The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 5 February 1914, Page 5

The Storyteller

THE WINNING OF NORA

(Concluded.;

" When he had’ the building and its equipment arranged to his satisfaction, had made everything in connection with it as safe and as sanitary as money and thoughtful planning could make it, he found no difficulty in getting employees. The pleasant surroundings of the new mill, and its unusual features within, had excited a' good deal of curiosity, and his advertisement for workers promised wages far in excess of what could be obtained elsewhere, in a short time the place was running in a way that could not fail to please the most exacting proprietor. Orders were coming in and were filled with the utmost satisfaction to all concerned. Paul Carslake was so busy that sometimes he almost forgot the reason for his departure from dowry, and he came nearer to contentment than would have been possible in his old home. And then came the first note of discord. When his plant had been in operation some eight months, there began- to be rumors of dissatisfaction among the workers at the other mills. Naturally, they wanted to enjoy the better wages and improved conditions that the new mill had , proved it possible for the owners to give them. Paul was pleased when he heard of it. Here was good work he had not thought of accomplishing. His example would benefit those whom it was not possible to help directly, the employees of others. Blit that desirable result, he found, was not so easily attained. When the workers, after many weeks .of talk among themselves, grew brave enough to express their desires to those' who could grant them, they found themselves apparently against a stone wall. - The proprietors of the three mills absolutely refused to make any changes whatsoever. . .. 5 ’ ’ • ' Discontent grew into something blacker and more bitter as the days went on. There were meetings, fiery speeches, and leaders came to the front. Through these another demand was made on the mill-owners, to. which those obdurate gentlemen refused even to listen. There were other meetings at which passionate expression was given to feelings long • concealed, instances related of particular cases of injustice, and individual fears submerged through the urging of the leaders, into the common, mighty desire to obtain their rights through the only means at their command.-. At the hour appointed the employees of the three mills went on strike. . , / j Paul was. not familiar with strikes, but he knew they were far from pleasant,' especially for the strikers.; "They; had all his sympathy. 'So entirely did ! he enter into * the spirit of their struggle . that iwhen he received a letter, y signed Jointly by . the mill-owners of West

Hadley, requesting him. to conform to the rules, regulations, and wag© scale that had been in operation since the opening of the first mill, his first impulse was to return it contemptuously. But he stopped to consider whether that would be the best way to kelp those who so sadly needed assistance. He would have given anything in .that, hour for Noras clear-headed advice. That being out of the question, he took the letter to Father Cavan. They had met several times on errands of mercy, and were already very good friends. There, was something about the priest’s kind . face that seemed strangely familiar to Paul, though he was quite sure that he had never seen him before. There were many of his flock among the strikers, so Father Cavan could not regard the situation with anything but anxiety. He thoroughly approved of their desire to obtain better conditions, for no one was more interested in their welfare than he. He knew their hardships and deprivations as a good father knows the trials of his children. They had all his sympathy, but he knew that in a struggle there would be fault on both sides. He dreaded the day when they would attempt to bring workers from other places and reopen the mills. If they succeeded, if the ‘strike was lost, those who had walked out would be in far worse case than they were before. He had a horror of the roused passions, the fighting, the crimes that too often became a part of such a situation. i , I h a ! ld 1>a A u l considered gravely what step the latter should take After rejecting many plans as unfeasible, they decided it was best for Paul to take a conciliatory tone, to ask the mill-owners to meet him at his office to discuss the subject matter of their letter. If they accepted, he would be in a position to fight his battle with more forceful weapons, to present propositions with very tangible, illustrations, which he could not do if lie went to them or ignored them. 'Somewhat to their surprise all three accepted. i aul looked forward to the meeting hopefully,“hut with some trepidation as to his power to win what he so desired. ... --. ‘I will be with you in spirit,’ Father Cavan told him. I will pray for you that you may find the right words to move to a sense of justice those money-loving men, who will try so hard to convince you that you are their enemy and your own.’ The hour of the meeting the good pastor spent before the altar in his beloved little church. He had called upon the Catholics among the strikers and together they prayed for good results from the consultation, and for the loyal friend who had espoused their cause. In his office at the Co-operative Mill, Paul greeted his competitors with a cordiality he was far from feelNe quickly discerned that their object in coming was to satisfy their curiosity, to see the establishment of a crazy man who wasted his profits in so foolish a way. He managed to keep his temper through the presentation of demands and arguments that* sorely tempted him to an exhibition of wrath. His long struggle with his uncle had given him an idea of what he might expect, but he found it a much more difficult matter to deal with those thoroughly antagonistic to him, with men who were moved by no feelings of friendship or affection to regard his views with leniency. He used all the arguments at his command, pleaded eloquently and well the rights of the employed, the responsibility of the employer, to no purpose. It was after all the sad story of Sadie Lane’s death and its disastrous effects on his own hopes of happiness, which won him the advantage of their respectful, attention. There was that in it, in his manner of telling it, .that reached their hearts, that they had held so hard against him. It was the opening wedge, and slowly and ; persistently Paul drove it home until presently they were following him docilely about the mill, interested yin spite of themselves in the improved equipment and the provisions .for; the care and comfort of the, workers. ,V Paul met - Father Cavan as he came out ' of : the church, - arid the priest saw at once that he was the bearer of good news. . ( .. .■ . -• ' y.V-;.-y' : yr..

