Life — September 5, 1907 — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LIFE: window where before he had stood with her on the day he had given her her birthday present. “Why there is no smoke coming out of the chimneys,” she exclaimed. “How funny.” At this moment the maid brought up a card. Mr. Hallett.” She ran downstairs to the reception room. Hallet, the new manager, se as she entered, “Miss Dunstan?” Veg? “Tam, as you may know, the manager of your father’s factory.” “Yes. I noticed just now that no smoke was coming out of the chimne: here is a strike on.” Helen Dunstan looked at her visitor with a slight shade of annoyance. It irritated her to be disturbed by things she was not interested in. “Well,” she replied, “how can that possibly concern us?” “Unfortunately it does. I have come to request you to leave your home.” “Leave our home! What for?” “Well, the situation is like this: I have refused to give in to their demands anil the men are out on strike. Now, the strikers themselves are orderly enough, but there’s a tough element with them. You probably wouldn't care to hear the details of the affair. It is sufficient to say that the situation is critical. All around the whole town is ex- cited by it, and your presence here, especially with your visitors—one of them, | understand, is an English lord and the other a Wall Street man— only aggravates the whole thing. ‘Their pictures with tremendous head lines appeared in to-day’s paper. There may be some violence””— “Haven't you a police force?” “They are secretly in sympathy with the strikers. You sec, Miss Dunstan, in your father’s absence, the responsibitity of the whole affair is on my shoulders. Now, if anything should happen to you or your mother, he would naturally blame me. I am, therefore, requesting t you kindly withdraw.” Helen smiled haughtily 1 couldn't possibly think of such a thing,” she replied. ‘‘There is a golf tournament on this week, and my friends are entered. I am sure you exaggerate the danger.” “Then you refuse to consider my request.” Absolutely.” You realize that I am the guardian of your father's property and that your decision may be just enough to turn the scale against us?” “Nonsense. I'll take the risk.” Hallett rose. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. His dark eyes flashed. But he did not lose his temper. “Very well, Miss Dunstan,” he said. “I have only to apologize for obtruding myself. Good afternoon.” “Wait a imoment, Mr. Hallett. What is the cause of the trouble?” The men are out for eight hours.” “How horrid of them to disturb the peace of the whole place. Why can’t they be punished? Really, it isn’t safe to live in America any more.” Hallett: smiled. “T thought you were not afraid,” he said. “You could easily""—— “I'm not—not a whit. But it seems absurd that a lot of desperadoes should be permitted at large.” They are not desperadoes. They are peaceable, orderly men, with families to support, who think they are entitled to more than they are getting. Phey’re an untidy lot “They have a right to live.” “Any one would think you took their part. You—the manager of papa’s factory.” do. “You do?” “Yes, At heart Iam with them. I have been in some of their homes. I have seen their unselfish devotion in the face of starvation wages, and had I the power I would willingly yrant their demands.” “Why don’t you, then? Didn't papa tell you to do as you thought best?” “That would not absolve me. The factory at present, with the amount of money invested in it, is only earning what is considered to be a fair return on the investment. Now, if we should grant the men eight hours, this would reduce our output about ten per cent., which would bring down the rate of interest to so low a point as not to make the investment a profitable one. That is to say, under these conditions which the men want to force upon us it would be cheaper to sell out and invest the money elsewhere. Consequently, from a business standpoint there is no choice. If we yielded, we would be a philanthropic enter- prise—not one founded on business methods.” “Wouldn't you make any money at all?” “Oh, yes. But not enough to pay us.” “Well, I don’t know anything about it,-but I studied it once in school, and I thought it was terribly dull then. Perhaps it is interesting, however. If I want to ask you some questions at any time, will you answer them ?”” “T am always ready to do so.” After he had gone, Helen went upstairs once more to her father’s study. In the distance could be heard the sound of billiard balls—her two guests were occupied. For some time she sat at her father’s desk with her head on her hands, looking at the distant chimneys. ‘Then she rose resolutely, went to her room, put on a quiet street gown, made her way softly downstairs, out into the street and entered a street-car that passed near the gate of the factory. Groups of men were standing about as she entered the yard. ‘They looked at her curiously, but they did not hinder her. One or two raised their hats. ; She passed on through the yard, door of the office buildings. No one saw her—the place appeared deserted. She tried one door and found it open. She entered, and de her way through a long hall toward a smaller room with the sign “‘Manager” on the door. In front of this door she paused. It was slightly ajar, and she was about to push it open when the sound of voices came from within. Hallett was talking to his attorney. Helen recognized the latter’: voice, with its drawl, as being that of a lawyer who occasionally visited her father. “You didn’t succeed in your benevolent mission ?” asked the attorney. “No,” replied Hallett, shortly. “Well, I don’t know but I’m just as well pleased. ‘The appearance of the Dunstans on the scene apparently complicates things. It has a tendency to agitate the men, but, after all, if it brings them to open violence, wouldn’t that be the best thing that could happen? The moment you introduce violence into a strike, it’s over with. Suppose they should stone the Dunstan house, or set fire to it—why, they'd lose their fight in no time. How was the young lady—Helen, I think her name rind several freight cars, to the Hallett did not reply at once. After awhile he said slowly: “Well, she’s about like all girls of her class—absolutely selfish, bent solely on her own pleasure, with not the faintest conception, apparently, of anything else. It makes you sad to think,” he went on, impressively, “of girls like that growing up in this country. It was only yesterday that the daughters of New England were doing their own housework, and now girls in the same relative scale are frittering away their time. What do you suppose she said to me when I suggested that the re- sponsibility of having her and her mother here was unnecessary ?” “Can't imagine.” “She said there was a golf tournament on which couldn’t be inter- fered with. A golf tournament! Interfering with a strike where hundreds of men, perhaps thousands eventually, are starving. It makes your blood boil to think of it. Helen waited to near no more. With her own blood boiling with indignation she swept back through the deserted corridor and across the inner deserted yard. Once more she passed unharmed through the line of men and made her way home again. She lost no time on her arrival in using the telephone, calling up the office number. Hallett and his attorney were still sitting there in the growing dark discussing the situation. “Mr. Hallett?” Yes?) “Miss Dunstan. May I ask you to come up to the house at eight o'clock ?”” This story continued on page 296 comicbooks.com