The Spinners

n's home, a thatched dwelling bowered in red and white roses, with the mill yard in front and a garden behind. From these the works were separated by the river. Br

ed to her native bed, which wound th

her with silver-bright excrescences of corrugated iron. A steady hum and drone as of some gigantic beehive ascended from the mills, and their combi

was in the rough; the dressed line had already been hackled and waited in bundles of long hemp composed of wisps, or 'stricks' like horses' tails. The silver and amber of the material made flashes of brightness in the dark storerooms and drew the light to their sh

aking it over the bridge to the hackling shop when he met John Best, the for

sterday. Did you get an

he new master and J

g, yes," he said. "Noth

of changes, even if Mi

re for the present, an

ything different

n-strings," grumbled the other. "Nowadays, what with education and so on,

-backward as well as f

o on as we've been

of the workers is the first demand on capital nowadays. I

ded Levi witho

ne thing I can tell you, for Mister Daniel said it in so many words: he's the same in politics as his father; and that's Liberal

sing the output of the works for the benefit of the owners, not them that run the show. I don

est l

nd go a slave in state clothes, on state food, in a state house, with a state slave-driver to see you earn your state keep and take your state holidays when the state wills, and work as muc

"You're one of the sort content to work on a chain and bring up your children likewise; but yo

have the spreaders grumbling," answered Mr. Best. Then he went into his home and Levi trundled the wheelbarrow to a

and as dense as a hair brush. In front of them opened a grating and above ran an endless band. Behind this grille was an exhaust, which sucked away the dust and countless atoms of vegetable matter scattere

e, turned up his shirt sleeves over a pair of s

more short stalks and rubbish till the finished strick came clean and shining as a lock of woman's hair. From the hanks of long tow he seemed to bring out the tresses like magic. In his swift hand each strick flashed out from the rough hank with great rapidity, and every crafty, final touch on the tee

hand labour far more perfectly than any machine. But still it was not the least of his many grievances that Government showed too little concern for his comfort. He was always demanding increased precautions for purifying the air he breathed. From first to last, indeed, the hemp and t

had combed out of it, proceeded to the spinning mill;

at Bridetown Mill, and the women turned to the few men who

ion. "You may be sure that those it concerns most will be the last to hear of any

ld Mrs. Chick, our spreader minder, says the young have always g

comb with such vigour that its ste

he old, and education, though it may make the head bigger for all I know, makes the heart smaller. He'll be hard

he?" as

as they are. By saying

"'Tis well known that no young man ever th

end to for his o

talk of changes for t

de die

n't go far. We'll he

t her way. At the doo

o my Aunt Nelly at 'The Seven Stars'; and she's a great friend of Richard Gurd at 'The Tiger'; and '

de, his father knew him for a man with a bit of a heart in him

ned down his shirt sleeves and put on his coat. Sarah at the stroke of the bell also manifested no furt