HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Signal, 1883-12-14, Page 3THE HURON SIGNAL, FRIDAY DEC. 14, 1883.
JOAN ARITRON&
MECHANIC,
FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP
OF THE LADDER.
a Mary Krim • man fan dleo In America.
CHAPTER XV.
T!E LLDDsa THanwar DOWN.
'Ah, you scab ! You have fouled
all with your smooth tongue ; but your
time's Dome at lest. There are are Dope
here now.'
'Didn't I send theta away 1 asked that
young man, wearily. 'Go on ; kill rage,
if you like—alt of you. I'll not fight.
But that won't get you the aJv'utoe. If
you want to know it cone a, t, let me
speak.'
'SPINAL away,' growled Mien Hennes -
.y. He've gut him safe, bays. Let
him say his last words. But then—look
out.'
As he spoke, the foreman of the filen
poised in his hands a heavy iron bar, and
seasurea the dieted& between himself
and Armstrong with his rye., while
Steve Barker said, impatiently :
'Speak out, hang you ! Don't keep us
waiting, Jack.'
John looked up calmly.
'Did I ever lie to you, men 7'
Titre was a he.itatieg murmur :
'No —but now' --
'Well, new I'll telling you the truth.
Believe it or not, as you please. I never
told y. u the board would grant you the
.advance. I told you that either it would
lip be granted, or the works would close,
and you'd have to come down from your
tem:— —
'But ye said they should have no
scabs,' shouted Hennessy, savagely, 'an'
here's Gimlet says they shall'--
'Yts, Hand Andy, Gimlet Eyes, Boss
Airish—him I mean, cuss him ! He's
threatened my life, and TII have the law
on him.'
'Do what yuu please,' returned John,
coldly. 'But befcre you kill any one, or
go to law, hear reason. Mr. Handy,niy-
self, and butb these gentlemen wanted
the advance given. The board voted no.
That settles it. They had a right to du
ao. They've a right to get cheaper hands
if they can. But as I said, I'd have
nothing to do with scabs, I stick to it. I
shall not be in the works.'
This statement produced for the first
time a silence among the men. and Han-
dy cried out :
'Don't give an inch tc them, John.
The board will protect you.'
John shook his head.
'1 want no protection. It may do for
the rest of you ; but I'm only plain John
Armstrong mechanic, and my part is
with my fellow workmen. Mr. Handy,
you end I have got on togs her very
well ; but I see to -day that the time has
:tome when we must part. I'm on the
side of the laborer—you on the part of
'tabs moneyed men. I'ye seen this strike
coming a long time. It had to come. I
hoped to have seen it settled as between
sensible men, each giving way a little ;
but I'm not going to stay here and draw
pay for nothing but a fight. I resign
my position in the works. If you wish
-to employ Italians, you can do so ; but
yo cannot depend on me to help you.'
Then he turned to Steve and Mike,
and pursued gravely :
' ki for you, remember what I told
you Keep yo.:- tempers and you'll
win I am no longer 1n the service of
the company, so I have nu business in
this room ; but neither have you. I am
going away. If you know what is good
for you, come with me.'
So saying, without another look to-
wards the amazed Handy,.he walked out
of the room, through the equally amazed
workmen, who stood es if not knowing
.what to do, till he turned at the door.
'Come along, boys. We've no busi-
nese in the directors' room,' he said. in
the moat matter of fact way.
And without a moment's hesitation,
they followed him in dead silence out of
the room and into the street, where
Mike Hennessy said awkwardly :
'Mr. Armstrong, you ain't no call to
get the sack fur us. You're • gentlemkn
now, and it ain't fait'---
' John stopped him.
I hope we're all gentlemen, Hennes-
sy. Gentlemen keep their tampers. We
are going to keep ours. I hope, hereaf-
ter. I told you that you could beat,
and you will. I know- Handy knows—
they cannot put Italians to do your
work. In three days you will get the
advance, if you don't—irritate the direc-
tors more. You'd better go home now.
Have you a meeting -place anywhere 1'
'Ay, ay, lad,' said Steve, 'happen you
have heard tell of the Union 1 We're
there at eight o'clock every night. Come
in and give us • talk. We want talkers,
and you are a gond speaker.'
