THE NEW MASTER AT THE MILL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 1521, 5 July 1898, Page 2

THE NEW MASTER AT THE MILL.

Mr. Paul Haytou-Enderby walked into th« toffice at the mill with the air and consciousness of a person of much importance. It was tbo first time he hr.d passed through that polished mahogany door with the knowledge that he was the chi?f partner of tbe world-famed Eaderby manufacturing concern. Aud as the final return under his father's will, which he had only received the afternoon bsfore, showed him to be possessed of property valued at £237,000 ; it was psrdonabln that he should enter the office that morning with an air of assurance which reminded eveiy member of the stall who saw him, that from that time forth he alone was master.

It was remarkable how sympathetic was the feeling of uneasiness which made itself felt throughout the office the instant Mr, Pnul walked in. There was not a single employee in the whole place who did not find himself seized with a vague apprehension of something unpleasant which would be the early product of the uew control. For it was well known that Mr. Paul was only 24 years of age, and it was correctly eurmised that aa regards business knowledge, he was an infint, or worse, inasmuch as he was not without potentialities of mischief.

Up to this time, in tact, he had regarded bus»iut-6» as a dreadful bore He had had all the money he wanted fvr purposes proper to his position in lite, and hail feuud congenial occupation in following the hounds dutipg tbe hunting st-asou, in supporting first-class cricket during the summer, and iatiyiug to enjoy himself thoroughly at all times and seasons. When, therefor«,his father's executors informed him in the gravest.but friendliest spirit possible, that he must accept the responsibilities of his new position and discharge them as his father had done before him, he looked pained and muttered something about it being a •* confounded nuisance.''

But as Mr. Paul was net exactly brainles?, but only a young man who had been born of wealthy parents, he was not incapable of reflection. He suddenly found himself under the necessity of taking an active interest in the ad-niinisti-f-tion of a huge business, end that caused Lim to reflect. Ho decided tbat he would yield to the inevitable &ud follow the wishes of the executors, and be properly jealous of the good nana a of Hayton Euderby. Havingcome to these wisedeci&ious he.proceeded to act upon thetn. Va<juc ideas of improvements and reforms crowded his mind in dangerous confusion,aDd cvused bias to give early evidence of his'lack of business experience. For a month after Mr. Paul took control the office staff and the departmental cfliciuls were kept la a state of hourly unrest and apprehension. It had been & busy morning in the office.; Some important export oidnrs had to be checked off and invoiced, and Mr, Paul bad, decided to expedite rn.'ttera by, himself, checkinc everybody and tveiything in his own way. He bad succeeded in producing a state of coufusiou throughout the office which would require the whole of the afternoon to restore to the condition of order woich obtained at bins o'clock in the forenoon. So feeling that he had accomplished something in the interest of the Hcyton-Endt-rby business he proceeded to the mill to adjust and expedite matters as might eeem desirable.

Old Richard Croxton, the overlooker of No. 5 and 6 rooms greeted him with a reffpectful " Good-day, Mr. Paul !" as the two met by the little office at the end of No. 5 room.

The sound of voices siuging in the room above reached them.

** I oar, Croxton ! What in heaven's name's that row ? Is that the way you do the work t" Mr. Paul asked, snappishly. The old man looked hurt. •* What do you mean, Mestur Paul ?" he asked, innocently. " What do I mean ? Why, listeu to that infernal row. How can you got any work do»e when that's going on ? Get it stopped at once," 84id Mr. Paul, imperiously. •« It's th' wirnnun sieging," the old man replied, unable to make out the ground of hi» master's complaint. • 4 1 know that, l'oa not deaf. Get them to stop it and go on with their work." "Why ! It'dbeaa much as th'place w pro worth to stop that singing. If that stopped, th' work 'd stop. It's th' singing as 'tips 'em to work," the old man said with a look of pity at Mr. Paul's ignorance or harshness.

44 Oh, rubbish 1 Tell them we must have the work done orderly. It must be stopped. Don't let me hear it again. M Mr. Paul was the picture of vnsdictireness us he strode along the room with the air of one who had vanquished a deadly foe. Old liichard walked into the littlo timeoffice. Placing his elbows upon the desk he covered his face with his hands and remained motionless for five minutes. When he moved, the tears stood upon each cheek and trouble was imprinted on every liueameßt. He felt that Enderby's Mill, the pride ef his life, and the boast of the country round, had fallen on evil days. 16 was not because Mr. Paul lacked a soul for music that he had complained about the girls singing. It was that he was just now possessed Jf some fantastic ideas, and it struck him as a gross impertinence that thu mill girls should take the liberty of singing iu that way during working hours. So he firmly determined to correct this first great irregularity. As he walked along the room after his curt treatment of old Richard Crcston, Mr, Paul was struck by a change in the singing. Instead of the few voices he had first heard, a hundred had joined in the sang. He could follow the altos and trebles, as the parts were sung with perfect cle*ruess. Hestoodstill tolisten. More voices were joining in. They were now blended iu a bright cr&jcendo. Louder aud louder rose the sound, powerful but singularly sweet, until the whirr of the wheels was completely lost amd the room in which he stood was filled with song.

Mr. Paul was spell-bound. Ho could only stand b'ill and listen. His idea had been to go to No. 6 room, and if the noise went on, to tell the girls himself that he would aot have it. Now. he was h-lpless. Two huadrt d girls were tinging huartily, y*t sweetly, in the room above bin).

