, to borrow
broom, also, and let me do something
with that awful floor! But this he
refused to do. Comrade Carlson man
aged to get the gasoline light hanging