John smiled rather sadly.
'I didn't know it, Steve. Well, I'll
try to be there. Keep the men away
from the works to -night. Hold all the
meetings you like, but don't try fight-
ing. It doesn't pay any better for
bodies of men than for single men.
Good bye.'
Then they separated sad went home,
all gloomy enough, especially John.
He had counted so oonfidently on the
hoard'. yielding. that the disappoint-
ment was great to him, added to which
he realisthat, instead of Ming in •
good position, he had just thrown one
up, in way that rendered it impossible
tor him to go beak. He had taken sides
with the weak against the strong, and
his prospects of wealth, so brilliant •
few days belay, had vanished into thin
air
It wail therefore with • face on which
tho,uvbt and tare were apparent that he
greeted hie father when he arrived home;
and the elder . Armstrong asked with
great anxiety :
'What's the matter John T
'T ve resigned my position, father,' he
said, gnieily. They wanted me to play
what I knew wog Idbe • losing gams for
them, snd f resigned. i shall have to
look for work elsewhere.'
Then !re told his father the whole story
and the old man listened attentive'''.
When it was ever. h. rerouted
'That tattled A, John l'm agoing
beak to Painted Poet You don't want
so hangers on now 1 ve gat nag saved
to take use hum, and I'm sagote' to•e•or- Ito them so far. Nue let them smut to
you. I sou nut of my sttuatuat. Well,
whet du you suppose 1',u gouge to do 1
Why, look for soother place o1 c ur..
Do that, all of you. Nevsr'amid if it be
• poorer place it's better thea starving.
I don't expect to get as good • place as I
had this morning, but I expect G. 'smoke
a living; and whets • man oat do that,
he can wait. l)an you afford to wait
long 1 Noe while luu're idle. But if
you arty able to live to the meantime you
eau nervy uut this strike. The work eau
only be performed by skilled labour, and
green hands will spoil it. The price will
go down, and the uwsers be ruined. Du
you suppuse the busses Gan stand that,
any bettor that you eta stand •tarvetwnl
Nut • bit of it. My advice to yon all i.
this : Disperse over the city tomorrow,
and let every an look for work in some-
thing. Take anything honest that will
keep the wolf from the door. But keep
rep your naive. Take my word for it.
Every nue will help you, if they see you
ate helping yourselves, and before next
week the bosses wfl boo ouw►ng to you
for • compromise. That is s11 I have to
say to you to -night, except to thank you
fur your silent atewtiuo. My words
may not bis welcome to some ; but I am
telliu,r you the truth. In a fight it will
never do to undervalue your enemy, nor
to act as he wishes you. The luaus
went to see you hang around the gates
like paupers. Don't please them by doing
it. They want you to fight, so that you
stay he clubbed by the police. Keep
awayfrom them, and they will have to
Pend the police home. But above all,
look for other work, so that you may be
independent, and able to wait. Keep
owl, and you'll wilt.'
And John bowed and sat down, his
calmness once more deserting him, for
he felt himeslf trembling all over.
But he had made hie first speech, and
it had been listened to iu dead ailenoe,
onlyinterrupted by applause, when he
tolthem that they would win in the
end.
He had not excited and enthusiasm,
but the men had listened as if they were
afraid to low a word, and when it was
over • subdued buzz went up all over the
room as the workmen discussed the
merits of the speech.
tThe n cam. a rather awkw and pause,
he chairman going round the platform
whispering to servant men. who shook
their heads, till he came again to John,
and said, with a smile of amusement :
'They're afraid to speak after you. It
some one don't semi: we shall have to
adjourn the meeting.'
'That may he the best thing to do,'
said John, quietly. 'We can't do any-
thing that I can see that would ba use-
ful.'
The chairman looked puzzled and rus-
fuL
'Bat we're used to two hour meet-
ings.'
'And they have made half the
trouble,'quotn John dryly. 'Ask them
what they want.'
The chairman advanced to the front.
'What is the further pleasure o: this
meeting 7 If there is no news to i,.
communicated, I am ready to hear a mo-
tion to adjourn.'
