The Coolidge examiner., 1934-09-21


chartered yacht. TO sli FOR hours
In the warm sun on the teach.
lie asked for and vas refused
news OF conditions back al the mill
They tried to keep his mind from
business.
They wouldn't even let him talk
wiih other textile nagnnies who
were wlniering In Florida.
"T'ie mill is closed. ehl Shut
down. Folded up. That Is why you
wlil not let me- hear the news. chi
You think IL does me goodi Per.
haps DOW you will believe when !
say they cannot keep going without
the great II, l.. eh7"
They kept him there a month.
Then they let him 90 back.
II was no use lie had improved
but slightly. lie was ike 4 maniac.
ever thinking and talking about bis
mill
The train bearing II. l. and his
party reached Boston late In the
evening.
The great man scofTcd AZ suEses
tons 10 remain overnight in the
city.
The sooner be reached Martins
vile the better.
lie chartered an automobile.
They drove through the night.
passed through sleeping towns with
mills thar were closed and dark
factories looming on every hand
like grim spectrcs OF . once -four
lshlnE industry.
II. I. squlrmed 10 bis seat. became
morose.
At length they reached the out.
skirts o, MartInsyIlle. whirled up
the main street. came abreas, OF
the mill II. L started. bllnked.
rubbed his eyes
The MILL was lighted
Every window OF every depart.
ment shone brightly. There was
the hum Of machinery. An ai.
poSphere OF industry prevailed
about the place.
II. l. climbed down from the au.
iomoblle. went alone into the ofice.
Maurice was there: Maurice and
the entire night force.
They looked ai the great man In
surprise.
There was also the meresl trace
OF annoyance In the glance they be
slowed upon him.
The mill Is running. ehi Come
what kind OF a trick are you play.
lngl You are running and yet there
are no orders There can be no or
ders without me here 10 see 20
things"
Maurice seemed surprised
Things had been going along ell
right Ordersf or course. Why
noti The mill was running as Il
always had run.
II. l. was lncredulous
he sat down. looked through
some books. listened to the reports
OF various department heads. stood
up. thrust his hands deep into his
pockets. Strode over 10 a window
and stared out into the night.
And then suddenly the great
realization came. The mill had run
without him.
They had managed somehow
without his guiding hand
He wasn't after all. as important
as he'd thought himself 10 be
He'd had an exalted opinion o;
himself.
He'd placed a halo about his
head. thought he'd held the reins o:
progress IN his hands
He'd believed that the mill and
everyone connected with II depend.
ed upon him and him alone.
He'd come 10 think OF himself as
a savior. as some kind Of exalted
being on whom the world was de
pending for guidance.
Suddenly II. l. chuckled and fer
the first time In months a twinkle
came into his eyes.
He wasn't. he reflected. Important
at all.
Things bad progressed quite as
smoothly as they always had. The
mill and Martinsville and the whole
world did and would continue TO
go on whether be was around or
not.
He was such an Insignificant part
OF IL.
There had been others before
him: Caesar. Napoleon. Cromwell.
Alexander - hundreds upon hun
dreds OF men who thought OF them.
selves as a little more important
In the scheme OF things than the
next man.
They had come and gone and the
world had gone on and on with
scarcely a ripple in It's progress.
II. L turned away at last and
looked for Maurice. but Maurice
had turned back TO his desk. had
In fact. forgotten the great mans
presence.
What fool" II. l. muttered. "a
man is TO think that anything de