r . -*. They are willing to ,make f concessions, Father,’ f Paul cried eagerly. ‘ That’s something gained;-anyway. They - are-going to meet the (leaders to-morrow morning and talk things’ over. That isn’t so bad for , three hitherto deaf'- and !/ dumb men, is 1 it, now? But you’ll have to <do some ; more hard praying in the morning.’ Father; -Cavan v smiled at him delightedly and withal a little wistfully ;,; ; If .- this royal-hearted Paul was only one of the. faith ! * v.r ‘ I’ll do that right willingly, and my good people with me. But you must come home with me and tell : me all about the ; meeting. No doubt it will go down in the history of West Hadley, as its epoch-making assemblage, so we must;. have its details carefully preserved.’ - Paul accepted gladly, for he felt too excited to be alone, lie must share his victory with someone, and Father Cavan was a delightful companion. ~ln recounting all that had-occurred at the meeting, he retold the story of. the accident at the dowry Mill that had so great an effect on, his own life. But with a sympathetic listener it was very natural that he should, enter more, into detail, should tell all about the valiant maiden whose love he had lost through overzeal for profits, omitting not even her name. As he listened there came an expression of intense astonishment to Father Cavan’s face. Paul, absorbed in thought of the past, did not notice it, or observe that presently the look of .surprise relaxed into a smile, and that the priest’s glance wandered to a letter on his desk and rested there in pleased contemplation. 4f - ‘ But, l have something else- to tell you, Father, and.,l don’t know whether, I can quite make it clear, for, it is not altogether clear to me. At that meeting to-day, or immediately after, I don’t know which, I became aware that I believed fully and freely doctrines of your faith that I had tried to believe before and could not. It was as if in the midst of the arguments, the battle of words, some unconscious process was clearing up cloudy places in my mirid, and I found not only the -right way to the ; hearts of those men, but was set right myself in matters that were on part of tlx© question at issue. Perhaps you, who are wiser and better .than, I, can explain how such a thing could come about. I do not understand. , I only know it happened.’ Father Cavan was deeply moved. ‘ It was the grace of God that came to you in that hour, my friend, as a crown on your good work, as a reward , for espousing the cause of His poor, downtrodden children. The knowledge you had, and .that grace enkindled the light of faith, lit its holy flame in your soul, and you had understanding also. God’s ways are wonderful, are they not*, my son?’ Paul bowed his head. lie could not speak just then. ' , Before they , . parted that evening, arrangements were completed for a course, of instruction, preparatory, to Paul’s, reception into the Church. ‘ When he was alone again, Father Cavan picked up the letter from his desk and re-read it. It was from his sister, "Jan©;- and post-marked New York. He skipped the first few lines of greeting. The}' had nothing - to do -with 'his astonishment and pleasure of a hali-hour before. '/ i ‘l’m worried about Nora,’ the] letter J: ran on. She’s; so thin you’d scarcely know ! her, and it’s no wonder, for she eats nothing .at. all. 1 I’Ve tried everything I can think of to no purpose. The doctors I’ve consulted say there’s nothing., the matter with : her, but she’s fading away by inches all the same. I plead.; with her every day to eat, < to rest, but she only smiles-at me. She doesn’t laugh any more, Father Johm— just smiles, and it would break* your heart,, to see the difference it makes. She works like a slave at the office, and, as was to be expected' has made herself invaluable. But even they have noticed how badly she looks and are willing to give her a month’s vacation. Two weeks is the usual .time; and considering that ; she 'been there so short a time, I think that’s pretty, decent of them, s 3 l -Bt! I d don’t • dare ■- send hep home to her mother. Can't she go down to stay with-you? If she begins to