And then uprose, in the body of the
house, Mike Hennessy, who maid, slow-
ly'Mr. chairman, I don't see as how we
could do better than go home. Mr.
Armstrong's been givin' it to us straight,
and he and me worked in the same shop
two year. Fust time I seen him I made
a mistake. I said sethin' 'bout his fath-
er, the old gent 4 hereto -night. I want
to take that bask right here, and I'm go -
in' to look for a job to -morrow. Move
we adjourn, sir.'
few minutes later the hall was near -
1_y empty of people, and John was com-
ing out with his father, the chairman
congratulated him on his speech, and
asking him to come often.
When they were outside and walking
slcwly home, old Armstrong remarked,
as he squeezed his son's arm :
'John, ye did well. I was orful skeer-
ed fur ye. Fact ! Bat you just aston-
ished 'em.'
John drew • long breath.
'Do you know why, father 1 Because
I forgot about myself in you, and be-
cause I saw those poor fellows were all
groping in the dark, not knowing which
way to turn. Ah, what a lucky thing 1
met Mr. Baldwin two years ago ! I
might have been like them to -night.'
Then he walked on, buried in thought,
for several blocks, when he suddenly
said :
`Do you Know t ve mase up my mind
to something, father 7'
'What is it, John 7'
'To go to the top of the ladder, and
show my fellow workmen how to follow.
I'd have done A before, if I'd thought I
oould speak, but I've always broken
down. Now I know I an do it. Come
on, father. I'm going to make • call'
'Where, John 7' asked the old man,
wonderingly ; for there was a new ring
on John's voice as he stepped out brs.k-
ly'I'm koin' where we went the other
night, to Mrs. Morton's,' answered John.
'She told me—that is, her daughter did
—that I ought to speak. I didn't be-
lieve I could do it, bet now I know I
can. I'm going to tell thein I've done
A '
The old man shook him head
'Don't ye do it, John. Too much
like blowin' yer own horn. Int 'em
hear it from some one else.'
'You're right—you're always right,
father. You made me all I am.' return-
ed John, warmly. 'I was a fool to
think of it, but .nmehow, I feel so
strange to -night. I want to see some
one—to du something. I'm restless.'
'That's jest it, John. I used to feel
the same when he was a-layin' in front of
old Frederieksbsrg—a-waitia' ; bet I
Earned we bad to obey orders, or we'd
Ret beat every time. You jest come
home and hey • game of checkers.
That'll 000l ye off smoottl'.'
And they walked along in silence, till
the old man suddenly exclaimed
'lintel I bees in this street atom 1
Yee, sure). Why, Jnhs, this is where
n
we wethe other night, and that's the
very holies ' How'd you Dome to go this
were in Ashley street, whither
John had, half unconsciously, bent his
step, and now he looked ennfuead, and
tried t' intense himself when the heard
a sadden ery in the strut behind them,
followed by the report of • piste!, and •
the
"p man same running ep from what John
the aunts Lough that You have Rose •
raw, if Int .uar.d.
'There's no need for that, father. ,leve
not berg eatnva�gout myself. 1 graduate
in three days, sue 1 can get empoyment
lu any of the railroads, I think.'
The old soldier shook his heed.
'Dou'l you believe St's so easy. When
e in•s'S gut • ?usish, ohauoss are plenty ;
but when hes outeu one folks look at
hint diffruat altogether. I'm going beak
to Painted Poet, 1 kin live un my pen-
sion
oo
sion there, with what I kin Ju ou feria
work. Dop't you worry fur me, John.'
'Well, father,' said John, with a alight
sigh, 'I'll not oppope your wishes ; but
at leant don't go to -morrow. Our board
is paid up to the end of the week, and
something may happen. to put us all in
good spirits before that.'
'Mebbe, John, noshbs. I don't blame
ye fur thruwin' up the place. I'd ha'
done the same when I was young. It
'ud be mean to go back on the boys.
But I'm thinkin' places won't be plenty
now.'
Juhu knew that well enough. He
had been thinking of it all the way home.
