登陆注册
5270000000012

第12章 IV A WALKING DELEGATE LEARNS A NEW STEP(2)

Quigg's failure to coax away one of Tom's men ended active operations against Tom, so far as the Union was concerned. It continued to listen to McGaw's protests, but, with an eye open for its own interests, replied that if Grogan's men would not be enticed away it could at present take no further action. His trouble with Tom was an individual matter, and a little patience on McGaw's part was advised. The season's work was over, and nothing of importance could be done until the opening of the spring business. If Tom's men struck now, she would be glad to get rid of them. It would, therefore, be wiser to wait until she could not do without them, when they might all be forced out in a body. In the interim McGaw should direct his efforts to harassing his enemy. Perhaps a word with Slattery, the blacksmith, might induce that worthy brother Knight to refuse to do her shoeing some morning when she was stalled for want of a horse; or he might let a nail slip in a tender hoof. No one could tell what might happen in the coming months. At the moment the funds of the Union were too low for aggressive measures. Were McGaw, however, to make a contribution of two hundred dollars to the bank account in order to meet possible emergencies, something might be done. All this was duly inscribed in the books of the committee,--that is, the last part of it,--and upon McGaw's promising to do what he could toward improving the funds. It was thereupon subsequently resolved that before resorting to harsher measures the Union should do all in its power toward winning over the enemy. Brother Knight Dennis Quigg was thereupon deputed to call upon Mrs. Grogan and invite her into the Union.

On brother Knight Dennis Quigg's declining for private reasons the honorable mission intrusted to him by the honorable board (Mr. Quigg's exact words of refusal, whispered in the chairman's ear, were, "I'm a-jollyin' one of her kittens; send somebody else after the old cat"), another walking delegate, brother Knight Crimmins by name, was selected to carry out the gracious action of the committee.

Crimmins had begun life as a plumber's helper, had been iceman, night- watchman, heeler, and full-fledged plumber; and having been out of work himself for months at a time, was admirably qualified to speak of the advantages of idleness to any other candidate for like honors.

He was a small man with a big nose, grizzled chin-whiskers, and rum-and-watery eyes, and wore constantly a pair of patched blue overalls as a badge of his laborship. The seat of these outside trousers showed more wear than his hands.

Immediately upon his appointment, Crimmins went to McGaw's house to talk over the line of attack. The conference was held in the sitting-room and behind closed doors--so tightly closed that young Billy McGaw, with one eye in mourning from the effect of a recent street fight, was unable, even by the aid of the undamaged eye and the keyhole, to get the slightest inkling of what was going on inside.

When the door was finally opened and McGaw and Crimmins came out, they brought with them an aroma the pungency of which was explained by two empty glasses and a black bottle decorating one end of the only table in the room.

As Crimmins stepped down from the broken stoop, with its rusty rain-spout and rotting floor-planks, Billy overheard this parting remark from his father: "Thry the ile furst, Crimmy, an' see what she'll do; thin give her the vinegar; and thin," with an oath, "ef that don't fetch'er, come back here to me and we'll give 'er the red pepper."

Brother Knight Crimmins waved his hand to the speaker. "Just leave'er to me, Dan," he said, and started for Tom's house.

Crimmins was delighted with his mission. He felt sure of bringing back her application within an hour. Nothing ever pleased him so much as to work a poor woman into an agony of fright with threats of the Union. Wives and daughters had often followed him out into the street, begging him to let the men alone for another week until they could pay the rent. Sometimes, when he relented, the more grateful would bless him for his magnanimity. This increased his self-respect.

Tom met him at the door. She had been sitting up with a sick child of Dick Todd, foreman at the brewery, and had just come home. Hardly a week passed without some one in distress sending for her. She had never seen Crimmins before, and thought he had come to mend the roof. His first words, however, betrayed him:--"The Knights sent me up to have a word wid ye."

Tom made a movement as if to shut the door in his face; then she paused for an instant, and said curtly, "Come inside."

