Terre Haute Weekly Gazette, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 16 August 1877 — Page 7

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1 PUT YOURSELF IN HiS PLACE.

A Novel of Thrilling Interest About the Great Strikes in England^ im Hfw~

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BY CHARLES READB. MT

Continued from Last Issue.!

CHARTER IV.

Any one who reads it by the fireside may smile at the incongruous mixture of a sanguinary menace with bad spelling. But deeds ot blood had often followed these scrawls in Hillsborough, and Henrv knew it: and, indeed, he who can not spell his own name conectly, is the very man to take his neighbor's life without compunction since mercy is a fruit of knowledge, and cruelty of ignorance.

And then there was something truly chilling in the mysterious entrance of this threat ort a dagger's point into a room he had locked over1 night. It implied supernatural craft and powe'.. Alter this, where could a man be safe from these all-penetrating and remorseless agents of a secret and irresponsible tribu nal.

Henrv sat down awhile, and pored ovier the sanguinary scrawl, and glanced from it with a shudder at the glittering knife. And, while he was in this state of temporary collapse, the works filled, the Power moved, the sonorous grind-stones revolved, and every man worked at his ease, except one, the best of them all beyond comparison. lie went to his friend Bayne, and said in a broken voice, "They have put me in heart for work given me a morning dram. Look here." Ilayne was shocked, but not surprised. "It is the regular routine," said he. "They begin civil but if you don't obey, they turn it over to the scum,'' "Do you think my life is really in dapger?" "No, not yet I never knew a n*an molested on one warning. This is just to frighten you. If you were to take no notice, you'd likely get another warning, or two, at most and then they'd do you, as sure as a gun." "Dome?" •-v, "Oh, that is the tlills^orough word It means to disable a man from work. Sometimes they lie in wait in these dark streets, and fracture his skull with lifepreservers or break his arm, or cut the sinew of his wrist arid that they call doing him. Or, if he is a grinder, they'll put powder in his trough, and then the sparks of his own making l)re it, and scorch him, and perhaps blind him for life: that's doing him. They have gone as far as shooting men with shot, and even with a bullet, but never so as to kill the man dead on the spot. They do him. They are skilled workmen, you know well, thev are skilled workmen at violence and alf, and it is astonishing how they contrive to stop within an inch of murder. They'll chance it though Botnetimes with their favorite gunpowder. If you're very wrong with the trade, and thev can't do you any other wov, they'll blow your house up from the cellar, or let a can of powder down the chimney, with alighted fuse, or fling a petard in at the window, and they take the chance of killing a houseful of innocent people, to get at the one that's on the black books ot the trade, and has to be done "The beasts! I'll buy a six shooter. I'll meet crafc with craft, and force with force." "What can you do against ten thousand No: go you at once to the Secre tary of the Edge-Tool Grinders, and get your trade into his union. You will have to pay but don't mind that. Cheetham will go halves." ."I,.*, "HI go at dinner-time." ,4v "And why not now?" -Is' "Because," said Henry, with a candor all his own, "I'm getting over my fright a bit, and my blood is beginning to boil at being threatened .by a sneak, who wouldn't stand before me one moment in that yard, knife or no knife."

Bayne smiled a friendly but faint 6mile, and shook his head with grave disapprobation, and said, with wonder, "Fancy postponing Peace!"

Henry went to his forge, and worked till dinner-time. Nay, more, he was a beautiful whistler, and always whistled a little at his work so to-day he whistled a great deal: in fact, he over whistled.

At dinner time he washed his face and hands, and put on his coat to go out But he had soon some reason to regret that he had not actea on Bayne's advice to the letter. There had been a large trade's meeting overnight, and the hostility to the London craftsman had spread more widely, in consequence of remarks that had been there made This emboldened the lower class of workmen, who already disliked him out of pure envy, and had often scowled at him in silence: and, now, as he passed them, they spokfe at him, in theii peculiar language, which the great friend and supporter of mechanics in general, the Hillsborough Liberal, subsequently christened "The dash dialect.'' "We want no cockneys here, to 6teal our work." "Did ever a anvil-man handle his own blades in Hillsborough?" "Not till this knobstick came,J said another.

