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About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 1898)
THE AMERICAN. THE WANDERING JEW. i M 1 5, . f ft !.-! :t ,..) f : I i . t i .,,... I I ft n I .f . M it ! ,!. Tl -t, fu !,)( ' . ' ! ..t f! f il;:,!i ' r u'.t 'it i fin t. m .u:i N.i J-' ; J in, !. i.i f l! . 'f I f t ;-1 I . ti (.! 1 i, i; I , s p . it 4 fu j nut M!r i't !)- n i.ii ! i.l. I, l. i' i H 11' l!.e i i J i c i'i M i . Ai;i U. $, I t ! "I l fit i.i -Hi,! , I I, Hill! ' Sl'l .. l J, i :,; n If , ? II '4 !:1 ; n-, 1 11 111! t l . M I II AIM I U I I i -xt.x. M "It! u ill!! Ii p m ui t! i i s i . n i t ! i ' t i ' 1 1 f ut m "ill (lit . i ( I .O.dlll -. I I I Hot k , I. Jit l !. I t lUl llil'tf Will In ll I In ilpllf ID the UM of ibe 1 III HiUhu IttllHi: l" t , Hit. I Uli'MtV O b I V !!!'! ! n lr-ft lit , hio! i !i .!i mi . lil t-Hi wiiinim . M A, it. d'l.l .! mi , t Ir tt l - .! !i ' tii l,i. I '.., ' I k if il. a !',.!'! - i A i ! i ! , w i i. K, i, I r ' I !( k I .-it ,l.u. ! il ;i i li" ! It ii i ut f n at. -ll,l of I,!' If I u! l I., t r it! 1.1 .?; l !, J '. 1 ,r l . f : I t i: i . i 1 it ' i i fi.?t i;ii! ,ti,it)'tn ! i . ' t t It. I". I ' .! t.i v ! ' ... 1 f I II I ' t I tlf ill ,t ! li' i n ' , ij . i .-n f a-! I In ! thl tfl1;i nf !.; A luuit Kills '" j M.tti h i!, rufti tii.ii r l- A 3nn,:. u!i .l-,.t .r, in Ii a VI ; ! lllUlV, It It M tf I . I J.- liilW.JtiV fsiiiili I. ' li 1 !l.l!.iiiH-ilI Iiit li I. " ''A if Ifcli v l lili Ka I i ri , i Hi l.t lii M ! I'll . UIll.l thi ll IJJitllil ;i i . i M II ii i ;! ! ii il i- "i." 'I., .i i I ik i t 111 ..f I.i Now, iii M il.- ,1 nil tn M nUtin m ui.i I i w,,, w t n - I.i m hi .i nfni..u-. a tiiuiirt , , r"r' ' 11,0 MlMrumr"t U(r,r !uiiU..iiv 1 lit I . . . I . . 1 . .1 I . . I I U .1 f I H.ll.l i I.I f, St .... tl . I fiiicn'ii ni ii. i in nn in uif i I'UtiX .tl of (in-, ..... .... .u.n r.iniui huh- fiilnrv. j0' li irj iiillufin v f llu noith m., mti A liltli- hi! after. Inn. il.',. Lnrr. . .. 1, ' 4rmiu l1tcinot . at a sjnn l firi- lighto l m M. Jn iiit tn wiiikiin n fimii Hnndit llu iiintfiiiil!1 llinv mil I I.- tin iihollu'tii, imlt iti In uvn prn Mini', in M t k for Iho mol nnnjK ami liit uk "Trin, M, Aiionlii. Iiuw i Hint to do .l..ii " An. I tlmt i? iml nil,' mivs our man; Mo ol niiiy pi uilmp nl liijh i ii vs, it hliouM lu it it 1'ioai 1i;i1K 'ctllnt. My woikim-u ilo pri'tty Tll; hilt Unit i lull 'l(ill;:li. Want tll(i to Jtroiliit.. innMoijiii'ii-s "Hut. M. Auricula, w hen they linvc oih o ju rfui im il tin- task Mt tlu'in, wluit intrust liave workiui'ii to jivi tlicin. M'lvcs a cm at tloiil of IrouMe t ituluci inastt i ii't i's'.' " "Tlii-ro it is, Milllf. AiiL'pla; what intcret lmvi tlioy? TlnTi-foii', our npirulator tnoii ays to litmsi'U: ' I iuit my workiiii'ti may liave un in lorrst to ho cidiiomii iil iu tlio uso of tlio mater iulx, an iiiterot In omplov their time wrll. an in tiTi'st to invent new iiml I.rjter manufai turin prnei'SM, an interest to Bi'inl out of (heir hamis iiuthin Iml masterriirecs I must cive them an interest in ill" prolits earned hy their economy iietivity, zeal an. I skill. The Letter they inanu- faeture, the Letter I whall wll, ami the larger wil he their gain, ami mine, also.'" ' Oh! now I unilerxlaiHl, M. Agricola." "Ami our .peculator wouhl make a cooil ni.ee illation. Heforo he was intere.ste.l, the workman miiil: 'What iloen it matter to me, that I do more or Letter in the course of the day? What nhall 1 gain hy il? Nothing. Well, then, liltle work for little waged. Hut now on (he contrary (he huvm), I have an interest iu displaying zeal ami economy. All im changed. 1 redouhlo mv activity, and utrivo to excel the others. If a com", rado is la.y, and likely to do hlirtn to the factory, I have the right to nay to him: "Male, we n Miller more or less from your laincus, and from the injury you are doing the common-wenl.'" " "And then, M. Agricola, with what ardoi courage and hope, you must set to work! " "That is whut our speculator counts on: and ho may nay to himself, further: 'Treasures of experience and prncticul wisdom Hie often luiried in workshops, for want of good-will, opportunity, or encouragement. Excellent workmen, instead of making all the improvements U their power, follow with indin'eroneo the old jog-trot. What a pity! for an intelligent man, occupied nil his life with gome special employment, must discover, iu tho long run, a thousand ways of doing his work better nnd quicker. I will form, therefore, u sort of consulting committee; I