Beginning with a fair show of
justice on either side, the masters stultified their cause by
obstinate impolicy, and the men disgraced their order by acts of
outrage. 'On Wednesday last,' writes Fleeming, 'about three
thousand banded round Fairbairn's door at 6 o'clock: men, women,
and children, factory boys and girls, the lowest of the low in a
very low place. Orders came that no one was to leave the works;
but the men inside (Knobsticks, as they are called) were precious
hungry and thought they would venture. Two of my companions and
myself went out with the very first, and had the full benefit of
every possible groan and bad language.' But the police cleared a
lane through the crowd, the pupils were suffered to escape unhurt,
and only the Knobsticks followed home and kicked with clogs; so
that Fleeming enjoyed, as we may say, for nothing, that fine thrill
of expectant valour with which he had sallied forth into the mob.
'I never before felt myself so decidedly somebody, instead of
nobody,' he wrote.
Outside as inside the works, he was 'pretty merry and well to do,'
zealous in study, welcome to many friends, unwearied in loving-
kindness to his mother.
Pages:
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94