[Illustration: THE SENSE OF INFINITY IS HEIGHTENED BY THE FLOATING MIST.]
BY WALTER A. WYCKOFF ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL ECONOMY IN PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
COPYRIGHT, 1898 BY CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
PAGE CHAPTER I THE ARMY OF THE UNEMPLOYED 1
CHAPTER IV A HAND-TRUCKMAN IN A FACTORY 147
CHAPTER VI A ROAD BUILDER ON THE WORLD’S FAIR GROUNDS 247
CHAPTER VIII FROM DENVER TO THE PACIFIC 338
THE SENSE OF INFINITY IS HEIGHTENED BY THE FLOATING MIST Frontispiece
FACING PAGE “THAT MEETING IS NOT FAR,” HE IS SAYING, “AND IT’S WARM THERE. WON’T YOU GO?” 16
IN THE CORNER NEAR US ARE THREE MEN, SLOUCHING, LISTLESS, WEARY SPECIMENS OF THEIR KIND, WHO ARE PLAYING “COMRADES” 24
SHE IS FACING US NEAR AT HAND, HER HEAD FRAMED IN THE DARK UMBRELLA WHICH RESTS UPON HER SHOULDER 30
OVERFLOWING THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR OF THE FARTHEST PASSAGE UPON THE FLOOR OF THE MAIN CORRIDOR ARE THE SPRAWLING FIGURES OF MEN ASLEEP 36
ALL OF THEM WERE SHOUTING OATHS AND VIOLENT ABUSE 60
SHE DREW BACK AND LOOKED AT ME PERPLEXED 66
HE WAS PUTTING THE MEN THROUGH A CATECHISM RESPECTING THEIR NATIONALITIES, THEIR HOMES AND OCCUPATIONS, AND THEIR MOTIVES IN COMING TO CHICAGO 88
I THINK THAT THE COOK THOROUGHLY ENJOYED FEEDING US 94
IN THE MIDST OF THE APPLAUSE WHICH MARKED THE PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION, SHE WAS ON HER FEET 106
“DON’T YOU TOUCH IT,” SHE SAID, FIERCELY 114
“WE’VE GOT SOME GRUB, MA!” CRIED THE OLDER CHILD, IN A TONE OF SUCCESS, AS SHE RAN UP TO HER MOTHER WITH THE BASKET. “RILEY’S BARREL WAS FULL TO-NIGHT” 118
WAITING FOR A JOB OUTSIDE THE FACTORY GATES 130
I WAS STRONG AND WARM IN THE WILD JOY OF THE LUST FOR BLOOD 136
LOADING THE BOX-CARS UNDER CRIST’S GUIDANCE 150
CROWDS OF MEN STREAMING FROM EVERY DOOR AND PRESSING SWIFTLY THROUGH THE GATE 160
NEVER ONCE DID I FAIL OF A FRIENDLY GREETING 196
HE HATED KINGS AND POTENTATES AND ALL GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY 214
THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE DOMESTIC SCENE WHICH MET US TO SUGGEST THE HOME OF A REVOLUTIONARY 232
AN EVASION OF THE FACTORY SYSTEM OF PRODUCTION 236
“DON’T TALK TO US ABOUT DISEASE; IT’S _BREAD_ WE’RE AFTER, _BREAD_!” 246
IT WAS A WELL-FED CROWD WHICH SAT SMOKING FOR A QUARTER OF AN HOUR OR MORE ON THE ROUGH EMBANKMENTS, OVERLOOKING THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING BEFORE GOING BACK TO WORK 256