Henry turned sharp round upon them haughtily, and such was the power of his prompt defiant attitude, and his eye, which flashed black lightning, that there was a slight movement of ecoil among the actual speakers. They recovered it immediately, strong in numbers but in that same moment Little also recovered his discretion, and he had the address to step briskly towards the gate and call out the porter he said to him in rather a loud voice, for all to hear, "If any body asks for Henry Little, say he has gone to the Secretary of the Edge-Tool Forgers'Union." He then went out of the works but, as he went, he heard some respectable workman say to the scum, "Come, shut up now. It is in bette« hands than yours."

Mr. Jobson, the Secretary of the Ed? e-Tool Forgers, was not at home, but his servant-girl advised Little to try the "Rising Sun:" and in the parlor of that orb he found Mr. Jobson, in company with other magnates of the same class, discussing a powerful leader of the Hillsborough Liberal, which was advocated the extension of the franchise, a measure calculated to throw prodigious power into the hands ot Hillsborough operatives, because of their great number, and their habit of living each workman in a tenement of his own, however small.

Little waited till The Liberal had received its meed of approbation, and them asked respectfully if he might speak to Mr. Jobson on "a trade matter. "Cer­

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tainly," said Mr Jobson. "Who are you?'' '•My name is Little. I make the carving tools at Cheetham's." "I'll go home with you my house is hard by W*

When iney got the house, Jobson told him to sit down, and asked him, in a smooth and well-modulated voice, what was the nature of the business. This query, coming from him, who had set the stone rolling thai bade fair to crush him, rather surprised Henry. He put his hand into his pocket, and produced tlie threatening note, but said nothing as to the time or manner of its arrival.

Mr. Jobson perused it carefully, and then returned it to Henry. "What have we to do with this?" and he looked quite puzzled. "Why, sir, it is the act of your Union." "You .ire sadly misinformed, Mr. Little. We never threaten. All we do is *.q remind the master that, if he does not do certain things, certain other things will probably be done by us and this we wrap up in the kindest way "But, sir, you wrote to Cheetham against me." "Did we? Then it will bn in my letterbook." He tooi down a book, examined it, and said, "You are quite right. Here's a copy of the letter. Now surely, sir, comparing the language, the manners, and the spelling, with that of the ruffian whose scrawl you received this morning—" "Then you disown the ruffian's threat, sir?" "Most emphatically. And if you can trace it home, he shall smart for inter fering in our business." "Oh, if the trade di owris the blackguard, I can despise him. But you can't wonder at my thinking all these letters were steps of the same—y"s, and Mr. Bayne thought so too for he aid this was the regular routine, and ends in doing a poor fel!ow for gaining his bread," r. Jobson begged to explain.

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"Many complaints are brought t'6 lis, who advise the trades. When they are frivolous, we are unwilling to disturb the harmony of employers and workmen we reason with the complainant, and the thing dies away. When the grievance is substantial, we take it out of the indiv.dual's hands, and lay it belore the working committee. A civil note is sent to the master or a respectable member ot the committee calls on ihim, and urgeshim to redress the grievance, but always in kind and civil terms. The master generally assents experience has taught hirn it is his wisest course. But if he refuses, we are bound to report the refusal to a larger committee, and sometimes a letter emanates from them, reminding the master.that he has been a loser before by acts of injustice, and hinting that he may h- a loser again. I don't quite approve this form of communication. But certainly it has often prevented the mischief from spreading farther. Well, but prehaps he continues rebellious. What follows? We can't lock up facts that affect the trade we are bound to report the ci«e at the next general meeting. It excites comments, some of them perhaps a little intemperate the lower kind of workmen get inflamed with passion, and often, I am sorry to say, write ruffianly letter*, and now and then do ruffianly acts, which disgrace the town, and are strongly reprobated by us. Why, Mr. Little, it has been my lot to send a civil remonstrance, written with my own hand, in pretty fair English—for a man who plied bellows and hammer twenty years of my life—and be treated with silent contempt and two months after to be offering a reward of twenty or thirty pounds, tor the di.-covery of some misguided man, that had taken on himself to right this very matter with a can of gunpowder, or Home such coarse expedient." "Yes, but, sir, what hurts me is, you didn't consider me to be worth a civil note. You only remonstrated with Cheetham." "You can't wonder at that. Our trade hasn't been together manyyea-s: and what drove us together? The tyranny of our employers. What has kept us together? The bitter experience of hard work and little pay, whenever we were out of union. Those who now direct the trades are old enough to remember when we were all ground down to the dust by the greedy masters and therefore it is natural, when a grievance arises, WQ should be inclined to look to those old offenders for redress in the first instance. Sometimes the masters coivince us the fault lies with workmen and then we trouble the master no more than we are forced to do in order to act upon the offenders* But, to come to the point: what is your proposal?" "I beg to be admitted into the union?" "What union?" "Why, of course the one I have offend ed, through ignorances The edge-tool forgers."