look better, Molly and Aileen could go over to see her. But don’t ask them right away, t please; She doesn’t seem to want to go to dowry lor some: reason or other, though she actually cries with loneliness for her mother. Sometimes I think it’s something on her mind that ails her. You could help her more, than anyone else. Father John. Write to the child and ask her to spend her vacation in West Hadley. I know she’ll go. f Father Cavan dropped the letter and seized his pen. A cordial, cheering letter sped on its : way to Nora that very night. During the next few days Father John smiled frequently to himself, a smile of quiet amusement. Paul Carslake noticed it several times and wondered what it was that amused him. i S The meetings between the mill-owners and the strike leaders, to which Paul was often called for consultation on disputed points, had finally such favorable results that the exultant committee decided that their good friend, Mr. Carslake, was entitled to a vote of thanks. The assembled workers, who had come together to learn the outcome of the last conference, greeted the suggestion with vociferous applause? So eager were they to demonstrate their gratitude to their intercessor, that they, proceeded at once in a body to the Co-operative Mill, and with a rousing cheer called Paul from his office to welcome them. ' ' . In the midst of the ovation Nora arrived in West Hadley—such a lovely, spiritual, changed Nora. Father John found it hard to believe that this could be the laughing, bonny girl that in spite of Jane’s letter he. had been expecting. She had the look of one who had won a. victory, but paid the full meed of suffering as its price. ' - ; ; She wanted to know the cause of the unusual noise and excitement, so Father John told her of the splendid young man who had brought the dawn of a new day to the dreary lives of the mill-workers. As she listened to the description of the new establishment with . its modern equipment and furnishings, its generous provisions for the care and preservation ' of the ihealth of the workers, as he told her of the owner’s plan for the sharing of profits in addition , to good wages, of his bringing the other -owners into line, her eyes grew wistful with longing. Her uncle knew of what she was thinking, and it was with difficulty that he restrained that joyous smile. /. j; ;■ ? -?? ?> ‘ And best of all, Nora, he is going to be a Catholic. He is coming to me for instruction, but he must have studied and thought a good deal about it for some time, he is so far advanced in knowledge of doctrine and practice. It will be only a short time now before : he will be ready for Baptism and his profession of faith. If he can get away from those noisily grateful exstrikers he will be hex this evening, and so perhaps you will see him.’ Nora said wearily that, such a man would be well worth looking at, as those who cared anything about their fellow-men were, indeed, rare. As she went slowly upstairs to the room prepared for her? to remove the dust of the journey and rest awhile, Father John sighed and forgot to smile. Perhaps this affair would turn out as he anticipated, but Nora "was so* changed, how could one tell Then he laid it all cheerfully in the hands of the good God, as he did everything, and was happy again. ■ ■■■ r '■■'.•£ Jsß The priest’s little garden. was the pride of his heart. , It was a shaded bower,.. of riotous blooms and •climbing vines, a rare, sweet refuge from the cares of the world. Nora found her way to the well-remembered spot very soon after her arrival. Her uncle’s account of the strike and its successful termination had aroused memories from which she would gladly escape." Time . had dulled the pain of that .past sorrow, -but- nothing could make her forget what might have been. r She heard a quick step on the gravelled path that led up to the front entry, but, absorbed -in- thought, paid little heed. So \she ' did not know that the victorious champion of therights of the ' workers of West , Hadley had parted from his grateful admirers and come ! to Father ! John for instruction .'/;,T latter added his warm congratulations, and then- stood looking at the

young man so thoughtfully, and for so , long a time, that Paul could not but ask him. what he was thinking. j^^*4Qfgmany4things, and of. the wisdom of/ one of them,’ he replied enigmatically. Then ho added quickly, * There is someone in the garden whom I think you would like to see. You know the way. I will wait for you here.’ Paul went slowly down the steps and across the little strip of lawn that lay between a them and the garden, reflecting as he went that, the 'only, person he had a : grfcat desire to see was miles away. He supposed it was one of . those tiresome mill-owners, though why he should be in father Cavan's garden ho could not imagine. ‘ As ho turned the corner of the house the flutter of a white dress caught his eye, and looking up he saw a girl bending over a rosebush. He stopped short, filled with wonder that , the priest should have sent him out to talk to a strange young lady. As he stood hesitating, she turned to a flowering shrub close by and he saw her face. His brain reeled. Heavens, it was Nora! And then in another moment she looked up and-saw him, and her face grew ,as white as her dress, and the roses fell slowly from her hands? * ' ‘ You !’ she cried. f And you !/ I am nob dreaming, am I ? It is youand here?’ He looked about inquiringly. Nora was rapidly regaining her poise. She smiled at his bewilderment. ‘ This is my uncle’s garden. I came to-day to spend my vaeation with him.’ Paul stood regarding her dazedly, doubtfully. * Nora—how changed you are!” / Nora looked down at the rosea. ‘As we came up from the station I heard the cheering, and Father John told me what it was for. He told me all about the— “splendid young man who had brought the dawn of a new day to the mill-workers of West Hadley.” Those were his words. He meant you, did he not ?’> -* , V, ?■/;>* l think your uncle’s an angel, Nora.’ , ‘ So do I, Paul.’ -And somehow, from the way that she said his name, and because of the happy smile in her blue eyes, he knew that the shadow that had been between them had faded away forever. — Magnificat.