will summon to it my foremen and my most skilful workmen. Our in terest is now the same, Light will necessarily spring from this centre, of practical intelligence.' Now, the speculator is not deceived in this, and soon struck with the incredible resources, (he thousand new, ingenious, perfect inventions sud- i ..... oeniy revealed Ly his workmen, 'Why,' he ex claims, if you knew this, did you not "(ell il he fore? What for tho last ten years has cost me a hundred fruncs to make, would have cost uieonly lifty, without reckoning an enormous saving of time,'- 'Sir,' answers the workman, who is not more stupid than others, 'what interest had 1, that you should ctlect a saving of fifty per cent.? None. Hut now il is dillcrent. You give me, besides my wages, a share in your prolifs; you raise me in my own esteem, by consulting my'ex. porienee and knowledge. Instead of treating me as on inferior being, you enter into communion with me. It is my interest, it is my duty, to tell you all 1 know, and to acquire more.' And thus it is, Mdlle. Angela, that tho speculator can or. ganize his establishment, so us to shame his op. positionisls, and provoke their envy. Now if in stead of a cold-hearted calculator, we tako u man who unities with tho knowledge of these facts the tender and generous sympathies of an cvangeli cal heart, nnd the elevation of ,i superior mind, bo will extend his ardent solicitude, not only to the material comfort, but to the moral emancipa tion, of his workmen. Seeking everywhere, every possible means to develop their intelligence, to improve their hearts, and strong in the authority acquired by his beneficence, feeling that he on whom depends the happiness or the misery of three hundred creatures has also the care of souls, he will be the guide of those whom he no longer calls his workmen, but his brothers, in a straight forward and noble path, and will try to create in a vm advancing also toward the factory, from the direction f I'miv In this en,u h w.i l..diu CIIAPTIM! Ml. (' liKVKl.ATIONS. lulling the visit of Angela and At-ricoln to the 'oiiinion lwelling housc, tho hand of Wolves joined upon (he road by many of the haunters of taverns, continued to march Inwards the factory, whnh the hackney-coach, that brought Holin from i ar.s, was also last approaching. M. llardv. on getting out of (he carriage with his friend M ile l!e-.sa had entered the parlor of the louse that he occupied next the factory. M. Hards ... . l '111 ... . was in nmiiiio sie, wit Ii an elegant and sh-Mit figure, which announced a nature essentially nervous and impressionuLle. His forehead was U'oail ami open, his complexion pale, his eves lack, full at once of mildness nnd penetration, ns countenance nonest, intelligent and attrac tive. One word will paint the character of M, llardv II h mother had called him her Sensitive Plant His was indeed one of those line and exquisitely delicate organizations, which are trustinc. lovinc noble, generous, but so susceptible, that the least touch makes them shrink into themselves. If we join to (his excessive sensibility a passionate lovi for art, a first-rate intellect, tastes essentially re. lined, and then think of the thousand deceptions nnd numberless infamies of which M. Ibmlv must have been the victim iu his career as a manufacturer, we shall wonder how this heart, so lehcale and lender, had not been broken a thousand times, iu its incessant struggle with merciless self-interest. M. Hardy had indeed sutlereil much. V orced to follow the career of productive industry, to honor the eniniconicnts of Ins tntlier, a model of uprightness and probity, who had yet loll his allairs somewhat embarrassed. in consequence of the events of 1815, he had succeeded, by perseverance and capacity, in at taining one of the most honorable positions in the commercial world. But, to nrrive at this oint, what ignoble annoyiiuces had he to bear with, what perfidious opposition to combat, what luteful rivalries to tire out I Sensitive as ho was, M. Hardy would u thous- and times have fallen a victim to his emotions of aiiiful indignation against baseness, of bitter lisgust at dishonesty, but for the wise and lirm support of his mother. When he returned to icr, after a day of painful struggles with odious deceptions, ho found himself suddenly transported into nu atmosphere of such beneficent purity, of such radiant serenity, that ho lost almost on the instant the remembrance of the base things by which he had been so cruelly tortured duriuir the day; the pangs of his