davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-17

Little Jack was crying. He had
been trying to hide his feelings all
day long but now every attempt
to smile brought tears to those
big brown eyes and at last the
gates of self control gave way en-
tirely and the floods came. Jack
couldn't tell exactly what the
trouble was,-the pain wasn't un-
bearable, but Mother was I'M
happy-indeed Mother was al
most impatient and cross, and
that was more than the little fell
low could stand.
Jack A Cripple.
Jack was a most likeable lad, pos
sessing big brown eyes, light curly
hair and a wonderfully sunny smile
bespeaking an even pleasant dispoci-
ton, but alas, Jack was = cripple.
Jacks sobs brought Mother to him
In haste, conscience snitten that she
had let any worry. however great,
c.st it's shadow on her dear one. Her
arms were about him instantly and
his insistant, Mother. Mother. what
is it? l want to know-What have
done?" made her realize his right tc
know her trouble.
They had lost their home because
the big man on the hill who owned al
that land, had lost his money and
the property was now in the hands Of
the creditors.
Now they had to move and no ont
would rent rooms or house to then
unless some money was paid in ad
vance. They could move into the
| four rooms over the store across The
lake if they had just thirty dollar!
but father had been borrowing t.
meet the expenses of the last tw,
months and he didn't feel that h
could ask any one for more.
Jack Falls Asleep.
That night Jack lay awake 70
| some thinking, thinking, think
| ing, but finally fell into a troubles
| sleep. 1t was then that he heard
voice speaking right in his ear-"Wh,
| Jackie, you have forgotten something
| come with me. my mistress bids N
bring you"
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-17
Bird Friends of Gardener.

in keeping garden insects under con-
troll. Even the despised English spar
row sometimes eats worm. l have
watched them for hours, busily chasing
moths which the birds 90 after with
far more energy than they ever display
in gathering seeds.-Exchange.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-17
BROOKLINE.

Miss Annie Osgood spent the weekend
at her home here.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bush and son,
Henry. motored to Greenfield Sunday to
meet Mr.. and Mrs. l.. w Bush, who had
been to Columbus, o., to attend the en-
campment of the Grand Army and the
W. r. G. national convention. They also
visited in Buffalo, Niagara and Albany.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-17
MORTIFIED. MASS.
Mortified Press Sold.

field Press and his job printing business
to II. Robert Hoyt of Pittsfeld. n III.
Mr. Hoyt was in the publishing business
similar to this one, in Pittsheld until he
enlisted in the war, when he sold out
Since his discharge he has been employed
in publishing house in Springfield, Mass.
Mr. WEIGH will remain for the present
as editor of the Press. Mr.. Hoyt is a
young man. well recommended and with
no family lie took possession Monday.
Amos Field is suffering from kick by
horse.
Buel Coughlin has position in rub
Der works in Hartford.
Mrs George Barber is entertaining her
! mother, Mrs. Simpson of Maine.
! Mrs sheldon Park of Cleveland. O., is
guest of Dr. A. n Thompson and his
daughter.
Miss Vivian Bolton is taking bust
ness course at Bay Path Institute IN
Springfield
Mrs Miles Doohttle is teaching the
Barber district school until teacher can
be secured
Mr.. and Mrs George r. Nitte have
returned for several weeks at Lake Sun
apee, n. IL.
Mrs. Moore on Birnam road has six OF
the new seminary students in her home
for the year
Mrs. Lorinda Freeman returns from
| Provincetown to the home of her son,
Fred T. Pallam, this week
| Robert Murray and Schuyler White left
| Monday for Syracuse college, where they
| were students when they enlisted
| Sympathy is expressed for Mr. and Mrs
| L. a. Pohemus in the death of an infant
son in the Greenfield hospital Monday
The $50 new girls at Mortified semi
nary were given a reception Monday even
| ing by the former students and faculty
Rev. A. Waldo Stevenson and family
| six weeks at their cottage on Rustic
Ridge
George Moody enters Wesleyan univer
sity, Middletown, Conn, next Monday
Miss Esther Moody returns to Welesle,
college this week for her senior year.
| A son was born in the Atho hospita
Sunday to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Mitchell
of East Mortified. Mrs. james, sister o
Mrs. Mitchell, formerly of this town.
lives in Athol, where Mrs. Mitchell wa
visiting.
Mrs. Frank Warner, who has been
guest at the home of her uncle, J A
Fisher, returned to Des Moines this weel
Mrs. Ella Nash, who has been a guest o
her uncle. Mr.. Fisher, has returned t
Springfield.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-17

