The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-03
MusIc's GREAT CHARM
BY GEORGE ELMER COBB


Wien Rodney Phsil inherited the lit
tie Westbrook factory that had been
the quiet unassuuing property Of his
deceased uncle for two decades, he
posted UP his one order In all Of tie
four working rooms OF the plant
II was: Sing"
What does be mean. anyhow"
growled well-meaning but surly Je1
Dodson. the foreman. is there a bet
ter system IN any shop along the riv.
er? Swear would suit me better
when a machine breaks down"
Maybe his advice would be good
for you. then" suggested his assistant
1t doesn't do the youn :sters much
good 10 hear you rip it OF when you're
riled, JeH."
Before another day, however, all
hands In the plant understood the stu.
alton clearly. The new proprietor ar.
rived-a rather serious-:aced young
man, but with a kindly light in his
eyes and a gentle, sympathetic voice
that attracted the eighty odd employees.
The first thing Rodney Phail did was
TO call all hands into the main rest
room and make them a speech.
He told them that he felt something
more than mere enrichment in being
the favored owner Of the bus!ness-a
sense Of great responsibility. The
same conservative business methods
would be followed. Old and deserving
employees would be retained. His
great wish, however, was to make Of
them hapy family He intended to
build club house for them. where mu.
Sic, lectures and entertainments could
be held to break the monotony Of their
lives. There would be a good library
and a gymnasium. These faithful
workmen had borne bravely the brunt
OF the industrial battle. They should
share in the prosperity of the business.
Each year twenty-five per cent OF the
profits Of the concern should be dis.
tributed equally among the employees.
OF course there was rare apprecia.
ton evinced at the mention Of this lib.
eral donation. Then Mr.. Phail said:
I have put up sign reading, Sing
! want to explain about that For ten
years my life has been spent on Q lone
~ ranch. taking care as custodian Of q
piece OF property in litigation belong.
Ing to my uncle. The solitude, the eve
ming WEAKNESS after an uneventful
day, the uneventful existence fast
made Of me an unsociable hermit
There was no sweetness in my life.
Then, one day. wonderful bird took
up.its home Just above my cabin door.
1t sang from morning until night It
filled the air with rare, beautiful mu.
sic. and my SOU! with delight When
1t few away to SUMMER climes with the
approach Of winter missed 1t great
ly. Then new idea came to me:
would sing myself. My friends. you
do not know how his companionship
OF music cheered and refined me-"
This was the text, and further upon
the subject the new boss" briefly
descanted. He showed them how, e.
pecially in the work rooms where the
assembling Of the plant was done at
long tables, the hours could be enliv.
ened by music, the vocal organs exer.
cised and rhythm, poetry and good
cheer engendered.
There was SO much promise to the
plan. the girls especially so eagerly re-
sponded to the music suggestion, that
Rodney decided to go a step further.
He advertised in near city newspa.
per for cultured lady to undertake an
orderly educational superintendency Of
q group Of sixty young factory girls.
One especially neat, terse and com.
prehensive reply from a Miss Mabel
Durant pleased him. A week later the
young lady In question arrived upon
the scene with her aged mother. Rod.
ney had neatly furnished cottage
near the works all ready for them. For
the first time in his life a woman's
face attracted him in new way. With
In week he was ardent in his appro-
baton of the system pursued by the
quiet, refined young lady, who entered
with zest into taking charge Of the girl
workers.
Rodney left all the details Of man.
agement and training to Miss Durant.
He heard great reports of her sue.
cess, he did not wonder when he met
her daily that she had wound herself
around the hearts Of the girls. Then
one day his whole being thrilled as he
paused in his work to listen to a touch.
ing ballad she was singing in the work
room. 1t was In the rear work room on
the fourth floor Of the plant, but every
note was borne to his wistful hearing
strong and clear.
Suddenly a Earring crash shut out
the mellow harmony that go charmed
him. He turned to view a great up
heaval Of an isolated stone building
where explosive varnishes were stored.
There was blast Of fame. The main
building had caught. In an instant
dense clouds Of smoke rolled upwards.
FIRE."
The direful shout, echoed and re-
peated. rent the air. There was a
rush from the building. A chill struck
the heart of the anxious Rodney as he
thought of the girls on the fourth floor.
Those narrow stairs!" he gasped,
and then. thirty voices strong. there
cama IN HIS oaro Tho e<ood- .s.s-