He knew that the strike wottld shut up
• good many shops, and that even as an
engineer he oould not hope to get anoth-
er puaition as lucrative as the one he bad
just left. But John Armstrong, educat-
ed, had the same simple courage that had
kept up the old John without education,
and he said. to his father :
'Well, father. never mind. If there's
a shop left open, I can get work as a
riveter, the seine as in the old days.
Let's go to dinner, and waste no tune in
grieving. l -m going to a meeting to-
night. They want me to speak. Will
you come 1'
The old man readily consenting, they
went to dinner, and after it was over,snt
out for Nevada Hall, where the Union
meeting was to be held that night, as
John knew, though he had never attend-
ed one.
They found it easily enough, and went
up stairs to • large room, full of work-
men, where their entrance produced •
low buzz of interest. Their dress, being
so much better than that of most of the
men present, at first caused them to too
looked on with suspicion ; but before
they had found • seat, a buzz went
round, and John heard his name called
out in several places till some one shout-
ed:
'Three cheers for John Armstrong, as
ain't ashamed of bein' a mechanic !'
And then, to the amazement of John,
and his father's great pride, • rousing
cheer rose in the room, and a man hurri-
ed up to them and said :
'You'll have to come on the platform.
I'm delighted to see you Mr. Armatrer.q.
Your presence A worth a huaored
men.'
CHAPTER XVI.
JOHN S mors SPEECH.
John hardly knew .what to say for a
moment. He turned crimson in his
modesty, and stammered awkwardly :
'No, no. I can't—don't ask ; I'm not
s speaker. 1 beg of yon.'
But the other gentleman, who wore a
red badge in his button -hole, insisted,
saying :
'Yes, come elon j. They Will have you.
You'll have to 'peek. They won't let
you off. Say anything you liko.'
And so John found himself led up to
tho platform, with the sound of rushing
waters in his ears, the room swimming
before him, and not the remotest idea of
what he was going to say, till he got
settled into the place on the platform,
with his father beside him
The old soldier was beaming oyer hi.
white beard at the crowd, and the men
below were staring and whispering to
each other.
The chairman was a plain medium-siz-
ed man, with a shrewd, sensible face.
He stepped to the front and rapped on
the table, at which a hush came over the
assembly, when he said :
'This meeting will please come to order.
The special business before us this even-
ing is to bear news of how the battle is
going on. We have with u' • man who
s. heart and soul with the workman—
who has been a workman himself—who
has suffered for our cause. You all
know his name. He will address you
this evening.'
'Give it em good. John,' whispered
the old man. 'Tell 'stn what they want
to know. It's only the fust battle, bey.
You're all right.' '
And, in truth, the homely vigor of the
old soldier aroused and put a new spirit
into John. He felt proud of his fath-
er.
'Tell there u!•at they want to know.'
The words seemed to be standing out
in letters of fire on the walls of the hall
as he rose, amid a dead hush, to speak ;
and he was amazed at his own coolness.'
'Men,' he began, 'I same here to -night
to listen—not to speak. I thought that
you, who began this strike, knew before-
hand what,; would be the cost of the
movement ; that you had calculated the
odds, and were prepared for along strug-
gle. I got back to the city to -day, to
find the works closed and the men on
strike, with police at the gates, end the
managers of the works doing all they
oould to taunt and exasperate the men
into acts of violence. I found a. fight
going on in one place, and I was able to
stop a quarrel in another. Did it never
occur to you, that when you go into •
disturbance, you are playing into the
hands of your enemies 1 They want to
coax • fight out of you, to give them an
shouse to Gall in the police ; to set public
opi.ion against you, to call you ruffians.
Yet, if you only keep your tempera, you
are sun to win in the end. You are
loiteringabout the streets, idle, ready
for a fight ; and as long as you are idle,
you are wren'. Bemuse you (gannet Ret
the sd vane la pay se your special work,
then is no sewn• why you should not
do other work and earn money to sup-
port your (similes in the meantime, to -
stead of sating ep your little savings, if
you have •a and getting poorer all the
tits. The � want to ase yon idea
They want to see you poor. They count
of the time when you will he so poor
that you will have to tike the old wages
or 1eos, or starve Tate a leaf nut of
their bank if you want ta win. Do they
hang about the 'trusts and talk 1 No
They tryto vie eau wren to do their
tsr(r. Very well if vet try to Ret
nehoe work, no ewe ma eppoee you. You
k u grass wwiot asst carry oa
knew to be the direction of the Excel - water. It was my own fault. I •:u;ht
Mug Works, billowed by several others, I to lute stayed in.'