Another difference between men and
women is that men never seem anxious
to display their arms and legs.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

have been making during the last sixty
years has been to pay too much atten-
ton to the total paid out In wages, in
stead Of making the relation between
wages and production or the cost price
of labor per article their chief object.
This has led to the abominable practice
Of cutting rates. Nothing else in the
put labor into thoroughly bad frame
Of mind and to force on labor the Ca
canny" policy.
No wonder Here was an ambitious
workman, paid by piece rates, who
wanted to get on. He found little ways
of working so that he could do half as
much again in day as before. The
first week or two, perhaps, he reaped
his reward in considerably higher
wages then the misguided employer no.
ticed this, grew alarmed at any work
man earning so much and promptly
reduced the piece rates so that, with all
his increased industry, the man could
make no more than before. Not only
ne, DuL Ill HIS COWoIhcAb, Weio thub
penalized because he had had sufficient
energy to try to increase his output.
This practice of cutting rates must
be stopped if there is ever to be har-
mony between capital and labor, and
employers are just beginning to realize
It.
But this same capability for doing
more work in a day than he is doing,
which most workmen possess, can be
turned to good account for all parties
If 1t is handled in the proper spirit. 1t
is well worth the employers while to
encourage his employees to work harder
and to pay them the extra wages they
earn thereby. For If it costs him more,
he is easily compensated by the greater
quantity of work turned out and a
corresponding cost in overhead charges.
An employer can afford to give higher
wages only in proportion as he gets a
higher efficiency Of labor.
The trouble is that 'abor does not
always understand this. Sometimes 1t
Is inclined to think that capital can 90
on shoveling out monei to workers.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25
BY SIR RICHARD A. COOPER, NJ. p.


trivial and unessential actions he will
have less for his work and his output
to his employer will diminish.
1t Is for this reason that shorter
hours of work do not mean smaller pro-
duction. In my own factory in 1914
the working hours were from m.
to 6 p. m. with half an hour for break
fast and an hour for lunch. I came
to the conclusion that these hours were
too long, and few months before war
broke out altered the time Of starting
in the morning to o'clock still paying
the same daily wage as before.
1t was an entire success. Instead Of
coming into a cold factory at 6, unfe6,
to do virtually no work before break
fast, and after lunch having a rather
slack afternoon because the long morn
ing had tired them, the men worked
briskly all through the shortened day
and got through as much work as under
the old system. So that the result was
equal output, equal pay. two hours a
day less work for the men and a saving
on overhead expenses for myself.
The natural consequence was salts
faction all round.
One Illuminating result Of the change
was that the owner Of a public house
close to the works came to me when the
new method had been running for some
months, and asked if 1 would compen-
safe him for his loss of trade, which
amounted to loss to him Of Fl week.
He claimed that this was directly due to
the shorter working day. Formerly the
men, coming on duty cold and uncom-
Portable at 6 o'clock in the morning,
would call in regularly for their pint
of beer, but when they arrived at 8,
having just breakfasted, they needed no
such refreshment.
This shows how closely bad working
conditions are connected with much
consumption of alcohol, and certainly in
America, where prohibition now reigns,
the workmen are far better treated
than over here.
One of the worst mistakes employers
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

