Labor unions -- United States -- Drama; Social classes -- United States -- Drama; Strikes and lockouts -- Drama
_Scene: Inside the mill, showing in front a sort of half storeroom, half
office shut in from the main body of the mill by a railing in the centre
of which is a gate that swings in and out. Far back in this main body of
the mill one sees a number of great gang saws from which off-carriers,
with freshly sawed slabs and lumber upon their rollers, branch right
from the main line that runs the full length of the mill. Through an
opening in the far end, whence the logs are drawn up an incline to the
saws, one sees as through a telescope a portion of the river and of the
mountains on the opposite bank. Up toward the front, left, in this main
body of the mill is a wide door that opens outside. In the foreground,
within the space partitioned off by the railing, a pair of stairs,
evidently connecting with the outdoors on the ground floor, comes up
rear left. Centre, against this left wall, a pole six or eight inches in
diameter, and to all appearances only recently set, goes up through a
hole in the roof. Upon the floor at the foot of the pole, from which two
long ropes hang down, lies a large American flag partially strung upon
the rope. Forward from the pole is a door which apparently is no longer
in use, a strip being nailed across it. About this end of the enclosure
are piles of window sash and kegs of nails. Centre rear, at right angles
to the side walls, so that one sitting upon a stool may look back into
the mill, is a long checkers' desk with two or three stools before it
and with the usual litter of papers, books, and a telephone upon it. In
the right wall, rear, where one coming up the stairs may walk straight
on and enter, is a door connecting with the main office._
_As the Scene opens, something very important seems to be going on in
this main office. A crowd of men, workmen and militiamen together, are
packed about the door, intent upon whatever it is that is transpiring
inside. Forward, away from the crowd, a small group, mostly of
militiamen, is gathered about two guards with rifles in their hands, who
have evidently just come in. Back, beyond the railing and close to the
crowd, a group of workmen about Wes Dicey is engaged in a heated
argument. And farther back in the mill, especially about the large door,
left, are bodies of men talking together. As the Scene opens, and for a
few minutes afterwards, some one up the pole is heard singing._
_Time: Saturday afternoon the week following the preceding Act._
A WORKMAN.
(_Comes from the crowd to the militiamen_)
Servin' the papers on the mine, you think?
MILITIAMAN.
He's too damn proud to play the constable.
SECOND MILITIAMAN.
Maybe it's terms from Egerton.
THIRD MILITIAMAN.
(_To Fourth Militiaman, who has just come up the stairs with his
shoulders hung with knapsacks_)
Chadbourne's here.
SECOND WORKMAN.
Egerton makes no terms till he's on top.
FIFTH MILITIAMAN.
He'll have his hands full. Seen the evening papers?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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