The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-06-15
Ntisfellamenm5.
A YANKEE IN A COTTON MILL.

DW you ever sec, reau, or near tell ol "A ureen
I'm in Cotton Millr'
Pray don't answer rasbly; don't loso yourself
now among yankees In Coal Screens" cyan.
KEGS in Hot Baths," etc., AMI answer unadvisedly
-yeS Mine is u Yankee In n new phase. His
dilemma Is Yankee fx-.sui generis-a live
Yankee In the card room Of n cotton mill.
'The plain unvarnishod facts In the casc," rs
the politicians say, are these.
A rhw, straw .hattel -whiskeret, six.foot
er-one of the purely uninitiated, came in some
time ago from Greene with q load of wood for the
Factory Company. Having piled his wood to the
satisfaction Of the "Square," he baited his team
with bundle of green grass, brought nll the way
from home for that purpose. Then, after invest.
ing his available capital IN the purchase OF root
beer and ginger bread at Hams, he started to see
the "city," filling his counteuance rapidly with
bread, and chewing It vigorously as he went.
lie viewed the iron foundry and machine shop,
aud was Just opposite the warp mill rs the hands
were going In from dinner. The girls were bur
ring in as only girls can hurry, and Jonathan un
accustomed to such IN array OF plaid shawls and
hood bonnets, deposited his good stick upon the
stairs. and stalked In ITO SEQ what the trouble
was." The clatter Of the machinery and the
movements of tho operatives, soon absorbed his
whole attention. Being, however, of an inquir
ing turn Of mind, and seeing much that was cal
culatcd to perplex one whose observations in ma
chinerv had been confined to threshing machines
auiries In all directions. In this way he made
himself acquainted successfully with the external
and internal economy OF the "Picker," "Beater,"
''Lap winder, ;" "Double" and "Specder." By
O'Clock he had extended his researches US far as
the "Breakers" and "Finishers." -, y...-
cylinder Of the card is SCI revolving with prct
~ buzz. Not satisfied with contemplating the
''pOetry of motion" Mt o safe distance, our hero
must needs introduce himself between the carls
to get q nearer view. This move brought his
gearing Of the next card, and "thereby hangs n
talc.' 0....
"You, say! She goes pooty, don't she, boss y
said Jonathan. inquiringly.
"She don't do anything elsc," responded the
stripper. 'But you must bc careful how you
move around amongst the hardware. Twas only
last week, sir, that promising young man from
Oxford, q student at the academy here, was drawn
into that very card, sir, and bcforeany assistance
coul'l reach him. he was run through and manu-
factured into No. 10, super extra cotton yarn!'
81 swow I believe you're jokinC!" suffered
Jonathan.
"Pact; sir" continued Strpper, "and his dis.
consulate mother come down two days ago, ana
got five lunches 0f that same yarn, as melancholy
relics"
''By tho! that can't be true!"
"Fact, sir, fact! and each one OF his fellow
students purchased skein apiece, to be set In
lockets. and wear in remembrance OF departed
worth"
"Is that fact, now! Was no really carded,
spun, and set in locketsl"
a sense of personal danger here shooting across
our hero's mind, he began to retreat prccipitate-
ly, without waiting for an answer.
There was not much room to spare betwixt him
self and the gearing behind. Another step com.
pleted the ceremony of introduction. Tho un-
va atsa hatn ~ thrQ fha
Of snarling them up into hard knotwas no ways
slow. Our hero ''gave tongue" instanter, and
by the twentieth gyriation Of the embodiment, the
music was melodious. His "explosive tones"
were very scientific. md did honor to his know
ledge Of dynamics. General Scott could not have
protested more yehemenpy against an "attack on
his rear" r......
"O-h! muir der! Let me sc! You h-u.r {!
Blast your picter- Let GO! Amt ye ashamed!
Get out--taint pooty! Darnatlon seize ye! Let
alone on me-can't ye-dov'
The gearing by this time had wound him up go
that he was obliged to stand un tiptoe. His hands
were revolving vigorously behind him, hut he
lest they should be drawn into hostilities.
"0h, stop her!-stop her, dol amt well, and
ort to be ut home. Father wants the steers and
mothers going to bake!-stop the mashen--cant
yel Ain't yc got no fcclin' for fellow in dis
tress! Oh, dear! I'll be carded andspun and be
made into loekets! JERu 50 lem! How wish
was to Green!''
The card was stopped at last, but Jonathan's
clothes were SO tangled in the gearing that u was
no slight task to extracate him. Like Othello, he
was not 'easily moved" aud II was only by cut,
ting out the whole Of the "inyested territory
that he was finally released. a.-.
"what are you about herel"s said the overseer'
entering. - .r.
"Nothing. sir. only stripping Oats. !" answered
the stripper. ~ ai.1F D,
Our hero not caring to resume his "pursuit OF
knowledge under diific ies" o pair Of overalls
were oharitsbly offered him aud he scattered sud
denly towards Mill Hin, giving series OF kicks
with either leg un his way, rs II to assure himself
that he had brought away his full complement OF
limbs from the ''cussed machine. sT .ii