He knew that on the highest floor a devil would
tear the fiber asunder, that it would then go to the scutcher, and have
the dust and dirt blown away, then that carding machines would lay all
the fibers parallel, that drawing machines would group them into slender
ribbons, and a roving machine twist them into a soft cord, and then
that a mule or a throstle would spin the roving into yarn, and the yarn
would go to the weaving-rooms, where a thousand wonderful machines would
turn them into miles and miles of calico; the machines doing all the
hard work, while women and girls adjusted and supplied them with the
material.
It was to the great weaving-room John went first. As soon as he stood in
the open door he was seen and in a moment, as if by magic, the looms
were silenced, and the women and girls were on their feet, looking at
him with eager, pleasant faces. John lifted his hat and said good
morning and a shout of welcome greeted him. Then at some signal the
looms resumed their noisy work and the women lifted the chorus from some
opera which they had been singing at John's entrance, and "t' master's
visit" was over.
Pages:
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66