The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-01-02


through the great shop with its be-
wildering whirr Of machinery and its
roaring fres-its flying sparks and dirt
and DUST and smoke.
Now and again she stopped to watch
some great machine perform its al
most 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 ears.
What you can find interesting In
this pandemonium I cannot imagine"
he expostulated 1T is bad enough for
those who have to be here and do the
work" but to deliberately seek it when
the sun is shining outside, the roads
are hard and a motor car is waiting, is
beyond me"
"Oh, Philip, can't you feel the thrill
of seeing things done by real people?"
Fbe replied. "Just look at that man at
the forge! See the great muscles
stand out as he lifts the hammer. And
see how sllilfully he shapes the iron!
The strength of giant, the delicate
touch of a woman--it is grand"
'Well I'm blessed If l can see it that
way" rejoined the man. Far from
seeming romantic, it looks to me as
though the fellow mikht as well bel'n
prison as be compeled to spend his
time doing that kind Of work. OF
course, l suppose they are used to
This sort OF labor-aad somebody has
to do it out I can't Say l care to see
them at it-anyway, on fine day with
fresh air and q lively spin awaiting
me"
Just the shadow Of impotence
crossed the girls face at this speech,
but she laughed merrily and continued
her way through the shop.
It was Ida's 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 -FOUR 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 fsurfeited, and some
what aroused by 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 heI
whim, AMI as he had not time that day
to go with her. Philip Hammond act
ed as her escort. Philip was her con-
slant champion-her destined husband
the son of Mr.. Norton's lifelong
friend, q successful banker.
1t was but moment after the con
versation recorded between Miss Nor
ton and Mr.. Hammond that an acct
dent occurred
A man directly ahead of the visit
n ors carrying heavy load on his shout
i der, made a misstep fell against {
great leather belt, and was carried of
his feet and was carried UP
ward with the belt. AS he realized
his danger he gave a fearful shriel
and his eyes met those of Miss Norton
The mortal terror in them burnt int
her very soul and she shrieked:
Phillip, Philip, save him! Oh, saw
him!"
She saw the wheel to which the bel
was dragging him and knew that h
must be crushed.
Philip saw the fearful danger, blu
stood as one paralyzed.
he could have reached the man fro1
Where he was, but stood tremblin
with white face and horror-stricke
eyes.
The attention of the entire shop ha
been attracted by the shrieks, and
score Of men were running toward tn
Rcene.
sl7uI that lever. you there with tn