Jobson shook his head, and said he

feared there were one or two ^objections. joy8

it .... ..— i- »-«.

Henry saw it was no use bidding low "I'll pay £15 down," said he, "and I'll en gage not to draw relief frsm your fur.d, unless disabled by accident or violence." "i will submit your offer to the trade," said Jobson. He added, "Then there. I conclude, the matter rests for the present."

Henry interpreted this to mean that he had nothing to apprehend unless his proposal should be rejected, He put the £15 down on the table, though Mr. Jobson told hint that was premature, and went off as light as a feather. Being nice and clean, and his afternoon's work spoiled, he could not resist the temptation he went to "Woodbine Villa." He found Miss Carden at home, and she looked quietly

fael's

leased at his unexpected arrival, but colorv came and went, and her tranquil bosom rose and fell slowly, but grandly, for a minute, as she lowered her head over, her work.

This was a heavenly change to Henry Little. Away from the deafening workshop, and the mean jealousies and brutality of his inferiors, who despised him, to the presence of a beautiful and refined girl,whp was his superior, yet did not despise him. From sin to purity, from dirt »o cleanliness, from war to peace, from vilest passions to Paradise.

Her smile had never appeared 60 fascinating, her manner never so polite yet placid. How softly and comfbrtably she and her ample dress nestled into the corner of the sofa and fitted it! How white her nimble hand! how bright her delicious face! How he longed to kiss he.* exquisite hand, or her little loot, or her hem, or the ground she walked on, or something she had touched, or her eyes had dwelt on.

But he must not even think too much of such delights, lest he should show his heart to soon. So, after a short lesson,

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he proposed to go into the lumber-room and find something to work upon. "Yes, do," said Grace. "I wou go too but no it was my palace of delights for years, audits treasures inexhaustible. I will :ot to be itbbcd of .one more illusion. It is just possible I might find it really,is, what the profane in this house call it—a lumber room—and noL what memory paints it, a temple of divine curiosilics. And so she sent them off, and set herself to feel old—"oh, so old."

And presently Ilenry came pack, laden with a great wooden bust of Erin, that had been the figure-head of a wrecked schooner and set it down, and told her he should carve that in'o a likeness of herself, and the must do her aliaie of lhe work. /4)

Straightway she forgot 6he was worn out and clapped her hands, and her eyes sparkled. And the floor was prepared, and llenry went to work like one inspired. and the chips flew fti every direction, and the paint was chiselled away in no ti ne. and the wood proved soft and kindly, and just the color ol a delicate skin, and Henry said, "The Greek Statues, begging their pardons, have all got hair like mops but this shall have real hair, like your own and the silk dress, with the gloss on and the lace: but the face, the expression, how can I ever—" '•Oh, never mind them," cried Grace, "Jael, this is too exciting. Please go and tell them'not at home' to anybody." "Then came a pietty picture the workman, with his superb hand, brown and 9inewy, yet elegant and shapely as a Duchess's, and the fingers almost as taner, afid his black eye that glowed like a coal over the model, which grew under his masterly strokes, now hard, now light: the epchanting girl who sat to him, and seemed on fire with curiosity and innocent admiration and the sim pic rural beauty, that plied the needle, and beamed mildly with demure happi ness, and shot a shy glance upward now and then.