shoutiug nod cursing savagely. Then he tried to raise, and fell back
'What's that 1' cried old Anestruug,
and he went tui lis pistol pocket with
the old instinct of • soldier, only to find
that Its was uuarmed
John drew hien aside as the roan and
his puisu.rs came tearing up the strut,
and • moment later James Stryker ran
pantie* up, • pistol in his hand, and
started at seeing them, celluug out as he
poiatod hoe pistol
'Back back ! Don't try to stop me,
or you are both dead men !'
CHAPTER XVII
114TIN TO ♦ Ju.Lrt
Stryker looked wild and haggard, and
his hand trembled so that he oouid hard-
ly point the pistol. But Armstrong saw
that he was gulag to fire its hia tzcite-
111014, and he pulled back his father out
of the way, when the young man set off
running again, just as hie, pursuers came
to the end of the bkook—seven or eight
in number—yelling out furious impreca-
tions.
But in the extremity of his confusion,
the hunted stun, instead of keeping
straight on, turned the corner and dash-
ed down to the river—at whioh his pur-
suers gave a howl of triumph, and came
rushing past the Armstrongs, not appear-
ing to notice them.
Then John heard s voice shout :
'Now wive got him on the dock—
we've
ock—
wsve gut him ! Drown the villain !
Kill him !'
And away they went down the side
street to the dock, when John cried to
his father :
'They're Excelsior rnen. They'll do
him a mischief it we don't help him.
Will you come on 1'
'You bet 1' was the soldier's answer ;
and without another word he was off
down the street, when John and his
father heard, ahead of them, the sounds
of a savage fight going on.
'Pick tip a club, John—suthin'—any-
thin' !' panted the old man, as he ran on.
'Can't do nothm' without. Ah, there's
the ticket.'
R RHe darted acrws the street and picked
up a couple of bricks from • lose pile ;
then be ran on the pier, just as • bullet
came whistling past his bead, and they
heard the sound of a heavy blow, follow-
ed by a yell of pain.
'Cops oomin' ! Cops comfit' !' cried old
Armstrong, u loud as he could bawl.
'Hit, all of ye, or they'll ketch ye.'
And as he spooks he cast his bricks into
the midst of a struggling group of men,
which broke up in s moment, and father
and son were set upon by one of those
desperate crowds that collect all in a mo-
ment and disappear as suddenly in the
back slums of the city—men crazy with
fury and bad rum, who hardly knew
what they did in their frenzy.
Then John,,,for the first time in two
years, found himself fighting as he had
never fought before, using every trick he
ever learned, fighting with fist, foot, and
head, his strength taxed to the utmost,
till, just as suddenly as the fight had be-
gun, it ended with the cry of 'Cops,' and
the whole gang ran away, leaving John
and his father on the pier. the old man
waving a club of wood he had pioked up
somehow, while John felt faint and sick,
and realized that he mast have received
some injury in the fight.
What it was he found out latter, when
his father came to him, saying anxious-
ly'WhaL's the matter, John f Ye hurt 7
Why, 1 they ain't out the boy ! Here
came under the gas lamp. Yes, by jim-
iny—it's a stab, and no mistake. Ws
got to get that tended to quick. Luck
Miss Morton's near by. Come quick,'
John had received a sta5 in the Left
arm, from which the blood was dropping
on the pier, but he said, firmly :
'Net yet. There's poor Stryker.
Maybe he's been killed. Look for him.
He needs attention more then me. I'll
tie my handkerchief round—so, that's all
right. Go find him, father.'
The old man unwilling departed, and
came beck, a moment later, looking as if
he had seen something horrible.
'By gosh !' he said, shuddering.
They've e'en a' most killed the pore fel-
ler, as you said. He's all cut about the
heed, and his face swelled up so's moth-
er would't know him. Wonder what it
were for 7'
'Some spite,' said John. 'I wish the
police would come. We want to send
for anbulance at once.'
