The ragged edge: A tale of ward life & politicsMcIntyre, John T. (John Thomas)
General
The ragged edge: A tale of ward life & politics
McIntyre, John T. (John Thomas)
Political fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
Down a narrow street, under the light of the lamps, a dozen or more
of men were swinging long-handled brooms; a pair of bony, dispirited
horses followed in their track, their driver shovelling the heaps of
rubbish into the cart. The scavengers droned a strange-sounding song
as they worked; the watching overseer talked constantly, in a sharp,
high tone; the horses hung their heads dejectedly and rattled at the
chains of their harness.
“That’s some of McGlory’s night gang,” remarked Larry. “They start
’em out early since the loot reported dirty streets in the old man’s
district.”
They turned into a quiet street leading toward the river. A cellar door
opened, and a broad barb of light shot across the sidewalk; from the
midst of this rose a pallid, spectral form, and stood looking calmly
into the night. But it was only a baker, clad in his spotless working
dress, popping out of his overheated basement for a breath of air. A
great stack, towering skyward, and vomiting a blazing shower of sparks
into the night, showed that they were nearing the mill. The huge, low,
shed-like buildings lifted their corrugated walls, like the beginnings
of greater structures; a knot of men were gathered about the wide
doorway; they had limp, damp towels twisted about their necks and all
smoked short pipes. Rows of puddlers, naked to the waist, their bodies
glistening with perspiration, stood before the furnaces “balling” the
molten metal; from time to time one would drench himself with water,
and once more face the Cyclopean eye glaring so angrily upon him.
Daily was among the crowd at the door, and he smiled and winked at his
fellows, as the two young men approached.
“We’ll on’y keep youse a second,” said Larry. He gathered from Daily’s
expression that he knew the nature of their errand. “Come on in here.”
The three entered the building. The vast mill was in almost complete
darkness, save for the far end where, sweltering, the puddlers
toiled; here and there an incandescent light threw a thin gleam over
the ponderous machines which crouched close to the floor like squat
black monsters. Huge cogs, a-glitter with grease ground together with
metallic growls.
“Cut it out,” said Daily; “this heat’ll be on in a minute or so.”
“We’ve heard that yous’re got the papers in your division to vote in
the convention t’morrow,” said Larry.
“That’s what,” grinned Daily. “I’m the delegate, all right.”
“Who are youse for?” asked Larry.
“Why Kelly, of course! I’m a regular, see? I don’t get dead sore
because t’ings ain’t batted my way; ain’t that right? I didn’t start to
work to-night till I got out the vote,” continued Daily, with a laugh,
“an’ the way your people shoved their little old votes in for me when
Foley slung ’em a breeze that I was against Kelly, would make youse hit
yer mother. Say, it was the real t’ing!”
“I knowed youse done us dirt!” exclaimed Larry.
“None o’ youse could a-squeezed in any other way in that division,” put
in McGonagle, angrily.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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