Year: 1874

Agricultural LnbOrers Out of Work.

 The laborers who sustain the lock out iu England receive from the funds of the organization nine shillis gs week. As the hour for this payment ap- breaches, writes correspondent of the | London Telegraph, the expectant throng begins to congregate-no inside 1 the alehouse they have no business there at present, and lack the where l withal to take their pleasure. They loiter about the house, and form de- jected- looking groups at the street cor ners. or wander to and fro with their hands plunged so deeply into their otherwise unoccupied brooches pockets that they have the appearance of men wearing strait-waistcoats. I should re- mark that my present observations ap ply strictly to the sedate man of middle age. I take no account of the spry young sprigs of plowmen of eighteen or so, who, being i'll receipt of as much as lockout as they used to get for twelve hours work, are not unnaturally in- clined to look on the present revolt with immense favor, and to express in unmeasured terms their disgust for everything in the shape of compro- mise.' Such young enthusiastic persons may be, and doubtless are, of immense service to the cause from the agitators' point of view, inasmuch as, though they may have not quite arrived at ma turlty as regards sense, they are per spirited peals of Hear, hear," and "Bravo,5 when unionist speaker is addressing crowd, that carry all be- l ho oYoG doubtless are, perfectly honest and well-intentioned youths, who have the cause of freedom for their order deeply rooted within their hearts core.

 What was about to remark concerns chiefly the fathers of families who are doomed to idleness, an ! who attend on pay day to get their nine shillings for the ensuing week. There is nothing defiant or memorable in their demeanor then. They have the aspect of men who, though still patient, are tired of the long struggle in which-for the time being, at all events, and whatever good may ultimately ensue-they are getting so terribly the worst of 1t. It is altogether 8 mistake to suppose that those who..work hardest have the ekeenest relish for food. The digestive organs of a healthy man have no sympathy with the idleness of his hands, and cannot be induced to suspend business CT work half time because of the scarcity of grist brought to the mill. To the un- fortunate who has nothing to do but saunter through lanes or lean over 8 paling and watch the cattle contentedly browsing, it is weary waiting between

 breakfast and dinner time, especially when the period last mentioned marks only barren midway on the road to 8 "tea," which represents the second and last scanty meal for the day.

 Under such circumstances a man waiting for his dole of one and three pence half penny day, may, perhaps,

 be excused if in his heart he wishes at Jericho everything that stands in the

 way of his returning to his customary two and threepence. But he is put in spirits presently.

 The delegate on his rostrum produces his great canvas money-bag, containing

 maybe g hundred and fifty pounds in silver, and, with musical jingle, takes it aloft. "Here am again r he ex- claims, blithely, "and here's the chink, lads and it's Fall for you, every

 penny of it," and for the moment every

 lad" experiences jingle of gratitude, almost as though the precious bag and it's contents was for him individually,

 and he feels as lively as 8 trout five minutes out of water and then soused into it's native element again, and as he

 pockets his share of the money he in- voluntarily straightens his back, and

 after waving his cap with the hurrah

 which the delegates asks for, he de-

 signedly brings to the fore the "bit of l hl11nS with vul,i io1 # Sc oI

 dence of his mettle. Then ensues the speechifying. It is the same old story,

 but with judicious variety of detail. The farmers are giving in. The week before last it was hopeful last week it ) was almost beyond doubt this week it is as "good as done." Consequent

 ly now is the time of all times for the ) men to show, if possible, even bolder front than they have hitherto shown, and by these measures make those obstinate employers who were still in- l sanely holding out against the maj ority, } understand that their arbitrary devices are hopeless, inasmuch as in playing a l waiting game the men and there mas ters. And, so encouraged, the men go , off elate with the prospect of victory which is to be proclaimed in day or , two, and brag right and left of their powers of holding out, and how that

 they are prepared to emigrate, to take

 to coal mining, to die on the threshold

 of their humble homestead, if need be, rather than yield an inch.

 Nor are the farmers themselves behind in this foolish game of brag. To hear the way in which they talk at some of their defense meetings, one might ) think that it was really matter of sac , rifice and inconvenience to employ the 5 men at all, and that they were really , happier and money in pocket when theil } gates were slut against them.