But,;as usual in such cases, no sight of
police was to be seen ; and the end of it
was that John had to give his father the
direction of the nearest station, and the
old man trudged off to find it,leaving the
wounded John to take care of his insen-
sible enemyof old times.
John fet pretty weak and very cold,
as his father's form disappeared. Poor
Stryker was breathing heavily, but quite
insensible ; and his face by the light of
the lamp, was a horrible sight, all bloat-
ed and disfigured with cuts and bruises,
that.ahow he had received a fsarlul
beating, while his dress was hanging in
tatters, and his body was covered with
blood and mire.
'Poor Stryker,' thought John. 'He
will never be vain of his looks again.
But I wonder how he got into this
trouble, and where are the police he had
around the works T
That was the mystery—alao, how he
came to be alone in the streets, and who
were the men who had asaulted him.
In the darkness and oonfusiotr, John
had not recognised any of them. He
knew that he had given several knock•
down blows, and had stunned one man
so that he had to be helped off ; but be-
yond the suspicion that they were work-
men who had • spite against their em-
ployer, he had no notion e( their identi-
ty.
After • while, as he sat there, Eleryker
stirred and groaned slightly, when John
spoke to him.
The half-uncomsciots man shivered and
shrunk back, as if ezpeeting • blow,when
John said gently :
Don't be afraid, man. They're gone.
Who unit streak yet f
Stryker weaned spin. He had re-
covered kis senses enough to ask
'Who's that 1
'It is I, Armstrong, your classmate.
How came those utero after yore r
sitryker did not appear to hear kite.
He only groaned our
`O► my heed ' i'ni blind —I ean't
see For heaven's sake. get me some
weakly.
'tlh, take we somewhere - -anywhere !'
he moaned, itnpatieutly 'Let sae die
quietly.'
'You won't die at all, man,' said the
other, enoouragingly. 'I're sent for the
ambulance for you. You've been beaten
hadly, tut that's nnthiug, It's only
brume*. I don't think you've any butes
broken. How did it happen T
'I tried to get home by the back way,'
said Stryker, faintly, They were waft-
ing for me its Ashby street, awl chased
me. 1 shot at them, hut only made thew
worse. Oh, dear, 1 shall die hen—I'm
sure I shall !'
There he began to sub and Inoall is a
way that showed he was completely *ow-
ed for the time, his nervous system shat-
tered --if, indeed, he were not seriously
hurt.
He shivered and shook so, that John
begau to fear for him, and at last said to
him :
Stryker, du you thiuk you could walk
• few steps 1 it's a mild night,and you'll
get frozen here. Somebody may let us
into a house till the rmbnlance conies.
My father has gone for it.'
Stryker only moaned out :
'I can't walk. I'm beaten to a jelly.'
'Try it,' urged John. I'll help you.'
And he assisted tho old enemy to rise,
when Stryker staggered and nearly fell,
but succeeded in walking slowly off the
dook, groaning at every step, till they
reached the side street that came to the
corner of which Mrs. Morton lived.
Here John hesitated, and looked anxi-
ously up and down the street. Had he
heard the most distant rumble of wheels
he would have felt happy, but the streets
were perfectly silent, and a groan from
Stryker decided him.
'Oh, heavens, must I die for want of
help 1 Won't any one let us in 1' -
John took a sudden resolution.
'I must du it, Stryker. You know
Mrs. Morton, I believe 1 She lives here.
I'll ask her to let you rest in her house
till the ambulance comes.'
'Thank haven ! ejaculated the beaten
man, 'Where is it 7 I can't see. They
have blinded me. Quick, for heaven's
sake !'
And he was sinking down exhausted,
when John gathered hint up on his arm,
and half led, half carried him to the foot
of Mrs. Morton's steps.
There was a light burning in the par-
lor, for it was not yet ton o'clock, and
John saw the figure of the old lady her-
self' at the window, peering out. He
suspected she had heard some of the
noise outside, and- was wondering what
it all was about, so she called out :
'Mrs. Morton, here is a man hurt
badly. Please let us in for a moment,
till the ambulance comes.'
