Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-01-06

WAYS thought was so fine and so IN {
mercenary grOaned Tom. Graham T
has taught you that money is better
than true love. can't compete v
against his bid. GoOd-by.' a
On the doorstep he all but collided ,
with a man who was just raising '
hand to the bell. 1t was Agnew era
ham.
Graham's car stood at the gate. /
This was the superintendent first t
visit by daylight To the home of the {
Girl he loved and he was not over
pleased to meet Tom Clark coming
out.
But from the look Of wretchcdn">S
on Toms face Graham rightly Judged
that the younger mans reception had
not been favorable. And he grinned
patronizingly at him.
At sight Of that grin Tom suddenly
lost all control of himself.
He caught Graham 10y the throat in
blindness Of fury and flung him TO .
the ground, leaning over the proStrate .
man and suarling and growing like .
a ruhid dog.
/ Graham. though caught unawares,
had no mind to be thrashed unresist-
ingly in the presence Of the girl he
wanted to marry. He was on his feet
again as nimbly as any trained
wrestler. and, dUcking Toms wild
blow, ran in and grappled with him.
Edna, in the doorway. cried out in
. fht.t and
twisted in that fierce embrace of
hate. a crowd quickly gathered at
the gate
UnSccing, unhearing. the two men
hattled on. Now The advantage was
with one, now with the other.
And suddenly the tide of battle
, turned. Tom wriggled free from
Graham's clawing grip and began to
] rain a lightning succession OF blows
upon the ill-guarded face and body of
t his opponent
, Under that fuSillade Graham was
r beaten back helpless ana Keeling.
I At ten o'clock next morning Joe
: Carr returned to his own department
, from a summons 10 the presidents
office. with orders from Peltz and
Graham that Thomas Clark be in
Stantly discharged.
Il did my best for you, lad re
ported the Old man when he had told
the news to Tom and to group Of
sympathetic workmen who came over
to listen. but it was no use. Ora
ham was there. with his face all
swollen and cut, and he kept saying
Mr.. Peltz, either Clark goes or / go I.
| told Peltz you were the best worker
on the floor; but he stood by Graham
and"
And l guess the boys will stanC
by Tom Clark spoke up one of the
listening workers. He's fired with
out cause, and that's dead againS
our agreement with the company
Wen call meeting for tonigh
and"
Not on my account" begged Tom
81 don't want to make any of yo
men lose a days work or get in ba'
with Graham for my sake. l can I'M
work somewhere. And"
"And you'll find it right here i
these mills" supplemented Carr, 20
we'll know the reason why. Mr.. As
| new Graham's gone a step too ia
| this time"
\ On the following day a cOmmitte
| of the men formally waited upon Nj
H Peltz in the latter's office. Graha1
was there, still hideOusly disfigure
by his thrashing.
Peltz nodded CURLY to the commit
tee and babe them state their erranC
The spokesman cleared his throat an
I" began a speech he had carefully r.
- hearsed.
ii' MIR. Peltz," said he, 1--WE are her
as a delegation of your entire fore
ioi We have a grievance. We regret thi
IL we should be obliged"
Ills "Oh, cut out the flOwery langua&
and come to the point" snapped CIR
en- ham. whats your grievanceT
OF The spokesman, still addressir
'no Peltz, resumed.
" Thomas Clark was yesterday Oh
charged without assigned cause, al
H. for no reason concerning his work al
INT conduct here in the mills. We d
nv mand, respectfully, that he be rel
Tor stated by or before noon today"
And if we refuse?' sneered CT
we ham. what then?"
his Then" retorted the spOkesma
Wis stirred out Of his self-cOntrOl by t
he insolent tone, then at noon eve
rue man in these mills will register
tor protest by walking out. That is tina
walk out, them" yelled Graha
in "Strike, if you're fools enough! \
man who strikes on account of Il
S it Clark backyard will ever get {
to other job here. That's final, too"
AS they departed they heard G
who ham say to the president:
err" perhaps you see now why did
lard like Clark's popularity with the IN
lam. He"
cans Telegraph to Nagel,' interrupt
ten Peltz Tell him to ship us five h
dred strikebreakers and fifty guar
his Wen see this thing through. i
He Nagel to rush his men here on
first possible train
ITS But 1t was one thing to summon