The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-12-20


entered his room, and closed the
door. Keppard at the table shrugged
his shoulders, gulped his coffee, and
took a swishiAg suck at his mus
tache. Gret, his daughter, seeing
John, smiled ;ld sighed. Seated be-
side her grandmother, she sewed on
in silence.
Keppard, squat, with brutal coun-
tenance, got to his feet and hitched
in his pants. One burly fist pounded
the table.
more trouble, We amt had
enough yet"
''Now what?Y Gret asked.
"Them damned organizers is caus-
in hell again. The strike is spread
in west an there'll be more blood
shed All, well, the gun men'll take
care o. fem."
Old demented "Gran'ma" Keppard,
excited by his words, began to chant:
"Guns >. guns g. i. Paint Greek
;. painted red red red blood
=. Jin's blood /. Jim's Cabin
Cabin Greek =, guns screeching
-. OH \. Ludlow . laid low
=. woe woe :. :. :. Oh =.
Oh"
Mortified and exhau l, she sank
back into her chair.
Gret looked at her brother angrily.
'Tberel Now va started her again.
y. Row many times hev l got to
tell y to stop yer talking blood and
guns, Wen be doin' nothin' but
hearin' the bloody history of every
miners strike!"
/ "Here, Gran'ma. Here's
light. All, yer forevel losin' yer
pipe. =. Here It's, Gran'ma, III
light it fer "a
She turned on her father
"Who started this tro'ble anyway.
~. ii not the mine oYsners =. with
their weigi1t-robDin' an pay cuttin'
n bringin' in guns" A hasty look
towards Gran ma 81 hope you've
learned yer lesson, anil stand by the
men tbs tine I'm tired O. slavin'.
Va don't make enough to keep goin'
that we gotta have ,ohl to board
an even that amt cough to keep
us like decent worki4.' folk who"
.'Damn John, N yoa too! That
dirty redneck is more to blame than
the whole goddam"
'.Ya don't damn his money, do va ?
He keeps us up an what's more,
he's organized the coal diggers an
is willin' fer to fight with 'em fer
better workin' conditions an pay.
amt ever heard you fightin' 'cept
fer the company n against the men
n beatin' little Joey!"
KEPPARD raised his fist to strike,
~ but stopped when Joey, covered
with sweat, coal dust and grease,
shambled in. He collided with the
squat bulk of his father who was
standing with feet wide apart, glar-
ing at him.
"Ain't va workin' overtime?"
81 coulden see the belt any more
80. The arch lights blinded me eyes.
-. They're sore" Joey whimpered
in tears.
"Ill show va, va brat" The
sledge fist fells Joey to the floor.
With her full strength Gret pushes
her father aside.
Leave him be, pop, or I'll quit
va cold va have a business sendin'
him to- doctor befur he goes blind
on va"
"Hey va got the money!"
"We'd hev it if va had the
CUTS to. fight fer it with thu
men. Yer me own father an Tn
gitten' to think yer a yeller dog.
] hate va! =. hate va! Bully!
Brute!"
Her arms were two drumsticks
beating the chest of the man who
stood like rock-laughing.
cts. the redneck in va that's talk
in. Laid yer hands on me fer the
first time, eh7 I tell va, it's that
bastard John that's been film va
with crazy ideas of heaven on
earthi s'SYa amt what yer mother
wuz."
"An'sI amt gonna be. Ny mother.
Where is she now? Who put her
tp grave? Who shamed her? Who
made her scab's !. fer all the
miners women to spit in her face.
:. WHO worked her to death with
eight scab boarders SOS va gould fill
yer rotten CUTS with moonshine and
waller in lust. j. Who? Who?
a. WHO KILLED HER? Who?
n. an va want me to be like her.
y. l hate va. / hate val"
Gret. burst into tears. Keppard
pat in disgust and left the room.
Joe opened his eyes and crawled
his feet.
7 could see. Gret. But had to
ne home to tell John. The trains
bringin' in transportation men I.
bsl an big strong guys with guns
an soldiers too. I see Harry"
Harry Gret asked.
yes. with a soldier suit an can
= mean a gun. Y big long one"
There. Joey?" *
cross the bridge on the road to
mines. Lots Of thelnI''
joey. you go find out more
ell john" Then, isening over