Whether she understood or not through
the glass he could not tell. but she went
away from the window, and presently
looked out of the door, timidly saying :
'What's the matter 7 Don't think we
haven't any men in the house. Go away,
or I shall sound an alarm.'
She was shutting the dour, when John
cried out :
'For heaven's sake, listen ! Here is a
friend of yours hurt, We're waiting for
the police ambulance, and it's so cold I
f 'e'll sink before -it comes.'
e door was Dearly closed, and the
• Ay called out through the crack :
'Who is he 7'
`Mr. Stryker, madam. Ho has been
assaulted by hi. workmen.'
Then the door opened • little.
'And who are you, young rimae 7'
'John Armstrong. Don't delay,please.
I tell you the man may die if he doesn't
get into a warmer place.'
For ..keen March wind was making
John himself shiver through his ulster.
Then the oldlady opened the door ;
and said, coldly :
'If that is the case, come in. You
must excuse my suspicions ; but we are
all alone, as you know.'
John shook Stryker, and found him,
to his alarm, limp and senseless.'
He stooped down ' get his uninjured
arm round the other, and lifted him on
itis hip, in which way he carried him up
the steps into the hall, And laid him
down, saying, briefly :
'Thank you, madam. Don't stay by
us. It is no sight for a lady.'
But the old lady had already caught
sight of Stryker's difigured face, and she
uttered a slight cry of sympathy :
Oh, poor fellow !'
Then she pointed to the parlor
'Take him in there. I was used to
such sights and worse twenty years ago.
[ will get water. Don't be afraid ; we'll
take care of him. I am an old nurse.'
The sight of actual sneering had melt-
ed her, and she went away at onceocall-
ing up stairs :
'Don't come down, Ella. It's no sight
for you, child. Keep where you are.
Now that they were in • strong light,
John could see that Striker's eyes were
closed from huge bruises that puffed up
cheek and brow, and that his head and
body were covered with blood -stains and
oont tusking.
'Not so bad as I thought,' he mutter-
ed, snd with that he dragged the insen•
sible man into the parlor near the stove,
whose warmth was very grateful to him-
self as well as Stryker.
Presently Mrs. Morton came in with
her servant girl, carrying a pail of water
and a basin, when she waved Jo1E aside,
saying briefly :
'I know what to do. You look for she
ambulance.'
Her manner was cold and constrained,
snd John withdrew mortified and puzzl-
ed, while the old Indy proneeded, with •
shill born of old prad(ke, to wash the
blood from Stryker's face head, while
she examined his hurts carefully. John,
not knowing how to take her, went out
Mt* the hall and thence into the street,
when he heard the distant rumble of
wheels at iist.
Hs knew from the rapid tramp of the
galloping horse, that it was the long ex-
pected ambulance, and it came tearing
down the street to the corner, when he
hailed it, Drying
'Thu way. He's in this house.'
Then the pollee vehicle drew to. at the
door, and out jumped • young num ,who
ran up the step@ and into the house, say-
ing sharply
Where's this ease 1 Ah, here ! Thanks,
madam, 1'11 relive you. A friend of
yours ---.h 1 Aha !'—feeling rapidly --
limbs all right no fruiter, let rare see
-mute - superficial --wineuse one ettrs-
va.ttd blood- -s he wsessible a - doe t
look w -here, yuuug uy .
And he shoot Jou .acarol)
'Wake up ! What's the mute, in
you 1 Been fighting ( How dG 7•e
teal Y
But all he could get out of Stryker wee
a Sruaa, and he began to ezawtue his
bead closely.
Presently he Looked up at Mrs Mor-
tou.
'Your son, madam 1'
'Nu, air,' was the fa Mid answer. 'truly)
en aoyuaintanua Brought in hero Is
he..fwusly injured 1'
The doctor scratched his nose thought-
fully.
'He's had • good beating, but there is
no fracture of the skull. Can't account
for the unssuaibiity. May be000cussioa
of the brain—may be shock. Ought to
be kept very quiet. May hurt to MOTS
him. Could you keep him • day or two,
till we can take him to the hospital 7'
The old lady bowed her head mobil!.
