It was the duty of Lydia (and of others much younger than herself) to stand in front of one of these sloping boards and feed the machine with these thick rolls, being ready, when one was nearly drawn out exhausted, to attach another by rolling the two dexterously together with the palm of her hand upon the board.
At the end opposite to the rows of spindles was a sloping board for the reception of the soft, thick, fleecy rouleaus close together in parallel lines, whence they were drawn out in fine, thin, slightly-twisted lines of yarn, obedient to the turning of the wheel.  It was the duty of Lydia (and of others much younger than herself) to stand in front of one of these sloping boards and feed the machine with these thick rolls, being ready, when one was nearly drawn out exhausted, to attach another by rolling the two dexterously together with the palm of her hand upon the board.  And woe betide the little lass if eye or hand was not quick enough to watch and piece a retreating length before it was drawn clean away from the board, and the slubber had to stop his machine to reconnect the line.