Yes, Love was at his old, mischievous game. Henry now lived in secret for Grace Carden, and Jael was garnering Henry into her devoted heart, unobserved by the object of her simple devotion. Yet, of the three, these two, that loved with so little encouragement, were the happiest. To them the world was Heaven this glorious afternoon. Time, strewing roses as he went, glided so»sweetly, and so swiftly, that they started with surprise, when the horizontal beams glorified the windows, and told them the brightest day ot their lives was drawing to its end.

Ah, stay a little while longer for them, Western Sun. Stand still, not as in the cruel days of old, to glare upon poor, beaten, wounded, panting warriors, and rob them of their last chance, the shelter of the night but to prolong these holy rapturous hours of youth, and hope, and first love in bosoms, unsullied by the world—the golden hours of life, that glow so warm, and 8hine so bright, anr1. fleet so soon and return in this world— Nevermore

CHAPTER V.!

Ilenry Little began this bust in a fervid hour, and made great progress thd first day: but, as the work grew on him, it went slower and slower for his ambitious love drove him to attempt beauties of execution that were without precedent in this kind of wood-carving and, on the other hand, the fastidiousness of a true craftsman made liim correct his attempts again and again. As to those mechanical parts, w.hich he entrusted at first to his pupil, she fell so far short of his ideal even in these, that he told her bluntly she must strike work for the present he could* not have this spoiled.

Grace thought it hard she might not be allowed to spoil her own image however, she submitted, and henceforth her lesson was confined to looking on. And she did look on with interest, and, at last, with profound admiration. Hitherto, she had thought, with many other persons, that, if a man's hand was the stronger, a woman's was the neater but now she saw the same hand, which had begun by hewing away the coarse outlines of the model, bestow touches of the chisel so unerring and effective, yet so exquisitely delicate, that she said to herself, "No woman'9 hand could be so firm, yet so featberlike, as all this.

And the result was as admirable as the process. The rery texture of the ivory forehead began to come under those master-touches, executed with perfect and various instruments: and. for the first time perhaps in the history of this art, a bloom, more delicate far than that of a plum, crept over the dimpled cheek. But. indeed, when love and tkill work together expect a masterpiece.

Henry worked on it tour afternoons, the happiest he had ever known There was the natural pleasure of creating, and the distinct glory and delight of reproducing features so beloved and to these

were arfded

the pleasure of larger

conversation.

The model gave Grace

many opportunities of making remarks, or asking questions, and Henry contrived to say so many things in answer to one. Sculptor and sister made acquaintance with each other's minds over the growing bust.

And then young ladies and gentlemen dropped in, and gazed, and said such wonderfully silly things, and thereby left their characters behind them as fruitful themes for conversation. In short, topic were never wanting now.

As foi Jael, she worked, and beamed, and pondered every word her idol uttered, but seldom ventured to say anything, till he was gone, and then she prattled fast enough about hi n.

The work drew near comple ion. The hair, not in ropes, as heretofore, but its silken threads boldly and accurately shown, yet not so as to cord the mass, and unsatin it quite. The silk dress the lace collar the blooming cheek, with its every dimple .and incident all these were completed, and one eyebrow, a masterpiece in itself. This carved eyebrow was a revelation, and made every body who saw it wonder at the conventional substitutes they had hitherto put up with in statuary ok all sorts, when the eye brow itself was EO beautiful, and might it seems have been imitated, instead of libelled, all these centuries.

But beautiful works, and pleasant habits, seem particularly liable to interruption. Just when the one eyebrow was finished, and when Jael Dence had come to look on Saturday and Monday as the only real days days in the week, and when even Grace Carden was brighter on those days, and gliding in a gentle complacent custom, suddenly Saturday come and went, but Little did not appear.

Jael was restless. Grace was disappointed, but content to wait till Monday.

I I J'-ri1

THE TERRE HAUTE WEEKLY GAZETTE.

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Monday came and went, but no Henry Little. Jael began to fret and sigh and, after two more blank weeks, she could bear the mystery no longer. If you plaase. Miss," said she, "shall I go to that place where he works?" "Where who works?', inquired Grace, ra'hrr disingenuously. "Why, the dark young man. Miss," said Jael, blushing deeply.