'Certaialy, if it be nsoMyty• If yeti
have say man to help, Ise ern slay fnilia
room. We are only three women in this
house.
The doctor nodded.
'Many thanks. Yes. I'll send in the
cot at once, and we'll get him into bed,
if you don't object to hariug him in the
parlcur.'
'In the cause of humanity I du not,'
answered the old lady ; 'but as won as
he can be moved, of course I should prJ-
fer it.'
Certainly—certainly, madam.'
Then the doctor bustled in and out,
and before five ininutes were over Stry-
ker was lying in a cut en the parlour
carpet, and John Armstrcng met the
severe glance of Mn. Morton's brown
eyes, as she said pointedly to him :
`Good -night, sir. I hope you are
satisfied. now that the gentleman i.
safely in bed in tiny house. Repentance
may come too late after passion ; but I
will do my beet to save this poor young
man from the consequences of your bad
temper.'
She spoke these words after the doctor
had gone, when, John stood hesitating
un the doorstep ; and she shut the door
,n hip face as she concluded. giving him
no opportunity, in his amazement, to say
a single word so defence.
Then he stood staring blankly at the
door, and exclaimed at. lost :
'Is it possible she thinks I did it 7
And he is in there—in the house ! Ella
will nurse hits, perhaps. Whet shall I
do to set her right 7'
(ro BE CONTINtlitD. )
Tae Meet Proof.—The Glebe.
'I sell more Burdock Blood Bitters
than I du any other preparation in stock,'
said B. Jackee, druggist, Toronto. If
the reader will ask any druggist in the
city ho will get a similar answer to his
query—a proof that it is the most popu-
lar medicine for the blood, lirerand kid-
neys known. 2
Mr. Goldwin Snaith not only refused
to allow the mechanics' institute at St.
Johns N. B., to bear any part of his ex -
pauses to that city, but he handed back
his lecture. fee of $50 to be devoted to
the library fund.
■laxly Aaseesble.
Oae very valuable feature of Dr. Low's
Pleasr.nt Worm Sprup is, that it is high-
ly agreeable to take, and all varieties of
worms, tape worm included, can be safe-
ly expelled by it, without recourse to
harsh and sickening drugs. 2
Nothing is so reliable as Ayer's Cherry
Pectoral for colds, coughs, in abort for
any and all derangements of the respira-
tory organs, which tend towards con-
sumption. In alt ordinary cases it u a
certain cure, and it affords sure relief for
asthma and consumption even in advanc-
ed stages.
t lab Mate..
We have made arrangements to club
TuE SIGNAL with oity papers at the rates
given below :—
Signal and Daily World .... .... $3.50
Weekly Globo • 2.26
Mail.... .... 2.25
" Advertiser 225
Lees and Galt.
CHAPTER IT.
"Malden Ma., Feb, I. Inst. Gentlemen
I suffered with attacks of sigh h'badache."
Neuralgia, femlle trouble, for years in
the most terrible and e'tcruciating man-
ner.
No medicine or doctor well give
me relief or cure until I used Hop Bit-
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'The first bottle
Nearly cured me ;
The second made me as well and strong
as when a child.
'And I have been so to this day.'
My husband was an invalid for twenty
years with a serious
'Kidney, liver and urinary complaint
'Pronounced by Boston's beet physi-
cians—
Inourablo !'
Seven bottles of your bitters cured
him, and I know of the
'Lives of eight persons'
In my neighborhood that have been
saved by your bitters.
And many more aro using them with
great benefit.
'They almost
Do miracles
lr
Mrs. E I). Slack.
DANIEL GORDON,
CABINETMAKER
AND
Leathii lllldsrtaLer
Has on band now the LAS4SIeT STOOL of
1
First - Class Furniture
in the County. and as 1 now'rrnyse for cash.
I efts D t
arpe Loubnfaa, trim 11126/e
well not be undersold any one.
r T• esu ('
upwards W hots. good. 0220 up.
Mew Sark ('bin. tram Iffic. we and every-
thing etre In the seas. presiordoa,
AT THE OLD STAND
S.tw.ea eke tout OOoe & haat K llesteeai.
GOD* 1 O.
Ont. tan 1088
•