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

each other that neither had heard the
approach Of Powers and his prospec-
tive son-in-law.
whats the meaning Of all this?"
the latter asked.
''Please, Mr.. Powers, I've come back
to work I've been laid up. l was
hurt you know"
Recognition showed in the face of
Travis.
Hes the man who assaulted Sny-
der" he said, turning towards the mil
lionaire.
"You-you thug" thundered Pow
ers. You can't work here. We have
no place for disturbers like you. Get
out"
Perhaps'it 1t was because OF the anger
aroused by his resentment against
Hurd, perhaps it was because the in
creasing extravagances of Laura made
him desperate to increase his income.
perhaps 1t was only because Of pure
cussedness, but at any rHte Powers
went straight from his encounter
with his old employee at the gate to
his office, sent for his worthy fore
man, and issued the Sunday work or
der that caused the strike and filled
hundreds of homes with want and
poverty and starvation. And all dur
ing the weary weeks Of the unequal
struggle between capital and labor
Nina Hurd lay slowly dying, while
her husband sat helplessly by, sub
sisting on the charity of friends and
buying medicine with the money Doc
tor Gray forced upon him.
~.
II Laura Powers had been less
thoughtless-less selfsh-if she had
taken an interest in the condition OF
her fathers employees before the aft
ernoon of her interrupted Colonial
party, this tale of hardship and pri
vation, this story of tyranny and toll
might never have been written.
The day after the party found hel
starting out alone on a mission oi
charity and exploration. All nigh
long the word, starving" had beer
ringing in her brain, and she meant
to find out for herself If the wives
and children of her fathers striking
employees were really suffering.
And now driving slowly through th'
streets formed by the cottages Of hel
fathers men, she gazed with sicken
ing heart at the signs Of misery anC
distress that multiplied on every hanC
around her.
One particularly pretty child, sob
bing as If her little heart would break
attracted Laura's attention.
"And what is your name, my dar
ling" she asked tenderly.
Betty Hurd," sobbed the child.
And why are you crying?
my mammals gone"
And following the persistent tug o
the little ones hand Laura suffere'
herself to be led into Karl Hurd'
house Of sorrow and anguish; suffere'
herself to be led to the bedroom
where the stricken husband, stunne'
by grief, sat staring down into tn
cold and sightless eyes of the wifi
who had offered herself on the alta
Of toll and tyranny.
Laura stopped to the little chile
and gathering her in her arms sh
sought to give her some Of that mott
er comfort she would never kno'
again. Yielding to an impulse sh
opened her purse and poured its col
tents into the hand of the little one.
r Easily Influenced as children ar
Betty grabbed the money frol
f Laura's hand and running gayly
t her fathers side she tugged at b
sleeve and lisped in her childish pra
tie:
: See what the lady gave me-"
5 Duly Karl raised his pain-ladt
s eyes and gazed dumbly at the pret'
Q benefactor who stood at the foot
] the bed in sorrowing embarrassment
Mutely he nodded his dumb thanks.
y "I will be back to do what I CO
y later" And Laura, sobered and cha
d tened by what she had seen, slow
= left that house of sorrow. But b
r unpleasant experiences were only b
ginning. Pandemonium reigned
" the house three doors away - t
e house of Tim Shand-aggressive II
# Shand, champion of the men and t
d spokesman of the committee that ht
Y bearded Powers in his own home
o the Colonial party the day before.
g Furniture was piled high on {
e sidewalk and men wearing the badg
l. of the sheriff's Office were carryi
# more of it into the street despite t
d violent protests of the wildly
If sheveled Mrs. Shand.
y Laura's interest was aroused, le
by the spectacle itself than by t
a. fact that Perry Travis, her f1anc
'r and her fathers legal adviser, was
recting the work of the despoilers.
s. "And what does this mean, Perry
"a she demanded in tones that compel
a prompt reply.
" "These men are strikers. They mi
70 go. They won't work. we need
houses for others who will" His
lie ply was jerky and stilted.
I'd But l thought these people /
paid for their homes out of tn
Ia wages" she persisted.
n He remained silent, both to
re question and to the insistent demar
p. of Mrs. Shand, whose excitement g
he hysteria were growing with each pa
ing moment.
.e. Answer. mel" and Laura staml
n her pretty foot in anger.
as "They are only partly paid for"
ur answer came slowly. "They are o
er partly paid for, and as they rem
IT. in your fathers possession until
n tirely cleared, and as the men
he earning no money and cannot