Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 898 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

es ‘) i? »'y i we . _, thing ain’t jest as et orter be. _ . ¢ ’ ; : ‘ ec . a4 : vo Ky at , r } X 2 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double oo Drive. It was not a big burg, but it was big enough to take care of itself and run its own affairs, as the rough denizens were wont to declare. It had been the outcome of a rich find, springing suddenly into being about three years before the time of our romance. The chief citizen ‘of the place was one David Van Bascomb, who was at the head of the Marguerite Mining Company. Van Bascomb was a solid man in every sense of the word. He was of big stature and considerable avoirdupois, and was solid in the financial sense as well as otherwise. He was a heavy stockholder in the Mar- guerite, and was said to have business in- terests elsewhere besides, Whether this was sO or not, it was enough to own @ good slice of the Marguerite, for this was one of the richest mines in that district. ‘This magnate was seated in his office one morning, smoking his after-breakfast cigar, when a rough citizen entered. “‘Good-morning, mayor!” the mine-presi- dent greeted. ‘‘Same to you,” was the gruff response, with a wave of the hand. ‘‘ Hope et’ll bea good ’un, anyhow.” ‘‘What do you mean, Zeke?” Van Bas- comb inquired. : Well, I sort o° feel that thar’s trouble a-brewin’ hyer, that’s ther long an’ short of et, Dave Van Bascomb,” ' “a ‘“‘Trouble brewing?” “‘That’s what I said.” ‘‘ Where do you see indications of it?” “*Oast yer eye down thar towards the Marguerite, an’ mebby you'll see.” The mine-president and general manager —for such he was, looked as directed and exclaimed: | ‘Why, the men haven’t gone to work!” ‘‘ That's about ther size of et, I kalkylate.” *‘ What does it mean?” ia te. ee “Give it up. What’s ther meanin’ of anything, sence that fellow McKnight got. his grip onto this hyer town?” — % ‘‘ Well, that’s so; still, I don’t see how - that can have had a oie to do with stopping work at the rguerite. Come, we'll take a walk ae there; maybe some ac- cident has happened.” - The'manager put on his hat and they went out together, turning their steps in the direction of the mine, some distance up the gulch ‘but in plain sight from the office, where a crowd was collected, | V Drel ‘Then McKnight has still got you on the hip, has he?” asked Van Bascomb, | ‘Well, he’s got the upper hand at present, aneres no use denying it,” the otheracknowl- edged. | } id ibs ‘‘ And he has got to be ousted, somehow,” declared the mine-manager, with somewhat of emphasis. ‘‘I have been thinking about it, though I have said nothing to you lately.” ‘* [ll tell you what I think’s the matter up thar,” suddenly asserted the manager’s comm- panion, changing the sth | -** Well, what do you think it is?” ‘** | think et’s a strike,” ‘* A strike!” «<'That s what I said—a strike.” 19, ‘* But, good heavens, Zeke Hummingbird, what have they got to strike for? They are petting more pay now than any cther mine the district s paying. They'd be a lot of fools to strike,” i", slaw” ““Wull, mebby I’m wrong, but I have had my surspicions fer a day fe re te every- about et, Dave Van Bascomb, whole lot on that superintende: thar, though Lord knows 1 wo say a word to hurt him, but that’s: ‘* What do you know to his discredit?” i ‘*Wull, nothin’-—an’ that’s what I say; a : 8] ruther thick with this feller, McKnight, | don’t want to say nothin’ to his hurt. ‘‘ And, as Jimmie McKnight ousted you out of your office as mayor, there is good 4 ' ' i,” ’ . | “a .* + - ¢ : ? * ‘p : + wis om sb . - = | 2 2 LF : 1 4 a 2 : 4 hems d i < 4 aa we ; tT - _e' vid wi : ay ® a b y - - Au yieat © be honest I don't go a reason why you should dislike him, of CO Uap If that isall you know toHenry Keefer’s cis- credit, it amouuts to little.” ‘* That's so; that’s so.” Nothing further was said, and they pushed on up the slope to the mill, before which the crowd was gathered. . The men looked half sheepish,half sullen, and their mutterings died away and they be- came silent as the mine-manager and his com- panion drew near. ‘* Well, boys, what's the matter?” asked Van Bascomb. ) A young man pushed his way to the front immediately, and answered: ‘The matter is the men have struck for higher pay, Mr. Van Bascomb,” with a show of indignation. “* Struck for higher pay?” the mine-mana- ger repeated. ‘‘ Why, boys, what are you thinking about? You are getting ten cents more than any other mine in the district is payifig, as it is.” Ey ae. ‘* What’s ten cents?” one fellow sneered. ‘Tt is a good deal, when it comes to the end of the month, my men, seeing that there are close upon ninety of you,” was the sharp rejoinder. ‘‘ Get buck to your work, now, every man of you, and be glad you've got it to do!” nt ‘* Hear how he talks!” muttered another of the crowd. “And ther Marguerite a-rollin’ up thou- sands fer him and the rest of ther stock- holders every month!” ‘‘An’ we want a share of et, you bet!” chimed in yet another, even more boldly. ‘‘Et’s our bone an’ muscle what gits et out’ of ther ground, an’ we orter have somethin’ to show fer ourtoil.”, Wise - “Don t you get your wages?” demanded the irate manager. — “Wull, yes, but—” | | -“ And don’t we pay more than any other mine you know of?” ‘Yer kin well afford to pay more,” as- serted the boldest of the: strikers, ‘‘an’ ye kin afford to pay more still.” ‘You bet!” was the scattering fire from the throng. ‘What we want is a fair share in ther profits,” one man shouted from the rear, where he could not be singled out. | ‘*You do, eh?” grated the manager, grow- ing pale—proof that he was getting aroused to whiteanger. ‘‘ Youdo, eh?” he repeated. ‘‘ How long have you been owners of the concern, let me ask?” | “* We worked pin a ene sed fe ae ao long ago. Thar ain’t a foot of ther bare ath: eo: ‘ther vein Asien thar ‘that ain’t ‘heen’ sprinkled wi’ ther sweat of our brows, an’ we have made up our mindsthat we have got some claim onto ther mine an’ we ar’ go- n’ to see about it,” “'That’s the way you look at it, eh? Well, you have not spent’ an hour in that shaft or anywhere about the mine that you have- n't been well paid for, and if you have left drops of sweat hereand there, that is proof ‘ % _ | that you have earned your wages.” ‘‘ Hear how he talks, wull ye!” oe if we was dogs, or slaves under ther as 17? wh, , ‘You are mistaken, men,” declared Van Bascomb, ‘* You are {ORE at this thing ina beset light. Your leader, whoever he is, has drilled crooked ideas into your heads. You bare #0, just cause for this action this wee ae rt i hav ‘ oan j jee ull, this hyer’s ther stand we have taken, whether et’s right or wrong,” sung out a voice at thé rear, — pia Ne dik The crowd was growing | , as men came ‘up the slope from the town learn What was going on. It began to ook serious. —— | ; What demand do you make?” asked the manager, hoarse with anger. ‘‘ What are you striking for, anyhow? ' i have given me to understand, e >| " : iy ; p ft. . : * . mm. Lis air) wi cay > . ; 4 & * . jac } ae ye ‘.. F i la Out ve Le = ‘ 4 ‘ af : et RE Se ee Ee le aul Pee eed ee a sir,” spoke up the young man before men- tioned —who, by the way, was Keefer, the superintendent—* that they want a dol- | a a day more all around, every man of them.’’ , The manager fairly turned purple with rage, ‘What are you thinking about?” he roared, when he could speak at all, “ You don't know what you are asking! Have you got the idea into your heads that it — requires skilled labor — skilled mechanics | and artisans—to handle the pick and shovel’ There is no reason in what you ask!” “Wull, that’s what we do ask, an’ that’s what we mean to have,” | ‘Come to the office and get your pay, every mother’s son of you! We can put “Italians or Hungarians in your places at half the pay you are getting!” ae: “Oh, no; et won’t work that way, boss,” spoke up one of the ringleaders, ‘Ef we don’t git what we ask we won’t work, an’ we ar’ goin’ to see that nobody takes ou places, too, you bet!”’ yi r Such was the stand taken, and the strike at the Marguerite appeared to be on witha vengeance, yy | | — ee CHAPTER II. A MANY-HORNED DILEMMA. As if not daring to trust himse!f further, the mine-manager wheeled suddenly and strode away in the direction of his office. There was a troubled Jook upon_bis face, and yet withal an expression of grim deter. | mination. He knew he was in the right, and he had made the resolve to fight it out on that line. f"i9 re He walked with a quick, nervous stride and in a few minutes was at the office door, There stood a young lady, awaiting himn— a pretty girl, rather dark, and about twenty | years of age. | | | ‘Why, papa, what is the matter?” she asked, anxiously. ‘I was going up there but saw you coming ”’ o ‘‘You had better keep away from the crowd, Clara, my child,” was the gentile re- ply. ‘‘The men have seen fit to gO Out on a strike, and there may be trouble.” ae a on @ strike, you say?” ce'Yes, The manager had now unlocked the door, and they entered. | ‘‘ What are they striking for, papa? Are. you not dealing justly with them? [ hope that is not the case,” ‘‘That is not the case, positively, Jam paying more than any other mine anywhere around. They demand a dollar a day in- crease when common sense ought to show. them that would be impossible.” Po il ‘*Oh, if that is their demand, they #e‘un- , reasonable!” iss ‘Yes, positively, But, this is no place for you this morning. dear. You go backto — the cottage and remain within.” ss pcs ‘But, you will take care, papa, not to 1 anger the men and Jead them todo you harm? © You know I:have no one here but you, and if harm came to you, what would become of a a i ss me?” «There; there,,do not be uneasy; I will be | all right, Clara,” Pesca. ae He kissed his child, as he said this, and the young lady turned and went from the office, going in the direction of a cottage a little dis- tance down the gulch. eee She had becn gone but a few Minutes when Henry Keefer entered, having fdllow- ed the mine-manager down from the mines. _ Van Bascomb was pacing the floor, : ‘See here, what is going to be done, | Keefer?” the manager demanded, stopping — suddenly and facing his superintendent. ‘That is just what I came to ask YOu sir,” was the response. ‘The men seem de termined, crazy as their demand js, Dont you think it would be well to call in the mayor for consultation? bos eee - ee ' ’ “3, 17) } @) \' ; : VP 4 i! * 7 ah us ‘ “i A * ~ ha o= Se é \ ‘ ir j ir | { Me] : ' ' | : :