同类推荐
  • 辟邪集

    辟邪集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Forty Centuries of Ink

    Forty Centuries of Ink

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 水浒传

    水浒传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Glimpses of the Moon

    The Glimpses of the Moon

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 张文祥刺马案

    张文祥刺马案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 探索与实践:浙江工业大学干部理论学习文选

    探索与实践:浙江工业大学干部理论学习文选

    一个政党要走在时代的前列,一刻也离不开理论指导。胡锦涛总书记指出:“各级领导干部必须明白,现在社会各个方面的发展日新月异,人民群众的实践创造丰富多彩,不学习、不坚持学习、不刻苦学习,势必会落伍,势必难以胜任我们所肩负的重大职责。要做合格的领导者和管理者,必须大力加强学习,努力用人类社会创造的丰富知识来充实自己。”党的十七届四中全会作出了建设马克思主义学习型政党的战略部署。建设学习型党组织是落实这一战略任务的基础工程,深化理论武装是学习型党组织建设的首要任务。
  • 华丽校园骗局80℃:手指的温度

    华丽校园骗局80℃:手指的温度

    【冰山生日贺文】此文为幻想世界的YY文,华丽丽的学校,有些伤痛的基调,女主不白,却太过坚强。当底线被一再碰触,汹涌而来的会是火山爆发?还是冰川时代?
  • 都市之武侠世界大考察

    都市之武侠世界大考察

    《笑傲江湖》中,他携东方女帝鼎定天下,《仙剑奇侠传》中,他一声轻叹,扭转乾坤,《破碎虚空》内,他霸气无双,横推道魔,地仙界中,他剑指苍穹........……天地大变,诸天再临,张三意外得穿越系统,誓要做诸天最强。
  • 不负微光

    不负微光

    我因为喜欢你,我会偷偷打听好你报考的学校,努力和你站在同一个位置。因为喜欢你,我会在你失恋时忍着内心的心痛陪你坐到天亮。因为喜欢你,我还是会在原来的地方,等着你。年少时,我们每个人都会走过不一样的经历,而这些经历,却曾带给你最美好也是最快乐的回忆。
  • 别中了她的温柔圈套

    别中了她的温柔圈套

    给好基友推文《笑言暖暖很贴心》求支持,超好看的啦~-学生时代的蒋漓,貌不出众、自卑懦弱。获得一次和校花同台的机会,人人都觉得她不配。…几年后,蒋漓牵起裙摆站上舞台,全身散发出自信迷人的光芒,美艳不可方物;她唇角绽笑,庆幸道:“年纪轻走过不少弯路,我这辈子做得最对的事,就是嫁给了颜先生。”观众席尖叫声连成一片。…【甜美逆袭女歌星vs俊美骄矜名企大亨】
  • 女尊天下之凤临天下

    女尊天下之凤临天下

    (不收费,不会弃坑,一直写到完结,只需要推荐票!评论!)她是女尊王朝的二殿下,第一次碰见他是在大街上,他被荣亲王的女儿调戏。“夫君你还在生我的气吗?”某男死死的抱住凤幻珊不放。凤幻珊青筋暴起“放开!”某男厚颜无耻“不放就不放”……“来人看看啊,大庭广众之下欺负一个弱小男子,还有没有人管了!”某男扯着嗓子喊。“滚!”本只是潜入敌国打探消息,谁知道却把心丢了。后兵变,女主沦为阶下囚,发配边疆。改名换姓,为诸葛军师,大败白夜国,却被挂帅的男主发现她。“无论损失多少!都要把军师抓回来。”“是!”
  • 独生子女:就是要这样教

    独生子女:就是要这样教

    随着社会竞争的愈演愈烈,越来越多的人只生一个孩子。只生一个孩子对于父母来说,可以把各方面的压力与负担减到最小,但是在教育的问题上,却经常遇到棘手的难题。初生的婴儿无疑是一张白纸,在未来的成长过程中,白纸上描绘出什么图案,染上什么色彩,都由父母决定,因为,孩子的性格来自父母的教育,而性格决定孩子一生的命运。独生子女家庭的父母,更需要在繁忙的时候,抽出一点时间,为孩子塑造健康的性格,发掘他们的潜能,不但充当他们的长辈,还要充当他们的朋友、哥哥姐姐,尊重他们,理解他们,也让他们在和谐的亲子氛围中,学会尊重和理解别人,成为一个优秀的人,让他们在将来的社会竞争中,能够从容面对。
  • 地震问答

    地震问答

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 游戏花都之全能高手

    游戏花都之全能高手

    提问一个高智商问题:“在某班级里,由1名班主任管理下,20个女学生中,却有21个人说欣赏你,直接导致21名男生中,有20个都妒忌你,并且想打死你,如果你遇到这种状况,你会怎么应对?帮帮主角吧!高手!”
  • 丹尊邪神

    丹尊邪神

    重生少年洛小枫,天生透视神眼,传承神医绝技,得无上炼器,炼制逆天丹药。身世之谜!传承宝珠之谜!天王神窟之谜!妖魔废墟之谜!天王碑之谜!大千世界之谜!迷雾重重,悬念迭起!且看绝世少年洛小枫,如何从一个“疯傻”废物,成长为绝世丹尊,逆天邪神!