At this moment some other shop men came in, loud in their denunciation
of Mr. Wood. There is something that binds a Britisher and an American
when they are away from their respective countries, and among
strangers. On many occasions I have seen the Britisher and American
argue and even quarrel over the merits of their countries but when
serious trouble arose, all jealousies would be cast aside, and each
one would endeavor to outdo the other in kindness.
That night an indignation meeting was held in a large building
formerly used as a storeroom. The employes all knew the reason of Mr.
Wood's attack on Mr. Robinson. Although the majority of them were
working under Mr. Wood, they felt the indignity inflicted on Mr.
Robinson was an insult to them all, most of them having children
attending the school.
From the beginning of the school, Mr. Wood had tried to dominate it.
This was another reason for the employes' grievances and, chief of
all, they were now being paid in the depreciated currency of the
country. The meeting was conducted in a quiet business manner. The
sentiment was to strike until Mr. Wood was removed from office.
I told the men that that would be an injustice, as the general manager
was in Lima and we had no one to appeal to. Therefore we should
continue to work until we could communicate with him. This appeal had
the desired effect, as all could see the injury our strike would
inflict on the railway.
I was then selected as the representative of the employes to go to
Lima and lay the matter before the general manager. I was about to
start when I was handed a note from the superintendent, saying that my
services were no longer required. I replied that I would receive my
orders from his superior and proceeded on my journey.
At Lima I succeeded in reinstating Mr. Robinson, and shortly after my
return to Arequipa, Mrs. Robinson died. Grief at the injury inflicted
upon her husband and a feeling of friendlessness in a foreign land,
had hastened her end. Another indignation meeting was held and Mr.
Wood was dismissed from the service of the company. Mr. Robinson
became despondent and after a few months decided to leave the
country.
The war with Chile was still on. The Peruvian army suffered defeat
after defeat. Her navy had made some show of success at first, but not
after the terrible fight between the Huascar, and two Chile ironclads,
in which the Peruvians lost. The currency of the country became
practically worthless. My accumulation of years was almost swept
away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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