Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-01-13
ooruoH1. 1915. ~ toUD TRACY

"Sling us some hot stuff Guess you
can put as much pep into an Grafton
as any Rev. Branton."
Now, Burton was a born speaker,
and there was nothing he liked better
than holding forth to his mates on any
topic which he had really mastered.
At the outset, he was lightly humor
GUS at the expense of the emperors
and kings in those old-world lands of
which he really knew so little. But
soon his tone grew grave and impas-
stoned; his audience was mute and
spellbound when a turning of heads
and a general nudging of elbows on
the part of several of the men stand
ing near the gate drew his glance to
three people who had just entered the
factory yard.
The most striking personality among
them was undoubtedly a young woman
"a petite, self-possessed young per-
son, dressed in the height of fashion,
With her was a smartly dressed, de.
bonair young man. whom Burton rec
ognized as Mr.. Reeves, the manager of
the company The benevolent features
and clerical attire of a second and old
er man suggested that same Rev.
Thomas Branton whose manifesto had
provided text for the orator.
John guessed that the lady was
Mary Temple, daughter of the presi-
dent of the P1ainfield Steel company,
and rumor, which in this instance was
well founded, had it that she was en-
gagged to Reeves.
As the dinner hour had not yet ex-
PRED, Burton saw no reason why he
should discontinue his speech, but
there could be no doubt that the latest
and most unexpected addition to his
audience affected him powerfully He
chose his words with greater care He
spoke earnestly. Half-unconsciously,
he began addressing every. phrase to
Mary Temple; she, on her part, was
evidently drawn by the mans mag
netic power, because she advanced
closer to the edge of the crowd, and
listened with unrestrained interest.
But the factory whistle brought
the meeting to an abrupt close.
When their visitors had passed out
of sight, John asked Thompson if he
knew who the girl was.
"Of course 1 know her." said he
''She is old Temples daughter, one of
the goody-goody, psalm-singing sort,
too, though she doesn't look it with
those fine buds of hers. She's a sup
porter Of Branton, the revivalist An
ardent church worker they call her.
l call her a thief, walking around with
enough furs and clothes on her back to
pay for years keep of a dozen men
like you and me. And we're the boobs
4 that put up with it, more's the pity"
ooh, stow that rubbish" said John,
! good-natdredly. You and 1 are just
worth the figures on the pay roll, Bill.
| Bill Thompson, however, though a
persistent person, was by no means
/ self-seeking. The mere fact that Bur-
/ ton seemed to be popular with his
fellOw-wOrkers caused Thompson to
make use of him. Thus, when the
union decided that shorter hours and
an increased rate of pay should be
| demanded from the company, Burton,
actually without his own knowledge
or consent, was appointed spokesman
of a deputation which was to wait on
/ President Temple. He was surprised
when the selection was made known
to him. but in the happy-go-lucky
way which cloaked his real strength
of character, he entered into the pro-
ject more as an adventure than as a
serious undertaking which might af-
feet the whole course of his future
career.
The president was very angry, and
| told Burton and the others, point
blank, that he would not yield to any
| of their requests, whereupon the work
ers, in turn, lost their temper and be-
gan shouting threats. Thompson, be-
ing little man, was able to hide be-
hind his more stalwart mates, but had
the wit to choose the psychological
moment when to utter that ominous
word, strike
Burton. glib as ever, took it up and
put the threat into plain English. This
was the one small spark needed to
fire a mine charged with high ex-
plosiye.
White with rage, Temple ordered
the deputation out of the office, storm
ing at them as if they were so many
dogs.
Transition from spoken threats to
overt action is perilously easy in such
conditions. Almost before the leaders
of the union knew what was happen
ing, several stones had been thrown
through the office windows. John, sup
ported by a few saner-minded COM
rades, had great difficulty in saving
the factory from being fired.
Burton was using all his eloquence