The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-07-28

what a waste Of time this was and
what bore! Every visit of this kind
cut the work of the factory day be-
aind its schedule. 1t was the standing
excuse of every man who was back in
his work or careless in its perform
2nce for months afterwards. If a ma
chine got out of order. it was always
the exhibition we gave of it, sir. last
.ime;" if a screw or bolt was MISSING
TT must have been CARRIED off by that
lady, sir. as a keepsak4 Once a NO.
man had been eaugh-A% 5the act of
anscrewtng a nut for a souvenir"
another had sent him a bfhhfor oil
spilled on her dress. And yet with all
these warnings he was frittsring away
his time and making endless trouble
for himself Confound it, Would she
never finish telephoning? He'd only
EtaFe her through the model-room and
the stock-room and the testing-dapart
- BY Jove. this was Tuesday. Not
a machine would be running on test.
He flung up the window as man
passed before it.
"Boltwood," he cried. tell the fore
man in the test-shop to start up one
binding and one grilllng mach
No, don't bother about it," he added
abruptly. eve changed my mind"
The window closed with bang, and
he turned to flnd Leslie seated quietly
at the desk.
"If you're ready" he began, 'I'n
take you through the place now"
! The words were ungracious, and he
knew it. He almost feared she would
apologize for troubling him, and when
she merely nodded her readiness he
almost thanked her as he held open
the heavy door.
They PASSED through the clerical
offices and the covered passage con-
Meeting the buildings without speak
ing. AT the threshold of the forge
shop he paused as though about to
warn her of something, then changed
his mind and showed open the iron
door. The noise which up to this point
had seemed deafening to her, now
burst like a whirlwind from a dozen
different points, crashing, shrieling,
thudding, scraping, squeaking, and
hammering. For an instant she hest
tated, and her hands moved instinct
lively to her ears. Then she looked up
at Kennard, caught him glancing at
her curiously and then without ges-
ture stepped inside the pandemoniac
chamber.
Leslie followed her guide down the
long passage without attempting to
speak, almost afraid TO breathe. Ken
nard was joined every now and then
by foremen, who asked questions in
pantomime, or shouted in his ear
words inaudible to the nearest by
stander. But he marched on without
pausing, pointing in answer or below
Ing back replies. There were men
on every side, before the FORCES, at the
bellows, at Il. furnaces, and move
ment everyWhcre Sometimes the shad-
owy workers absorbed in their labor
did not notice the presence of the boss,
but when they did there was always a
pleasant smile or nod for the tall,
grave man striding along before his
guest. At last they reached the end
of the room and passed through
door into another short connecting
passage. The cool air and diminished
noise were ike a sudden release from
bodily pain, and Leslie almost gasped
her relief. Kennard paused as no
closed the door
You would prefer to go outside now
and sit down for a moment, would
You not?" he asked. almost every
woman does"
The tone was courteous, but the
words stnng her like a challenge.
Let me be one of the exceptions
to prove the rule. won't you please?"
she answered quietly.
They passed into the machine shop,
alive with moving fingers ard arms Of
iron and steel, throbbing with the
mighty revolutions Of giant wheels,
resonant with the singing of motors,
saws, and lathes. They stopped before
a cteel Titan holding in It's grasp
mighty rillar of iron, which it shifted
and clutchcd, turned and twisted as
easily as a man would roll a pencil.
Now it placed its iron fingers on the
surface Of the shaft, while an unseen
hand revolved it swiftly until the
fingers, lifting lightly as piano-play-
er's, showed the indentations of
thread" Once more it was lifted,
shifted, and clutched, and the fingers
combing the iron surface
with relentless, steady touch All
around little wheels were turning
some swiftly some Slowly; pistons
were raising md lowering their heads,
putting out tiny jets of steam, seem
ing to play hide-and-seek with levers
and balances darting and retreating on
every side to the clicking of hidden
tongues.
Leslie looked at the workmen who
hovered about this monster, watch
ing it with almost loving care.
These men understood this Thing,
could check and control it, knew whats