Grace reflected, and curiosity struggled with discretion but discretion got the better, being aided by self-respect. "No, Jael,'' said she "he is charming, when he is here, but, when he gets away, he is not always so civil as he might be, I had to go twice atter him. I shall not go nor send a third time. It really is too bad of him." "Dear heart," pleaded Jael, mahap he is not well." "Then he ought to write and say so. No, no he is a radical, and full of conceit: and he has done this one eyebrow, and then gone off laughing and saying, 'Now let us see if the gentry can do the other amongst them.' If he doesn't come soon, I'll do the other eyebrow rnvself." "Mayhap he will never come again," said Jael. "Oh, ves. he will," said Grace mighty cunningly "he is as fond of coming here as we arc of having him. Not that I'm at all surprised for the fart is, you are very pretty, extremely pretty, abominably pretty "I might pass in Cairnhope town," said Jael, modestly, "but not here. The moon goes for nought when the sun is there. He don't come here for me." 7. his sudden elegance of language, and Jael's tone of dignified despondency, silenced Grace, somehow, and made her thoughtful. She avoided the subject for several days. Indeed, when Saturday came, not a word was said about the defaulter it was only by her sending tor Jael to sit with her, and by certain looks, and occasional restlessntss, she betrayed the slightest curiosity or expectation.

Jael sat and sewed, and often looked quickly up at the window, as some footstep passed,.and then looked down again and sighed.

Young Little never came, lie seemed to have disappeared from both their lives quietly disappeared.

Next day, Sunday, Jael came to Miss Carden, atter morning church, and said meekly, "If yeu please, Miss, may I go home?'' "Oh, certainlv," said Grace, a little haughtily. "What for?"

Jael hung her head, and said she was not used to be long away. Then she lifted her head, and her great candid eyes, and spoke more frankly. "I feel to be drawed home. Sometiiing have been at me all the night to that degree as I couldn't close my eye6. I could almost feel it, like a child's hand, a pulling me, East. I'm afeard father's ill, or maybe the calves are bleating for me, that is better acquaint with them than sister Patty is And Hillsborough air don't seem to 'gree with me now not altogether as it did at first. If you please, M«S8, let me go and then I'll come back when I'm better company than I be now. Oh dear? Oh dear!" "Why, Jael, my poor girl, what is the matter?" "I don't know, Miss. But I feel very Uflken." "Are you not happy with me?" "'Tis no fault of yourn, Miss," said Jael, rustic, but womanly. "Then you are not happy here."

No reply, but two clear eyes began to fill to the very brim. Grace coaxed her, and said, "Speak to me like a friend. You know, after all you are not .ny servant. I can't possibly part with you altogether I have got to like you so: but, of course, you shall go home for a«little while, if you wish it very, very much." "Indeed I do, Miss," said Jael. "Please forgive me, but my heart feels like lead in my bosom And, with these words, the big tears 1 an over, and chased one anothei down herjeheeks.

Then Grace, who was very kind-heart-ed, begged her, fn a very tearful voice, not to cry: she should ga home for a week, a fortnigh4-, a month even. "There, there, you 6ha'.l go to-morrow, poor thing."

Now it is a curious fact, and looks like animal magnetism or something, but the farmhouse, to which Jael had felt so mysteriously drawn all night, contained, at that moment, besides its usual inmates, one Henry Little and how he came there is an important, part of this tale, which I must deal with at once,

While Henry was still visiting Woodbine Villa, as related above, events of a *e different character from those soft scenes were taking place at the works Hi6 liberal offer to the Edge-Tool Forgers had been made about a week, when, coming back one day from dinner to his forge, he found the smoky wall written upon with chaik, in large letters, neatly executed— "Whyoverlook the Handlers? "MARY."

He was not alarmed this time but vexed. He went and complained to Bayne and that worthy' came directly and contemplated the writing, in silence, for about a minute. Then he gave a weary sigh, and said, with doleful resignation, Take the chalk and write. There it is."