WHEN I am asked what causes are
w responsible for the present univer-
sal unrest In the industrial world, l
can only answer that 1t is largely due
to the employers lack of vision in the
past.
BY that 1 do not mean to imply that
employers are the tyrant they are some
times represented to be, or that they
knowingly and avowedly slave drive
their workers. They have undoubtedly
failed to make it possible for labor to
give of its best, but that is the result
of ignorance and short sight. Employ
ers have never been educated in the true
science and economics Of business labor
has been so cheap that they have not
learnt to save the energy Of their en-
ployes by every device Of machinery
and organization.
There are many instances OF this
waste of human vitality. In a mining
district in South Wales the miners, In
order to reach the pithead, have to toll
up a hill half a mile long, although
a railway for transport purposes runs
the whole way, and with coal on the
spot the cost of taking the men to and
fro by train would be very slight. 1t
would pay the employer to haul the
men up the hill, that they may be fresh
when they commence their work.
Again, in many business houses en-
nloyes are not permitted to use the lifts,
but must climb up two, three, four or
more flights of stairs to their work.
This may save a little on the chiefs
electricity bill, but he loses it all and
more in the diminished output caused by
this waste of human force.
In America, where wages are much
higher than here, the employer has
been forced to make fine art of saving
all unnecessary expenditure of energy
on the part of his workers. He has
found, as we discovered in our NUM-
ton factories during the war, that a
worker has only a certain amount of
daily force, and that If it is wasted on
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25
Some Waus in Which Employers Working Conditions of Men

same bench and receive the same edu.
cation there naturally grows up a much
closer understanding of one another's
needs. That is what we want today
deeper sympathy and knowledge be.
tween employer and employe, and for
this reason l should be glad to see such
mixed schools in England.
A few years ago a certain well.
known public school utterly declined
to admit scholarship boys from the
council schools, and did without the
municipal grants of money which ac-
companied these free places rather than
allow working class boys to share the
privileges of their exclusive pupils. II
is such incidents as these that cut a
gulf between capital and labor and
create the difficulties against which we
now have to fight. .-...'
There are many employers TODAY IN
this country who are awake to their
responsibility and duty in leading in the
van of industrial peace; but there are
too many Of the old sort who do not an
preciate the science of efficient output:
the bad employer is holding back the
good. Complete organization in trade
association is, l believe, the first step
to progress so that employers can act
as an organized body and the enlight-
ened employer can lead and when neces-
sary force the recalcitrant employer TO
do the right thing. Organized labor
recognizes the blackleg workman and in
times of necessity deals drastically with
him: we have, unhappily, many black
leg employers. They may be honest men
at Heart, but profoundly ignorant: they
have got to be dealt with severely as
blackleg employers, Very much, per
haps most, is wrong with labor In our
industrial wars; but much Is certainly
wrong with employers. Employers are
the more educated and responsible sec.
ton of the industrial community: the
country rightly looks to them to lead.
1t is up to the employers to set their
house in order first and then require
labor to play its due part in creating
the happier and more prosperous future
awaiting both.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

Spread out, boys!"
Don't mistake me for a sheep, any
bodyr'
'All right? Give it to 'em, now
Give EN- their iose!''
Smoke the Dutchman out, too ~
In barking, staccato uproar suddenly
burst upon the night, drowning the
querulous murmurings of the alarmed
flock, boot and yell, and volley merging
with volley of gun shots. The erst-
while peace was rent by noise internal
hubbub of shouts and bleats and oaths
and laughter and quick reports from
rife and six shooter.
Clip! Clip! spat! a score OF bullets
ripped through the dingy tent, thudded
on boxes and clinked against the stove.
"Mein Gott!" muttered Chris, hug
ging close his fiat bed. "Dey pile oop
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

