Page:Poet Lore, volume 28, 1917.djvu/537

 the report! I will put an article in the paper! That would be nice, wouldn’t it, to tolerate such abuse!

Baum.—Do nothing, and be prepared for worse times!

Tonicka.—Heaven have mercy on us!

Baum.—My position will be taken even today by Mr. Scheidler, a former mining assistant.

Tonicka.—And that unfortunate wife and children of yours, what will they say about it?

Baum.—I tremble on their account, but there is no help for it. You however, (with emphasis,) stay, and hold out! Tell all the miners, that I bid them be patient and have fortitude! Here is your schoolmaster, and your honorable chaplain. They will give you good advice in all things. Use your good sense at all times. God be with you, and keep me with you as a happy remembrance!

All together.—God be with you!

Chaplain.—If your honor permit, we will go with you!

( extends his hand.)

( stands, ready to leave.)

Veverka.—I will go also. I must tell the news at home!

Rokos.—And I will go out among the miners. (To the .) I, will give them your message. And the miners will stand firm. As God is my witness, they will be firm! (They leave.)

Kralenec.—Dear Tonicko, I feel as though a bolt had struck out of a clear sky, and knocked me senseless. I cannot collect my thoughts!

Tonicka.—And I feel just the same way. (Brightly.) But, who knows what is ahead of us! The worst may not come!

Kralenec.—I am not afraid of any kind of work, if we can only get it! But if we were to lose our chance of earning a living, now in the winter, and nowhere in the neighborhood any work to be snatched up,  if I were to be turned out of this little room, which belongs to the company,  if we had no place to move into,  what would then become of us all?

Tonicka.—But don’t be so gloomy! Why do you worry? Certainly things won’t be so bad! It is a great pity to lose