The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-06-02

which that presence ana those endearments
are calculated to impart. we scarcely credit
that the fragile being who seems 70 hold her
existence by . thread, is capable Of support
ing the extreme OF human suffering; nay
when the breast OF man sinks beneath the
weight of agony; she should maintain her
positive powers Of delight, and with words
Of comfort and patience, lead the distracted
murmurer to peace and resignation
GIfmpses I'm IN Lowell Factory.
We took flying visit Yesterday to the
City Of spindles, on q matter OF business,
after transact.ng which we improved the IN
teIval before the return train IN an inspec-
ton Of one Of the many hives OF industry
which characterize the place. We say hives
OF industry though, to be exact, the compsri-
son should be rather 20 the art1cers Of
webs than the gatherers Of honey. Imper-
senate and combine the incessant activity
Of the bee and the delicate lingering Of the
spider, and you have the ideal factory op
ei alive
We selected hap-hszard one Of the most
extensive corporations, and sought admis-
sion in the character Of Bo5tOnIan OF q
curious and inquiring mind, which. without
much hesitation, was granted. We dared
not apply en- proPri0 persona. lest we should
be looked upon as q secret spy, scout,
skirmisher, or advance guard d the terrible
eight hour movement, which looms up grand
and threatening upon the manufacturers
horizon.
| Gaining the enfree, We wandered unre-
strained among g wilderness of wheels,
shafts, cranks, mahglers, pickers, carders,
spools, mules, segregators, integrators and
iiggers Of all descriptions, with their s-quent
downy Aeeces, attenu4ted tareads, and bran
new fabric.
The most uninviting and uncomfortable
apartment to a stranger, particularly II u q
nervous Uarn, Is that con-ainIng the looms
The incessant clAtter there gives hint OF
Pandemonium, except for its InartAcuate
ness The gift Of language j. utterly nugA-
tory vociteration itself is uninteliigible 10
I that ceaseless din.
/ The Puritan fathers were ont 10 rat a
common scold into the stocks, but thls room
would be the proper place Of Incarceration
for a contentious woman. We were glad to
get relief among the spools IN the hall above
Here the feecy cotton y twisted in many
mysterious ways, under the manipulation IN
part Of children. The dexterity VI their
fairy fngers-mind, we do not say fairy
children, for they were rather prosaIc
though intelligent-looking. busy-bedies-is
marvellous What 70 q strangers eye ap
pears to be frantic and destructive clutch
among the swift gliding threads, is really
skilfui elaboration Of q parted or terminated
thread over, under, betwixt and among the
/ hooks and guides, and the parts, being re-
united in an instantaneous Knot, the fag-
ends are wound around the fingers and neat
I ly broken of.
4 Notwithstanding the whirr Of the spools
which made it difficult for an unprActicet
voice to be beard with distinction, It wa.
noticeable that conversation was easily car.
ried on amo1g these irrepressible Juveniles
4 Approaching unexpectedly, we were amusec
to behold four or five IN earnest confabula
ton across the narrow but elongated frame
work which carried the spools ard gearing
Suspccting US Of being capitalist OF
stock holder, on q tour OF inspection, anC
not, as was the fact, an eight-hour man il
disguise, or at least, sub rosa, the c0nferenc,
was suddenly and mutually broken up, anc
combined attack along the whole line
was made, with sort OF military ardor
upon the awaiting ends and whirling spools
We fe.t impelled to tell the file leader o
the line, the "head OF the class" that W,
were no spy or "spotter" upon their dill
gence, which information, we doubt not, wa,
duly communicated all the way down /,
the foot" In general, however, the charac
ter Of the work is such that this relaxatf6I
Of the attention on the part Of the operative
is no; possible Once within the charmed
presence Of his machine, he must revolve
oscilla,e, vibrate. or become penPatetc, &C
cording to its memorable law, and withou
cessation, fronl be.i-ringing TO bellringing
The hand Of the diligent msketh rich
: saith Solomon, which is . true saying; hu
10 this degenerate age Of machinery, it i
not so clear who ID made rich, the diigen
one or somebody else; albeit under tn
simple Judean habits Of three thousan,
years ago, misintsrpretatioa was impos
sible. .y4.. ..a.
Among the " wraps I've think i was
, we were not displeased to be inio, med b.
, an intelligent young woman, that an occa
sional respite from the persmpSoriousness o
machinery may be had in thai bI I&nch of th
manufacture. Here the perfected thread
are running smoothly out from the machine
in manner which may be compared to tn
divergent rays from the disk OF = lantern
and are re-wound upon separate spools
\ This opesation affords some snatchss Of leis
ure, and strange as II may seem, som,
literary opportunity.
J Rather inpolitely we peeped over tn,
! shoulder Of . studiously -disnosed damsel, L
: learn that her absorbing erne was = tale o
hero adventure, and at times foriorn bu
finally triumphant vooing. 10 the column
; nj r