The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-22
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MUsIG'S GREAT CHARM
BY GEORGE ELMER COBB.


tie Westbro1k factory that had been
the quiet, urassulalng property OF his
deceased uncle for t;,o decades, he
posted up his one order in all of the
four working rooms of the plant.
1t was: Sing"
Whit does he mean. anyhow"
growlsG weii-neaning but surly Jen
Dodson, the foreman. Is there a bet
ter system in any Shop along the riv-
er? Swear" would suit me better
wher u; chine breaks down"
Maybe his advice would be good
for You then" suggested his assistant.
1T doesn't Go tie youb ssters much
good to hear you rip it of when you're
rilcd, JeI."
Before another day. however. all
hands in the plant understood the stu.
alton clearly. The new proprietor ar
rived-a rather serious-faced young
man, but with a kindly light in his
eyes aud 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 speech.
He told them that he felt something |
more than mere enrichment in being |
the favored owner of the buslness-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 happy 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 good library
and a gymnasium. These faithful
workmen had borne Jravely 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 eynced at the mention OF this lit
eral donation. Then Mr.. Phail said:
Il 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 or 2
piece of property in litigation belong
ing to my uncle. The solitude, the eve
a ming weariness after an uneventfui
day, the uneventful existence rast
;, made Of me an unsociable hermit
q There was no sweetness in my life.
Then, one day, wonderful bird took
I'D its home just above my cabin door.
% II sang from morning until night. II
:, filed the air with rare, beautiful mu'
sic. and my soul WITH delight. When
e It flew away to SUMMER climes with the
I. approach of winter l missed 1t great
d ly, Then new idea came to me:
would sing myself. My friends, you
ID do not know how his comranionshil
,e OF music chpered and refined me-"
ut This vas The text, and further upon
d, the subject the new boss briefly
Is descaiitUd. He showed them how, es
in peci;ny in lhe work rooms where The
to assembling of the plant was done a
is long tables, the hours could be enliV
ened by music, the vocal organs exer
ed cised and rhythm, poetry and goo'
on cheer engerderod
TX There was so much promise to tn
Id plan, the girls especially 80 eagerly re
n. spOnded to the music suggestion, ina
ad Rodney decided 70 go step further
ce He advertised IT, a near city newspa
er, per for q cultured lady to undertake a
at orderly educational SUPPLEMENTARY q
a group Of sixty young factory girls.
ne One esp. ciAiiy neat, terse and con
ad- prehensve reply from a Miss Mabe
"a. Durant pleased hin. A week later tn
OF Young lady in question arrivcd upo
1e- the scene with her aged mother Rot
sn- uey had neatly furnished cottag
near the works all ready for them. &c
VI the first time in his life woman
WI face attracted lin in new way. WI,
CIV in a week he was ardent In his appr
NJ baton of the systcm pursued by tn
'e' quiet refined young lady, who entere
with 2cAt into taking charGe OF the 81
workers
Rodney left all the details of ma
out agemcnt ard training to Miss Duran
DRY He heard great reports OF her su
ID cess re did not wonder when ne m
oW- her daily that she had wound herse
around the hearts ol the girls. The
me one day his Nhvle being thrilled as
5 paused in his work TO listen TO tonc
lish ing ballad she was singing In the wo
'oh- room. 1t was in the rear work room
are the fourth floor Of the plant, but eve
are note was borre to his wistiul hearli
on strong and ci.ar.
Suddenly hiring crash shut o
'up the mellow h9rncny that so CHARM
ory him lie turned 70 view grcat L
'i.h htaval OF an isOl:.ted stone buildi
ieh where explosive yarh,,hcs were store
There was blast 81 flame. The ma
'ne building had ci.s.sat. In an insta
ape dense clouds Of SMOKE rolled upward
no 10. Fire."
'o' The dircful shout, echoed aud
peated, rent the air. The 'e was
"uo rush from the bUilding. a chill stru
the heart of the anxious Rodney as
thought Of the girls on the fourth Hot
Wy Those narrow stairs he gasp'
and then, thirty voices strong, the
- came to his ears the steady, risi
notes of song accompanying
footsteps, as clearly timed as thou
company of trained soldiers was
the march.
And SO, In splendid order. the !;
one OF the girls got safely out OF
building The structure was destroy