heart were appeased at the mere contact of her great and loftv soul: and therefore his love for her resembled idolatry. When he lost her, he experienced one of those calm, deep sorrows, which have no end which become, as it were, pari of life, and have even sometimes their days of melancholy sweetness. A little while after this great misfortune, M. Hardy became more closely connected with his workmen. He had always been u just and good master; but, although the place that his mother left in his heart would ever remain void, he fell us it were a redoubled overflowing of the afTcc tions, and the moie he su tiered, the more he sought, tho more he craved to see happy faces around him. The wonderful ameliorations, which he now produced in the physical and moral condition of all about him, served, not to divert, but to occupy his grief. Little by little, he withdrew from tho world, and concentrated his life in three affections; a tender and devoted friendship, which seemed to include all past friendships a love ardent and sincere, like n last passion and a paternal attachment to his workmen. His days therefore passed in the heart of that little world, so full of respect and gratitude towards hira a world, which he had, as it were, created after the image of his mind, that he might find there a refuge from the pain ful realities he dreaded, surrounded with good, intelligent, happy beings, capable of responding to the noble thoughts which had become more Hardy's patl.'i "Oh my dear M,uccl, I bpin really I i get old," Mid M. Hardy, with a miiiIc, a hireling M. ie Blessiic; " I feel nnne the want of being at h'Mne, To depart from my usual habits has Le enme painful In nic, and 1 execrate whatever obliges me to have this happy little sport of I til t kliitW f i t. " lUvi' .u rt f.uol no riliieit, i?y (" ,-!,. ' Yii.l, go ni M,i!.V,' .. i J ol 'I I h thing0" u I M. Ilaidy. hi a Hue of friendly rcpnu, h, n,,' but I . in not like to tell you of my happiness, nil a i complete; and I am not yet quite certain" A servant entered at this moment and n.iid to M, llardv: "Sir. there is an old penlleman vim i ,1 "'I. IHI. "And when I think," answered M. de I'.losac. unable to forbear blushing, "when I think, my friend, that you undertook this long journey only for my sake! " " Well, my dear Marcel ! have you not just ac companied me in your turn, in an excursion which, without you, would have been as tiresome us it has been charming? " " What a difference, mv friend! I have con traded towards you a debt that I can never re pay.'' "Nonsense, my dear Marcel! Between us there are no distinctions of meant and tuum Besides, in matters of friendship, it is as sweet to give as to receive. "Noble heart! noble heart!" "Say, happy heart! most happy, in the last affections for which it beats." "And who, gracious heaven! could deserve happiness on earth, if it be not vou, my friend?" "Aini to what do I owe that happiness? To tho affections which I found here, ready to sustain me, when, deprived of the support of mv mother, who was all mv strength, I felt, nivself (I confess my weakness) almost incapable of standing up against adversity." "You, my friend with so firm and resolute a character in doing good you,' that I have seen struggle with so much energy and courage, In se- ure the triumph of some great and noble idea?" "Yes; but the farther 1 advance iu my career. the more am I disgusted with all base and shame ful actions, a m tho less strength I feel to en counter them." 'Were it necessarv. von .-I,?"- would have the courage, my friend." "My dear Marcel," replied M. llardv. with mild and restrained emotion, "I have often said to you: My courage was my mother. You see, my Iriend, when I went to her, with mv heart torn by some horrible ingratitude, or disgusted by some base deceit, she, taking my hands be tween her own venerable palms, would say to mo in her gravo and tender voice: 'Mv dear child. it is for the ungrateful and dishonest to suffer; let us pity the wicked, let us forget evil, and onlv think of good." Then, my friend, this heart. gainfully contracted, expanded beneath tho sacred influence of tho maternal words, and every day I gathered strength from her, to re commence on the morrow a cruel struggle with tho sad necessities ot my condition. Happily, it ins plenstd (iod, that, after losing that beloved mother, I have been able to bind up my life with affections, deprived of which, J confess, 1 .should find myself feeble nnd disarmed for vou cannot tell, Marcel, the support, the strength that