my sheep! Mebbe dey pass by. Where
is dot dog? She make troubles. We
stay quiet in our tent. Dey say take my
sheep out, take dem out in the morn
ing; I cannot take dem out tonight.
Where is dot dos' don want tr0u-
bles."
Kitty was back. Bristling, growing,
tail between legs, she crept in through
the flaps and sought far corner of the
tent. The jingling was near; horse
stumbled and a man swore. Whoever
they were, they rode carelessly, even
defantly.
Where are the woollies, anyway"
asked somebody.
Here they are. See the tent?"
A vague group of moving forms could
be deserted traversing the sage and ap-
preaching. The sheep were astir, bleat-
ing questioningly. Chris cautiously
withdrew his head and closed the flaps.
II schleep," he vouchsafed sagely.
Den, when dey wake me, know nod
dings only, take my sheep out In the
morning, If dey say so.'
Hey, you Dutch mutton! Come
out! We're goin' to have a barbecue
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

herders; but even If they knew about
the attack, those Mexicans would not
cross in succor. No, they had their own
bacon to save. A thousand miles away
were the owners of the flock. Chris
was alone.
Thud of blows, shrill bleatings, pant
ing, clump of horses hoofs, exclama-
tons, an occasional shot, persisted; the
bloody work was going on.
"Ain't that Dutchman awake YETI"
demanded a voice.
Hes a sound sleeper, amt her"
responded another.
"NIebbe we combed his hair"
mo, he's shamming. Rouse him
out, boys. He's missing the fun"
Bang bang, bang, bang The bull
let's Kissed through the tent once more.
One burned welt across the covering
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

without demanding anything In return.
This is a fallacy. Larger pay must be
accompanied BY larger output--that Is,
greater efficiency of both employer and
worker--or a business cannot remain
financially sound, and under the changed
conditions following the war, British
industry cannot hold her share OF over
seas markets. The employee can foster
this efficiency by concentrating more
on his work and the capitalist by pro-
viding his workers with every possible
means of conserving their energy.
People often object that English work
men resent the introduction of improved
machinery, and that is perfectly true.
But why? Simply because they have
found, by experience, that as soon as
their output was increased By better
appliances the piece rates promptly
went down. I say again that in the
future there must be no more cutting
Of the piece rates: the greater the
efficiency of the factory, the greater
the margin for higher wags.
Another mistake made by employers
is that they do not co cooperate as the
workers do. Take farmers, perhaps the
most conservative body of men in the
Kingdom. Though by banding together
they could pay high wages and yet make
money, they have such distrust of one
another that they will not do 1t. Each
farmer prefers to pillow his own fur
row in solitude, and guard his own little
trade secrets. That is the fundamental
trouble in present day agriculture.
Gradually labor pressure and the diff
ficulty of making a concern pay unless
rising wages are balanced by rising out
put are educating the employer to see
these things. His fault has been far
more ignorance than anything else, and
think a great deal Of it is due to the
way in which, in this country, the
moneyed classes and the working classes
are educated separately in watertight
compartments.
In the United States, Holland and
other countries where there are state
schools in which the millionaire's son
and the cobbler's boy sit together on the
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

my Sleeps! Mebbe dey shoot me. But
dey pile oop my sheeps!"
His teeth chartered; he groveled,
shuddering. weak as water. hardening
to the clamor outside. What could he
do? He was alone, and according TO all
hearsay those devil cowboys would as
soon kill him as kill eve or wether. In
fact, they rated him below his sheep.
Seven or eight miles distant was an
other band OF Circle X sheep, with two
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

