Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1909-05-08 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

OUR ANIMALS' FRIEND SOCEETY. i reducing wages. When coal was easier to in the waning light. Stilly had stolen into One new mean has n enlled , !produce, and competition less keen, they the room while the new schoolmistress was tam week, viz. made fortunes. Now they have sunk deeper playing, and now stood behind her in rapt : land shafts, bought more powerful ma- attention; Annie and my mother were busy BM Sidney Swtun, 6, Queen Street, Darfield. ry, and laid out larger plants, as though with their needles, and both had dropped There are now 625 members of the they would turn the very earth inside out. their work and were leaning back in their eriend Society. Men have always turned up on demand; the chairs Listening; I stood at the threshold of work has gone on with a rush, with the re , the room fearing to go further., suit that the markets have been over-stocked.l For fully half an hour Miss HOW sat play. The men have united to get and maintain ing in the twilight. She appeared to have, their rights; the masters have associated hi. been inspired with a new enthusiasm for' strengthen their own position. Capital and life, and a fine power was revealed in every, I Labour are for ever in opposition, and will strain. At length she ceasedand turned onl always be until the two interests are made the stool to talk with Hilly. Seeing me; one by co-operation. The present stoppage standing in the doorway, she smiled and is more the result of circumstances than of asked me if I was not in the humour for a any man's making. There is a great gulf be- little music. The hint was sufficient; I step ,tween men and masters, but neither party peal into the room, reached down my violin are attempting to bridge it over, though both and tuned it; then for another half-hour we are anxiously observing each other from the played together, ,opposite banks. This starvation and wretch-; Later the same evening, finding it lathy., edness must be endured for a time, yet it is close in the house and very pleasant out of ' but a temporary evil out of which some per-, doors, I suggested that we should go for. a manent good will ultimately arise." 'short walk. Miss Hope appeared very will. You speak like a prophet, Mr. Hardy." ling to go, and was soon ready, in her hat and observed the curate. light cloak. I had thought Hilly would eel "But it is a hopeful prophecy, is it not, company Us, but she made some excuse for, airy" 'remaining at home, being evidently under "So it may be, but what of the present :the impression that she would be intruding. That is the question we have to deal with. In this way it came about that the new I tell you the people are starving." 'schoolmistress and I had a walk by ourselves; "I know it, sir," I said, "and it is the for the first time since that afternoon when' duty of every human person—all who have she came to Northorpe. the means—to contribute to their relief." I. We went in the same direction taken by But the funds are still insufficient," be the three of us on the Saturday afternoon said, seriously, following Miss Hope's arrival. The moon It was then I made Mr. Curtis an offer, was just rising as we started down Cheseon's. Since coming of age I had saved A. Of Clough, and my companion's face looked very this sum I promised to give him one sore- charming in the chaste light; but a guilty 'reign each week towards the relief funds, as feeling crept over me whenever my eyes met long as the money lasted and the strike con- hers, and nay mother's words—the words she tinned; but I insisted upon him keeping the had spoken on the same Saturday night that matter secret. !Charlie Beavers was murdered—came back The same night both Hilly and Annie ask- with a force that touched my conscience, ed me what it WU that had made me pleased, "Norman, my hid. I hope you won't ffirt but how could I tell them? There is one with Miss Hope. She is a very nice person, thing in the world that will make a man and a lady. I should not like to think that happy in the midst of all the misery and you looked upon her lightly," she had said, distress which humanity can bear. I dare seriously, not name it here. During the last week or two it seemed to me that Mies Hope had betrayed a growing