Ilenry took the chalk, and prepared to write Bayne's mind underneath Mary's. Bayne dictated: "I have offered the Handler* the same as the Forgers." "But that is not true!" objected Henry turning round, with the chalk in his hand. "It will be true, in half an hour. We are going to Parkin, the Handlers' Secretary." "What, another £15! This is an infernal swindle." "What isn't?" said Bayne, cynically.

Henry then wrote as desired and they went together to Mr. Parkin. Mr. Parkin was -not at home. But they Incited him from pillar to post, and caught him, at last, in the bar-parlor of "The Pack-saddle." He knew Bayne well, and received him kindly, and, on his asking for a private interview, gave a wink to two persons who were with him, they got up directly, and went out. "What, is there anything amiss between you and trade?" inquired Mr. Parkin, with an air of friendly interest

Bayne smiled, not graciously, but sourly. "Come, come, sir, that is a farce you and I have worn out this ten years. This is the London workman himself, come to excuse himself to Mary and Co., for not applying to them before and the long and the short is, he offers the Handlers .the same as he has the the Smiths, fifteen down, and to pay his

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What d'ye say? Yes, or

disabled. no?''

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lay Mr. Little's proposal before

the committee." "Thank you, sir," said Little "And, meantime, I suppose I may feel sate against violt-nce, from the members of your union "Violence *aid Mr. Parkin and turning his eyes inwards, as if he was Interrogating the centuries. Then Mr. Bayne, "Pray, sir. do you remember any deed of darkness that our union have ever committed, since we have been together and that is twelve years?"

Well, Mr Parkin," said Bayne, "if you mean deeds of blood, and deeds of gunpowder, et cetera—why, no. not one: and it is greatly to your honor. But, mind you, if a master wants his tanks tapped and his hardening liquor run into the 6hore, or his bellows- to be ripped, his axle-nuts to vanish, his wheel-bands to go and hide in a drain or a church belfry, and his scythe-blades to dive into a wheel-dam, he has only to be wrong with your union, and herll be accomodated as above. I speak from experience." "Oh, rattening!" said Mr. Parkin. "That is a mighty small matter "It is small to you, that are not tn me oven where the bread is baked, or cooled, or burnt. But whatever parts the grindstones from the power, and the bellows from the air, and t.ie air from the fire, makes a hole in the master's business to-day, and a hole in the workman's pocket that day six months. So, for Heaven's sake, let us be right with you. Little's is the most friendly and liberal offer that any workman ever made to any Union Do, pray, close with it, and let us be at peace sweet—balmy—peace."

Parkin declared he shaied that desire: but was not the committee. Then, to Henry: "I 9hall put your case as favorably as my conscience will let me. Meantime. of course, the matter rests as it is."

They then parted and Henry, as he returned ho.ne, thanked Bayne heartily

He 6aid this second £15 had been a bit-1 hj8

The letter, however, ran thus: "DEAR SIR,—I hear, with considerable surprise, that you continue to forge blades and make handles for Mr. Cheetham. On receipt of this information I went immediately to Mr. Parkin, and he assured that he came to the same terms with you as I did. Ho says he intimated politely, but plainly, that he should expect you not to make any more carving/-tool handles for Mr. Cheetham, till his committee had received your proposal. He now joins me in advising vou to strike work for the present. lfill6borough is surrounded by beautiful scenes which it Slight help an educateb workman to inqpeci during the unavoidable delay caused by the and very important questions your case has raised. "Yours obediently, SAML, JOBSON. "P. S.—A respectable workman was with me yesterday, and objected that you receive from Mr. Cheetham a higher payment than the list price. Can you furnish me with a reply to this, as it is 6ure to be urged at the trade meeting."

When he read this, Little's blood boiled, especially at the cool advice to lay down his livelihood, and take up scenery and he dashed off a letter of defiance, He showed it to Bayne, and it went into the fire directly. That is all right," said this worthy. "You have written your mind, like a man. Now sit down, and give them treacle for their honey—or you'll catch pepper."

