The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-11-12
LOVE THE LEVELER.
The Romance of a Machine Room.
BY W. WENDHAM.

through the great shop with its be-
wildering whirr of machinery and its
roaring fires-its flying sparks and dirt
and DUST and smoke.
Now and again she stopped to watch
some great machine perform its al
NEST human work. The mon, with
their splendid muscles and perfect skill
interested her immensely. But her
companion was distinctly bored. The
crime and sweat and dirt offended his
aristocratic senses and the noise Jared
upon his cars.
What you can fnG interesting In
this pandemonium | cannot imagine"
he expostulated. 1T Is bad enough for
those who have TO he here and do the
work" hut to deliberately seek 1t when
the sun is shining outside, the roads
are hard and a motor car Is waiting, is
beyond me-"
"Oh. Philip. cant you feel the thrill
OF seeing things done by real people?"
sbe replied. "Just look at that man at
the forge! See The great muscles
stand out as he lifts the hammer. And
zee how skilfully he shapes the IRON
The strength of n giant, the delicate
touch of a woman--it is grand"
well, I'm blessed IL can see 1t that
way" rejoined the man. Far from
seeming romantic, 1t looks to me as
though the fellow might as well be In
prison as be compelled to spend his
time doing that kind of work. OF
course, ] suppose they are used to
This sort of labor-and somebody has
to do it-but | can't say care to see
them at it-anyway, on a fine day with
fresh air and lively spin awaiting
me-"
Just the shadow of impatience
crossed the girls face at this speech.
but she laughed merrily and continued
her way through the shop.
II was Idas first visit to the great
works of which her father was the
owner. She had been reared in the
exclusive atmosphere of wealth, and
her vision had not reached much be-
yond her fathers palatial mansion. the
theatres, the other palatial mansions
In ''our set," and the Continental tour
OF course, she knew about the great
mills, but heretofore to her they had
been, simply acres Of gloomy, smoking
prisons, from which there was wrested
the money that bought all the good
things.
On this pleasant day in the early
autumn, wearied with the conventional
round of pleasures and pastimes with
which she was surfeited, and some
what aroused by a novel she had been
reading, which dealt with the world
OF workers. she had determined to see
the inside Of those great smoky shops
and find just what was going on there
and the manner of men who lived
among them.
Her father had laughed at her
whim, AMI as he had not time that day
to go with her. Philip Hammond act
stant champion-her destined husband
the son OF Mr.. Norton's lifelong
friend, a successful banker.
1t was but a moment after the con-
versation recorded between Miss Nor
ton and Mr.. Hammond that an acci-
dent occurred.
A man directly ahead of the visit
ors carrying heavy load on his shoul-
der, made misstep, fell against a
great leather belt, and was carried off
his feet and was carried up
ward with the belt As he realized
his danger he gave a fearful shrek
and his eyes met those of Miss Norton.
The mortal terror in them burnt into
her very soul and she shrieked:
Philip, Philip, save him! Oh, save
kim!" .I-'f
She saw the wheel to which the belt
was dragging him and knew that he
must be crushed,
Philip saw the fearful danger, but
stood as one paralyzed.
He could have reached the man from
where he was, but stood trembling
with white face and horror-stricken
eyes. 1t
The attention of the entire shop had
been attracted by the shrieks, and a
score of men were running toward the
scene
"Pull that lever, you there with the
white cap! The black one! Quick!
Throw off the belt!" came in clear,
commanding tones from behind. But
Hammond did not stir. He threw up
one hand to shut out the sight of the
man being crushed.
In the meantime past the two Wis
itors sprang- the man who had shout
cd. rFf - ts~ f.
1t was the blacksmith from the forge.
"A Thssman ,onisthe belt was right In
the clutch of the wheel. SIN Iaifs .i
II seemed to Ida that she must sure
" faint A,R.