The Spinners

int-white flax that Mr. Baggs prepared in the hackler's shop. The Spread Board worked upon the long line as the Carder on the tow. Over its endless le

The ribbon thus created was never-ending and wound away into the torture chambers of wheels and teeth within, while from the rear of the Spreader tr

laid in rotation on the running carriage, and ceaselessly sh

to Mister Waldron about his apple orchard and have a look round. Last year she bought t

when you might go to your aunt and work in her publi

as engaged to Mister R

every day makes all th

n it, for everybody's g

you, and the work's

ic they come and go, before you've got time to be sick of the sight of 'em. But here, you see the same peopl

mind I dare say, unle

ot of general ideas," a

t matter you could hav

te is daft

her sn

alk about the water wheel to-day and the boilers to-morrow. When I find a chap, he'll ha

ou took him, same as Miste

nto a large coarse yarn. A novice watched him get the great machine to work, make all ready and then, at a touch, connect it with the

ho laboured at the other end of the Mill. But the hostess of 'The Seven Stars' knew Sabina Dinnett and now sho

ent of risk for most girls who fell in love with those better born than themselves; but none for her. Other men might deceive and abuse, and suffer outer influences to chill their love, when the secret of it became known; but not this man. His rare nature had been revealed to her; he desired the welfare of all people; he was moved with nothing but the purest principles and loftiest feeling. He would not willingly have brought sorrow to a child. And she had won this unique spirit! He loved her with the love that only such a man was great eno

e, and would still tramp through the generations to come, when her journey was ended

Spinning Machine-a monster reared a

downward. And here at its moment of most shivering tenuity, when the perfected and purified material seemed reduced to an extremity of weakness, came the magic change. Unseen in the whirring complexity of the spinner, it received the momentous gift that translates fibre to yarn. In a moment it changed from stuff

ugh the guide eye came the twisted yarn to wind on the bobbin below. There, as the bobbin frame ro

ent, the two merged and the thread ran on. Now her fingers touched the spindles, as a musician touches the keys, and at a moment's pressure the machine obeyed and the yarn flew on its way obedient. Now she cleared a snarl, or catch, where a spindle appeared to have run amuck or created hopeless confusion; now she readjusted the weights that kept a drag on the humming bobbins. Her twinkling hands touched and calmed and fed the monster. She knew its whims, corrected its errors, brought to her insensat

tonished her. He found that it took a hundred and fifty minutes to spin one thousand and fifty yards; and as each

ingle yarn a year," he told her, and the fact expres

hover praised

dport as if they were nobodies; but upon my conscience, Sabina, I never will again. I've always thought I

a lau

mes; if they think you're afraid of them, they'll always bully you, but if you show them you're mistress, it's all right. They have their moods and whims, just as we have. They vary, and you never kn

ruel and wicked about 'em to my

't put up her ends right, or do anything right; and often it's the fault of the other girls and the 'rove' comes to the spinner rough; and often, again, it's ju

st me every time," sai

h suspicion and some

a fouled spindle a

me. Your niece, Sarah, is a very good drawing minder, Mrs. Northover. Then you'll get ballooning, when the thread flies round above the flier, and that means too little strain on the jamb and the bobbin has got to be te

hing to praise, for Sabina's spe

like to see the wretch in a nasty mood," sh

rings that pressed upon the side of the bobbins and controlled their speed. The friction of

he said. "A lot of good time's wasted with the we

Northover. "You live and learn witho

roached, as the machinery bega

u do such wonders as Mi

I'll be a spinner some day, if Mr. Roberts l

n learn to spin,

come acquainted with many of his more important customers. Raymond, therefore, felt safe and was wasting a good deal of his time. He had brough

suspicious, and Levi Baggs declared from the first that Raymond was nothing better than his brother's spy, placed here for a time to inquire into the ambitions and ideas of the workers and so help the firm to combat the lawful demands of those

en employer and employed; but his moments of perspicuity were rare, for now his mind and soul were poured into one thought and one only. He was riotously happy in his love affair and could not pretend to hi

n that he believed the great problem lay there, and where machinery was concerned he could be exceedingly intelligent and rational. Th

about the Spinning Frame and instructed Mrs. Northo

help the workers and give good results. In fact, I tell my brother that he's behind the times. That's the advantage of coming to a subject fresh, with your mind unprejudiced.

yde, whatever your business ma

my spinners-I call them mine-why should they have to spin on machines that come

ew to be tried on its merits first, and then, if it proves all that's claimed for it, you go in and keep abreast of the

you're a second class man with a second class sort of mind; but if you believe in yourself, as everybody does who is any good, then you go ahead,

ne, I'm sure," she said,

nd if you have got nerve, then use it and break out of the beaten track

u can have adventures and no great harm done; but us

k at your gardens and your teas for a bob ahead. Wasn't that

uite as many adventures

ng for her aunt, "only w

. "Now come on to your mother's, Sarah. Th

ve and won a caress. Then she put on her sunbonnet and he walked with her to the door

in the dawn, before the rest of the world was awake, and tramp out through West Haven to Golden Cap-the supr