Henry groaned, and Writhed, but obeyed. He had written his defiance in three minutes. It took hiir. an hour to produce the foUowing: "DEAR SIR,—I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I did not for a moment, attach that meaning to any thing that fell either from you or Mr. Parkin. "I must now remind you that, were I to strike work entirely, Mr. Cheetham could discharge me, and even punish me. tor bteach of contract. All I can do is to work fewer hours than I have done: and I am sure you will be satisfied with that, if you consider that the delay in the settlement of this matter rests with vou. and not with me. "I am yours respectfully, "HENRY LITTLE. "I furnish you, as requested, with two replies to the objection of a respectable workman that I am paid above the list price. "1.—To sell skilled labor below the statement price, is a just offense, and injury to traue. But to obtain above the statement price is to benefit trade. The high price, that stands alone to-day, will not stand alone forever, it gets quoted in bargains, and draws prices up to it. That has been proved a thousand times. "a.—It is not under any master's skin to pay a man more than he is worth. If I get a high price, it is bccause I make a first-rate article. If a man has got su perior knowledge, he is not going to give it away to gratify envious Ignorance."

To this, in due course, he receded from Jobson the following: "DEAR SIR.—I advised you according to my judgement and experience: but, doubtless, you are the best judge of your own affairs."

And that closed the conespondence with the Secretaries. The gentle Jobson and the polite Parkin had retired from the correspondence with their air of mild regret and piacid resignation just three days, when young Little found a dirty crumpled letter on his anvil, written in pencil. It ran thus: "Turn up or youl wish you had dropped it. Youl be made sc as youl never do hands turn agin, an never know what hurt you, (Signed) "MOONRAKER."

Henry swore. When he had awom, (and, as a Briton, I think he had denied himself that satiofaction long enough,) he caught up a strip of steel with his pincers, shoyed it into the coals, heated it, and, i.i half a minute, forged two long steel nails. He then nailed this letter to his wall, and wrote under it in chalk, "I offer £10 reward to any one who will show me the coward who wrote this, but was afraid to sign it. The writing is peculiar, and can easily be identified."

He also took the knife that had been so ostentatiously fixed in his door, and

natty money, but draw no scale, unless I carried it about him night and day, with

a firm resolve to use tt fa self-defend, If necessary. And now the plot thickened: the descent workmen in Cheethara's works were passive they said nothing offensive, but had no longer the inclination, even if they had the power, to interfere and restrain the lower workmen from vesting their envy and malice. Scarcely a day passed without growls and scowls. Bat Little went his way haughtily, and affected not to see, nor hear them.

However, one day, at dinnertime, he happened, uniuckily, to be detained by Bayne in the yard, when the men came out and two or three of the roughs took, this opportunity and began on him at once, in the Dash Dialect, of course they knew no other.

A great burly fo«ger, whose red matted hair was powdered with coal-dust, and his face bloated with habitual intemperence, planted himself insolently before Henry, and said, In a very loud voice, "How many more trade meetings are we to have for one—knobstick?"

Henry replied, in moment, "lait my fault if your shilly-shallying committees can't say yes or no to £15. You'd say yes to it, wouldn't you, sooner than go to ied sober?"

This sally raised a loud laugh at the notorious drunkard's expense, and checked the storm, as a jaugh

sire,

ter mil at finst: hnf nnw U& wnc crlar4 nallv creatine ter pill at first but now he was glad he had offered it. "I would not leave Hillsborough for fifteen hundred pounds."

Two days after this promising interview with Mr. Parkin, Henry received a note, the envelope of which showed him it came from Mr. Jobson. He opened it eagerly and with a good hope that his object was to tell him he was now a member of the Edge-Tool Forgers Union.

4

generally

does. But men were gathering round, and a workman who had heard the raised voices, and divined the row, ran o*it of the works, with his apron full of blades, and his heart full of mischief. It was a grinder of a certain low type, peculiar to Hfllaborough, but quite common there, where grinders are otten the grandchildren of grinders. This degenerate face was more canine than human sharp as a hatchet, and with forehead villainously low hardly any chin and—most characteristic traie offill—the eyes, pale in color, and tiny in size, appeared to have come close together, to consult, and then to have run back into the very skull, to get away from the sparks, which their owner, and ii iv 9 9y WHICH uieir owner, UIKI

and his grandsire, had'b6eft etcr-

This greyhound ivn alot of dull

of a grinder flung

down alot of dull bluish blades, warm from the forge, upon a condemned grindstone that was lying in the) ard and they tinkled. rme, if I grind cockney blades!" said he.

