The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-07-30
The Black Sheep.


was akin TO the religious in the most
exalted meaning of the variously in
terpreted word He was one of these
men who are so filled with a sense
of the absolute Importance of their
ideas that they talk them in season
and ont of season, to any one who is
willing to listen and to many who
are not willing to listen, until they
are looked upon at best as harm
less nuisance, and at the worse, as a
MANAGE to the peace Of mind of the
community. Such man was Collin
wood. 1t was said of him that if he
had client befor a jury, he would
first try to make socialists out of the
twelf goodmen and true, before he
would argue the case for his client,
in consequence of which he had to
raise bees in order to keep his home
fires burning. Consequently he had
but few friends and many enemies
and near enemies. His friends he
loved and his enemies he propagan-
dised, which they considered as being
worse, then if he hated them.
That Olive Anderson should admire
such an individual was forgone con
clussion. And that Collinwood would
tell her all, and more then he knew
about socialism was equally certain.
For Collingwood was nothing if not
well read in the literature of the class
struggle and its allied subjects. He
also possessed of an extraordinary
imagination, which he needlessly EN-
ployed in his recital Of the crimes of
I the rich.
For weeks, "The Appeal To Reas-
on ,, had carried the announcement.
that on a certain day, Eugene V.
Debs was to speak in Denver, in be.
half of the imprisoned labor leaders
at Boise. And Olive Anderson had
eagerly awaited that day. But when
she told her aunt and uncle of her
intentions to 60 to Denver and hear
the speaker, they very naturally
raised storm of protest. They went
so far as to wire to Olives mother
for instructions in the matter, the
result of which might will be imag.
ined. But their efforts were in vain.
Olive had decided to 60. And she
went After which her uncle decided
to mention the matter no farther
hoping that one political speech would
be enough to satisfy her curiosity.
1t was ON her trip from Boulder to
Denver, that she met Peter Collin.
wood. He was at the station giving
out "Appeal to Reason, and an.
nouncements of the Debs meeting, to
passengers boarding the Denver train
He was very thorough in his work
for altho Olive was to all appearances
just a slip of girl in the midst of
the giddy age, he did not neglect her
but handed her the paper and hand
bill, with verbal request that she
90 and hear the speaker while in
Denver.
Olive was delighted to meet thi.
apostle of discomfort. She told him
that it was to hear Debs, that she
was going to Denver. To which Col.
linwood replied; "two of us, by
hockey, two of usl"
| The train started on its way, Col
hnwood and Olive occupying the same
seat, her cousin, five year her senior
sat on the opposite side of the train
a veritable picture of disapproval. She
cordially hated the lawyer for nc
other reason than that her father
hated him. And her father hated hin
| for 4ba raacnn tbo{ ba anre,1o.ol Al,
lawyer fool but every time he triec
to prove him so, Collinwood woulc
have the best Of the argument. Nov
Olive was conversing with this mai
and using language which he
cousin did not even comprehend. Fo
they spoke of Social evolution, o
workingclass supremacy, of industria
solidarity, of capitalistic decadencC
with an ease that entirely baffled tn
> middle-class minded girl who was t
' guard Olive from harm.
i, The trip to Denver was feast t
: Olive Anderson. For the lawye
told her much of the life history o
Americas greatest workingclass ora
D tor and also much of the inside of tn
present labor troubles, which wer
r now eliminating in the possible deaf
. of three Of the leading man in tn
Western Federation The two hour
: during which the train made its wa
t from Boulder to Denver passed b
4 almost un.noticed, and now they wer
in Denver.
That evening she found herSeI
among the mass crowd that gathere
i at the auditorium to hear the grea
c apostle of freedom, but more to vote
. their protest through him, against III
illegal barbarities Of the mine owner
of Colorado II was a wonderful gait
ering. The very air seemed to |
. charged with an electric force. Oliy
i felt as if she were swept along b
7 this, to her, mystic power. Thel
), was a stiffness in the great hall th'
IS could only be likened to the stillne
>, that sometimes precedes storI
r There were the usual tireson
y preliminaries which one has to g
.. dure at all socialist meetings. Tn,
10 are the usual cause Of small attendanc
10 at many meetings, but when Debs
, to speak, anything can he endure
% for he is in this respect an all col
F" pensating power. Still this was Olive
le first meeting and all Of this prein
,s nary work which usually is the ii
" aneial part of the enterprise, int
r ested her, only as part Of the bait
lie tactics of a great cause, That not
As speaker should be preceded by n bo
IA auction was to her an unheard
= proceeding, but she could understa
IL that the purpose was to get the Ii
ne nature before the public, which
o. course was a wise and necessary pt
Of the great struggle.
At last the speaker came upon {
no stage, and then pandimonium bro
hp | 1oaan Gueh ahaarinu and annlaudi