The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-04-01

BY CROSBY s. MOVES.

sixfooter-one of the purely uninitiated
came in yesterday from Greene with 9
load of wood for the Factory Company
Having piled his wood to the satisfaction
Of the Overseer, he baited his team with
bundle of green grass, brought all the
way from home for that purpose, and
then having invested portion of his
wood proceeds in root pear and ginger
bread at Hams, he started to see the
"city"-flling his countenance rapidly
with bread, and chewing it rapidly as he
went.
He reviewed the iron foundry and ma
chine shop, and was just opposite the
warp-mill as the "hands' were going in
from dinner The girls were hurrying
in, as only factory girls can hurry-and
Jonathan, unaccustomed to such an ar.
ray of plaid shawls and hook-bonnets,
deposited his goad-stick on the stairs,
and stalked in "to see what the trouble
was"
The clattering machinery and the
movemements of the operators bewilder-
ed him for moment; but being of an
iDquring turn of mind, and seeing much
that was calculated to pcrplex one whose
observation in mechanics had been most
ly confined to threshing machines and
shelters, he began to push vigorous
inquiries in all directions. In this way
he made himself acquainted successfully
with the external and internal economy
of the various machines through which
cotton-warp progresses in the course of
its manufacture-the "picker," beat
err" lap winder," +" doubler," and
speeder," and finally reached the
breakers" and " finishers" just as the
cardstripper was going through the oper-
alton, technically termed stripping the
fats" In doing this, the large cylinder
of the card is exposed to view, and is
seen revolving with very pretty buzz.
Not cOntented with contemplating the
"poetry of motion" at safe distance,
our hero must needs introduce himself
between the cards, to get nearer view.
This movement brought his neither habili-
ments in dangerous proximity to the
gearing of the next card, and thereby
hangs tale"
"You-I say! She goes pooty-don't
she, boss ?" said Jonathan inquiringly.
"We don't do anything else" respon-
ded the stripper; +" but you must be very
careful how you move around amongst
this hardware. Twas only last week,
sir, that promising young man from
Minot, student at the Academy there,
was drawn into that very card, sir and,
before any assistance could reach him,
he was run through, and manufactured
into No. l6 'super-extra' cotton yarn"
81 s-s-swow belieye you're joking!"
suffered Jonathan.
"Fact, sir" continued the stripper,
" and his disconsolate mother came down
two days ago, and got FIVE punches of
the same yarn as melancholy relics"
BY the mighty that can't be true !"
"Fact, sir, fact and each of his fell
low students purchased skein apiece;
to be set in lockets, and worn in remem-
brance of departed WORTH"
Is that the truth now? Was he
rally keerded, spun, and sot in lockets :"
A sense of personal danger here shot
across our hero's mind, and he began to
retreat precipitately, without waiting for
an answer. There was not much room
to spare betwixt himself and the gearing
of the card behind him. Another step
backward completed the ceremony, Of
His unmentionables being
of large caliber, the process of snarling
them up into hard knot was no ways
slow. Jonathan gave tongue instanter,
and by the twentieth gyration of the en-
bodiment the music was melodious.-
Gen. Scott, himself, could not have pro-
tested more forcibly against an "attack
upon his rear
"O-h! M-u-r-d-e-r! Let go you
hurt Blast your picture-let go -
Aint We ashamedl Git eout-taint poo
ty! Darnation soize ye,iet alone on me,
can't ye, devil"
The gearing by this time had wound
him up so that he was obliged to stand
on tip toe. His hands were revolving
behind him, though he dared
not venture them too near the "seat of
war" The card stripper threw off the
belt, but the momentum cylinder kept
revolving, and the green 'un, supposing
t in full operation, burst out anew.
80 stop her! Stop her, won't ye?
Stop her, dew / ain well, and / orter
be at hum. Father wants the steers,
and mothers goin' to bake. Stop the
tarnal masheen-can't yel Dew! Oh
dear, I'll be keerdcd and spun, aud sot
ntew ;lockGts Jerusalem! how /
wish | was tew hum !"
The card was stopped at last; bnt
Jcnathan's clothes were so entangled in