The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-09

Margaret or Marge, as he called her, filled him
with dread. Not wasn't exactly dread; it rather
more of sickening feeling The feeling expert
ences, more or less, being frightened He knew
that Marge would be surprsed-startIed at finding
him home at this early hour Of the day. 1t was Just
q bit past ten Questions and fitted through
his mind. What would he say 70 her? And without
quite fully being Of it. he found himself inside
his rather large miners kitchen; which acted Inv
ing as well. And walking towards the couch he
slumped down upon It, sitting half bent and dang
ling his cap between his knees
Marge was not in. He felt relieved. Thoughts,
thoughts, thoughts kept rushing thru his mind He
elmost knew what Marge would say when she heard
that he'd gone out on strike. He put questions to
himself somewhat as he thought she would put to him.
He answered them. Argued inwardly with himself.
Again and again he would insist phantom ques
TONER that or rather they-the boys had to strike
They had 70 strike. OF this he convinced And
he would Let imaginary Questioner argue him out of
IT, He-"HsHo Toni" The voice startled him that
he dropped his cap ''why hello Marge. Didn't even
hear you come in" He walked to and kissed
her.
"But why ara you home, Tom? You said you had
ct least three days work-Come Tom,-nothing
wrong hope You haven't--been-fred? Have you
mo, moi IT'S nothing like that. Oh Gee, Marge,
cverythingH be o. K. Really there's nothing wrong
yet You zee the boys got kinda when they saw
a notice this morning, posted at the mine entrance,
stating that beginning with Monday they'd reduce all
wages ten per cent Gee, but Jimmy got sore Marge"
He purpOsely brought in the part about Jimmy think
ing that by doing he might make her smile bit,
soften her face which had taken grim look while
he was telling her this. "He was for going up and
punching old Sanders-thats the super-right on the
Jaw. But BiH-you know Bll-Bill Brdsey he says:
TeHers can't be bunch of damn fools. Let's Ap-
point committee go up and see Sanders and tent
him we can't accept . decrease in wages just now.
We ainH workn' more'n half weeks it is and with
= 10 per reduction we couldn't live. The boys
went wild. They all applsuded BILL Gee, but you
Ehoulda heard them"
-And did the committee go to see the super, TomT'
YEA, but we were all told to go home-and wait for
a report Bill Whitley and old Jenkins are the
committed"
But Tom! Do you think the company will listen
70 your committee7 You know what they've done be-
fore. Told you to back day your jobs.
And didn't lose your Jobs you went back later
Tor less wages, when you had no money to live
on. Tom. you can't buck ern They've got us down
and got to stay there-at present Tom, you can't
60 strike now. You can't. You can't We haven't
saved nickel in the last six months; what with you
working only three four days a week-You know
it's not for myself ask it, Tom; but" and herewith
abe skunk into chair and laying her head on the
table she wept
During all this Tom sitting at the table drum
ming irregularly the tablecoth-hs eyes conferred
a stain which seemed to have the features Sand
ers face. And he began picking that spot with the
fork Picking and picking on it until there was
hole almost inch wide in the tablecloth
TTNoM BURKIN had known Margaret only three weeks
before he married her. In mining towns such as
Evansville courtings weren't elongated affairs. He met
her at picnic Of the local Goodfelows organization
He thought she was pretty. Made number of dates
with her and married her.
Acknowledgement Gavin was her maiden name
didn't think she'd every marry miner She could re-
ruember dimly little girl before her father