and gibbous moon, had invested mesa
land. Upon the bedding ground the
uproar of believing wethers, calling
ewes and complaining lambs had abated
to q mere murmur as wether grumbled
at wether, mother eve recounted to
mother eve and lambkin babbled quer-
Glously in its sleep.
Within the tent Chris yawned, wiped
his eyes, laid aside a tattered paper
through which he had been laboriously
spelling, and removed his shoes. He
must be up at 4 in the morning, since
at the first ray of sun those uneasy
charges of his would be heading away,
to Craze, and he must point them Alright
He slowed his rusty brogans by his
bed, turned back the soiled quilts,
crawled in and, reaching for the lantern,
blew out the flame.
With a grunt he adjusted himself.
Behind the stove, still warm with it's
ashes, Kitty sighed luxuriously. Out
side, upon the bedding ground, lay COM
pact the sheep, only a fidgety one now
and then standing, to turn about and
compose itself again. Not sound was
to be heard Apparently natures night
had mantled the broad range with its
peace, bidding hoof, paw and foot to
rest, preparing for another day.
The moon climbed steadily higher,
and sage and mesa were wanly illu-
mined. Upon the bedding ground not
even lambkin whimpered. Within the
tent Chris snored gutturally; but Kitty
growled. She growled again, and Chris
awoke.
''Vas?" he addressed drowsily.
"Shut oop! Go to schleep, Kitty"
Having attracted her masters atten-
ton, Kitty, with another low protest,
backed out from behind the stove, where
quarters were narrow, and at the tent
doorway stuck her nose through a crack
in the flaps. She shifted the night air
with long inspiration and again growled.
She whined.
want to get out?" queried Chris.
"vat is it? Some pl coyote? I don't
schmell holdings. Well, wait a min
ute. unite Il pldCV LOI yOus
But ere, with sundry grunts and
groans, he had staggered in his stock
inged feet from bed to door, for accom-
plishing his indulgent purpose Kitty
had burrowed through and was outside.
Here her throaty indignation waxed to
a continuous rumble and Chris, at last
more aroused than annoyed, opened the
flaps on his own account, to poke his
tousled head between, and listen.
A coyote perhaps a wolf; possibly a
Sinking beat, or even lion travel
ing afar for a chance mutton. None of
these did Chris fear, and he would have
willingly gone after them in the night
time with a club alone to defend his
flock. He listened.
shut oop!'' he ordered, to Kitty.
II can't hear anything but you"
He listened. Upon his ears, as keen
as were his eyes by day, fell a faint
jingle.
dot is a loose horse, or somebody
rides" he commented. "a horse dot
got away, mebbe don see why some
body rides dis time O. night. Coon in,
Kitty! We don care, anyhow"
But Kitty refused to come. Instead,
she vanished amid the dimness, her
growls floating back as she proceeded
on. From the bedding ground / wether,
like a sentinel, hoarsely bleated. The
jingling was more pronounced; there
was more than one horse.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

running blindly. A riotous shout greet
ed him.
Here he isl"
Here's the Dutch"
Get his dog, boys!'
Rife and revolver rang sharply /;
Kitty uttered another piteous yelp, col
lapsed and lay motionless. Arm over
his brow, as II for shield, Chris
plunged on and dived to hands and
knees in the friendly sage.
TOOK to the brush p jeered voices.
Finish his sheep, boys!"
Through all the sage around about,
and back and forth upon the stricken
bedding ground. were running the help
less, bewildered sheep. Eve, wether
and lamb lifted high their plants in
appeal and agony. The salty scent Of
warm blood was In the heavy air. The
moons ghostly light revealed short pur
suits, rising and falling clubs, kicking
whitish forms.
1t was very saturnalia Of wanton
butchery. Chris's head throbbed hotly,
his eyes were blurred with red. He
scrambled to his feet, and with gun in
one hand shook his clenched fist impo-
tently.
"You kill my Sleeps, you kill my dog,
you try to kill me !" he yelled furiously.
"Mebbe l kill you first, you verdamm-
ter"
He blazed away. The fame from his
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

herder's thigh, and Kitty, on the fur
ther side Of him, yelped in fright or
pain.
'Mein Gottl get out of dis" NUT
tered Chris.
A rage filed him his German spirit
was pricked into being. Crawling, fol-
lowed by Kitty, he grasped the rusted
single barrel shotgun which was his
armament against buysards and coyotes.
Head down. he bolted from the tent,
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25

Sheep were rising to their feet;
Kitty's reconnaissance was disturbing
them. There reached Chris a murmur
Of human voices, gay laugh, renewed
jingle of stirrup and bride. He strained
his eyes, but a mist hung over the sage,
pebulous in the half moonshine, and he
could distinguish nothing beyond the
hummocky backs of his charges.
Horses und peoples, too" COM
muned Chris. ''Mebbe so dey COON for