I have found in your friendship." "Do not speak of mo, my dear friend." renlied M. de Hlessac, dissembling his embarrassment. " Let us ta'k of another affection, almost us sweet and tender as that of a mother." "I understand you, my good Marcel," replied M. Hardy: "I have concealed nothing from you, since, under such serious circumstances, I had recource to the counsels of your friendship. Well! yes; I think t hut every day 1 live augments my adoration for this woman, tho only one that I shall now ever love. And then I must tell you, that my mothor, not knowing what Margaret was to me, was often loud in her praise, and that cir cumstance renders this love almost sacred in my eyes." "And then there are sach strauge resemblances between Mine, de Noisy's character and yours, my friend; above all, in her worship of her mother." "It is true, Marcsl; that affection h as often caused me both admiration and torment. How ofteu she has said to me, with her habitual frank- ness: 'I have sacrificed all for you. but I would sacrifice you for my mother.' " "Thank heaven, my friend, you will never see Mme. de Noisy exposed to that cruel choice. wishes to speak to you on verv pressing busi ness." "So soon'" said M. Hardy, with a slight move ment of impatience. "With your permission, my friend." Then, as M. de Blessac seemed about to withdraw into the next room, M. Hardy added with a smile: "No, no; do not stir. Your presence will shorten the interview." " But if it be a matter of business, my friend?" " I do everything openly, as you know." Then, addressing the servant, M. Hardy bade him: 'Ask the gentleman to walk in." "The postilion wishes to know if he is to wait?" "Certainly: ho will take M. de Blessac back to Puris." The servant withdrew, and presently returned, introducing Kodin with whom M. de Blessac was not acquainted, his treacherous bargain having been negotiated through another agent. "M. Hardy?" said liodin, bowing respectfully to the two friends, and looking from one to tho other with an air of inquiry. "That is my name, sir; what can I do to servo you?" answered the manufacturer, kindly; for, at first sight of the humble and ill-dressed old man, he expected an application for assistance. "M. Francois Hardy," repeated Uodin, us if ho wished to make sure of the identity of the per son. " I have had the honor to tell you, that I am lie. 'M have a private communication to make to you, sir," said Kodin. " You may speak, sir. This gentleman is my friend," said M. Hardy, pointing to M. do Blessac. " But I wish to speak to you alone, sir." ro- sunied Kodin. M. de Blessac was' again about to withdraw. when M. Hardy retained him with a glance, and said to Kodin kindly for he thought his feelings might bo hurt by asking a favor in presence of a third party: " Permit me to inquire if it is on your account or on mine, that you wish this in- lerview to he secret? " "On your account entirely, sir," answered Ko- iiiii. "Then, sir," said M. Hardy, with some sur. prise, "you may speak out. 1 huve no secrets from this gentlemen." After a moment's silence, Kodin resumed, ad. dressing himself to M. Hardy: " Sir, you deserve, I know, all the good that is said of vou: and vou therefore command the sympathy of every honest man. " 1 hepe so, sir." " To reveal to you an infamous piece of treach ery, of which you have been the victim." "I think, sir, you must be deceived." "I have the proofs of what I assert " "Proofs?" "The written proofs of the treachery that I come to revc.il: I have them here," answered Kodin. "In a word, a man whom you believed your friend, has shamefully deceived you, sir." "And tho name of this man?" " M. Marcel do Blessac," replied Kodin. On these words, M. do Blessac started, and bo came pale as death. He could hardly murmur "Sir " But, without looking at his friend, or perceiv ing his agitation, M. Hardy seized his bund, and exclaimed hastily: " Silence, my friend! " Then, whilst his eye flashed with indignation, he f m ,wwl towards Kodin, who had not ceased to look him lull in the fuce, and said to him. with i... nir f lofty disdain: " What! do you accuse M. de Bles sac? "Ye8) i utTUse jlim., rej))j(( R briefly. "Do you know him?" " I have never seen him." "Of wl.utdoyouaccu.se him? And Low ,W you .say tlmt he has betrayed me? " iwo words, if you please." said liodin. will, an emotion which he appeared hardly able to lesudin. it one man of honor sees another about to be slain by an assassin, ought he nut givo the alarm of murder?" "Yes, sir; but what has that to do "