This challenge fired a sympathetic handle-maker. "Grinders are right," said he. "We ijiust be a mean lot and all, to handle his \york ",tv "He has been warned enough but he heeds noane." -,.f "Hustle him out o' works." ,t •. I "Nay, hit him o'er th'head and fling him i.ito shore."

With these menacing words, thieeor four roughs advanced on hitn, with wicked eyes and the respectable workmen stood, like stone statues,.in cold and ter-' rible neutrality and Ilenry, looking round, in great anxiety, found that Bayne had withdrawn.

He ground his teeth, and stepped back to the wall, to have all the assailants in the front. He was sternly resolute, though vt ry pale, and, by a natijral impulse, put his hand into his side-pocket, to feel if he had a weapon. The knife wan the^e, the deadly blade .with which hia enemies thetnselves had armed.him and, to those who could read faces, there wasdeath in the pale cheek and gleaming eye of this young man, so sorely tried.

At this moment, a burly gentleman walked into the midst oftnem. a6 smartly us Van Amburg amongst his tigers, ana said steadily, "What is to do now, lads?*' It was Cheetham himself. Bayne knew he w.is in the office, and had run for him,, in mortal terror, and sent him to keep' the peace. "They insult me, sir," smd Henry "though I am always civil to them: and that grinder refuses to grind my blades, there,".^ 1. «•.» •'la thai so? Step out/my lad. Did you refuse to grind those blades?" "Ay," saiu the grey-hound-man, 6ulleoiy. "Then put on your coat, and leave nay' premises this minute." "lie is entitled to a week's warning^ Mr. Cheeiham." said one of the Recent: woikmcn, respectfully, but resolutely^ speaking now i'or the first time.

You are mistaken, sir," replied Miv Cliceiliam, in exactly the same tone.*" (No slianger could Jiavc divined the spcakeiS were master and man.) "He has vitiated his contract by publicly refusing to do his vyoik. Ile'll get nothing from me but his wages up to noon this day. But you can have a week's warning, if you want it." 'Wi "Nay, sir. I've nought against yoa, for my part. Dut they say 11 *i!l come to tint, if vou don't turn Little up." "Why, »*hat's his fault? Come now you arc a man. Speak up." '•Nay, I've no quart el wiih the man* Blithe i*n't straight with lhe traue." "That is the secrciat'es' iault, not mine," said Henry. "Thev can't see I've hi ought anew trade in, that lujrr, no jldh tiade, and will spread, at bring money into the town "We are not so »o!t as swallow that," said the bloated smith ''Thou'a just come t' llillsboiough 10 learn forging, and when thou'st mastered that, off to Ivoiidon, and take thy rtrade with thee."

Henry colored to the brow at the in* lerior workman's vanity and its concomitant, detraction. But he govorned himself, by a mighty effort, and said, •?Oh, that's your grievance now, is it? Mr. Cheetham—sir—will you ask some respectable gi indtr to examine these blades of mine?" "Certainly, You are right Little. The man to judge a forger's work is a grinder, and not another forger. Reynolds, just take a look at them, will ye?"

A wet grinder of a thoroughly different type and 1 ace from the greytiound, stepped lorward. lie was thick-set in body, fresh-colored, and of a square manly countenance. He examined the blades carefully,'and wiui great interest. "Well," said Henry, "were they forgefl by a smith, or a novice that is come here to learn anvil *ork?"

Reynold* did not reply to him, nor to Mr. Cheetham: he turned to the men. "Mates, I'm noane good at ing. Han'd that forged these has nougnt to learn in Hillsbro', nor any other 6hop," "Thank you, Mr, Reynolds," said Hendry, in a choking voice. That is the firsC gleam of justice that I—^ He could sayfj no more. "Come, don't you turn soft for a' word or two," said Cheetham. "You'll wear all this out in time. Go to the office 1 have'something to say to you."

The something was said. It amount^ eu to this—"Stand by me, and I'll stand" by you." "Well, sir," sa»d Henry, "I thinkX (Gvnt nudi irom Tblrdi'age i-