In a moment the volume of sound b*gan to grew fainter. He listened, wondering. Weaker and weaker, though sliil perfectly distinct, tho sound died away until only a few voices continued Kingiig. In another minute ho could hear that only ono voice was carrying on the air and struggling again&t the sound of the looms. At last it ceased and the noise of the wheals way triumphant

" That's all wry well," muttered Mr. Paul, '» But it's beastly irregular, and they'll have to stop it. Croxton';-; evidently an old woman. It wants a younger m»n here." He turned to pass through a side duor, but stopped ere he reached it. The single voice which had finished the song had begun again. Other voices joined in. The song was being taken up by the girls as it had been before. In a few seconds the full strong volume of two-part mus-ic had completely drowned the whirr of the wheels and filled the room again. For some minutes the full sirging was sustained, thru, gradually, as before, the voices fell off and the sounds of the machinery became dominant The sii'gle voice sang on for a, time, but at hst it stopped as before. " 4.11 deuerd fine.b' t this i»n't. 3 music-hall." soliloquised Mr. Paul, as he passed into tt a next building. " Tell Mr. Graham I want him," said Mr. Paul, half to hour later as he entered tb« general office tad proceeded to hie private room.

Mr. William Graham, the cashier and head o) the office staff, attended immediately.

Mr. Paul stood by his desk scanning a num.* ber of pencil notes he had made in a small pocket- book. "Mr. Graham," said Mr. Paul, with the tone of an auUerat, " I hare been through the mill, aud there ate sort-rill changes which I shall waul you to make. Upon soinu of them Iho re uol quite made up my mind so 1 will spe&k to you about them again. But there are two whicb you must have msde at oncn for the prestige of the place. 1 find the mill has btcouio a coui' man music-hall. I don't know how you hav« •had any woik done at all with the goings or, there have been. In future there must be tout

of that singing duiing work-time. You under staud. There's to be no singing. Then you want a younger man over rooms 5 and 6. Croxton is of no use at all. Gi« him the usual nolice and put • smart young man in his place. If you haven't a suitable man in the mill, get one in. Do yoo understand ?"

William Graham was not sure that ho did understand. He was Loping that be did not. Mr. Paul's words fell upon his ears like the death-knells of comfort aud prosperity at Enderby'a Mill. He was a f mild man, aud had been the confidential and responsible official under the late Joseph Haytonßnderby, for seven and twenty years. Through all that time he had never listond to anything half so outrageous as the iestructions which Mr. Paul had just given him with the intimation that more was to follow.

•• I—l—think your mistaken, sir," Mr. Graham stammered. " The girls hare always suug at thrir work. Your father liked t» hear them. It helps the work along, sir."

•• Oh, that's nousense, Mr. Graham. If we're running a music-hall, well and good, if we're manufacturing, let us do it ia a seemlj manner. As for helping the work, if they can work with that row, they'll do double without it. That's conclusive to me, so have the noise stopped, please. Give the uew man clear inctructions that there's to be none of it in future. That will do, Mr. Graham." The look upon tbe face of William Graham, as he came into the general office, had an effect upon the staff like that of a keen, frosty wind upon April blossoms. They read everything at a glance, and a black cloud immediately settled upon the place.

Mrs. Joseph Hayton-Enderby, widow of the late chief proprietor of Enderby'sMill, eat in her private chamber at The Limes. Since her husband's death she had spent much tima in her own room, reading or workiug with her needle for occupation of some kind, was life to her, now. Of late she b*d grown anxious for she hid had sinister misgivings as to her son's administration at the mill. On this evening she appeared unable to settle at anything. Time was a low knock upon ber chamber door.

" Come in ! " ssdd Mrs Hayton-Enderby with a aense of relief, though she knew that it was but her maid.

The roam door opened and the girl entered. " What is it Ridley ? " askei her mistress, with alarm.

The girl was breathless and excited. " Please 'm the mill girls have come. The garden is full of them. They're crowding in ever so," she gasped holding her sides in a vain eSort to control herself.

" The mill girls ! " exclaimed Mrs. HaytomEnderby is astonishment. " "Whatever is the matter ? "

" They've come to see Mr. Paul about the new regulations ma'am," " What regulation?, Ridley ? " " Oh, I don't know, ma'am. They ouly said it was about the new regulations." Mrs. Hayton-Enderby was more alarmed. *' Is Richard Croxton with them, Ridley ? " she asked after a moment's pause.

" I d»n't know.ma'am," answered the girl

*' Go down and see. If ho is there ask him te come up to the writing room and I'll come and speak to him and learn wbat's the matter." The girl bounded away, cicsiog the door after her.

Mrs. Hayton-Endeiby sank down into an easy chair as if in a state of collapse. The girl's message had seemed to her the beginning of unknown troubles. It had caused ber grsat distress of mind.

•' Come in. Ridley," she called out faintly, as the maid's knock again sounded on the room door.

The door opened aud the maid entered. " Croxtou's roc there, ma'am. They Bay he's goue." " Gone, where ?"

4,4 Gene : been discharged from the mill, they say. That's one thing they want to see Mr. Piiul about," answered the girl. " Discharged ! Richard Croxton !By whose authority ?" asked ht»r mistresß,druwing herself up with a queenly air. 4 ' By whoso authority I ask ?" ahe repeated in a tone of intense indignation, which caused the maid to quake. 14 I don't know, ma'am. Thoy didn't say," faltered the girl. * 4 Ridley. Go down this instant. Te'l the women to appoint three of their number to some up and speak with me in the writingroom. I'll follow you immediately." The girl departed without a word. In half a minute Mrs. Haytou-Enderby left the chamber and went down to the writing-room, a small apartment on the next floor below. Taking her seat by one of the writing-tables she waited, anxiously. In & few minutes the sounds of footsteps in the passage reached her. There was a knock at the door.

44 Come in !" Mr*. Hayton-Euderby called out in a shaky voice. The door opened and Ridley eutered, followed by three of the mill hands. One was an old woman ; the other two were comely girl? of about twenty. They were cleaned aud dressed for the occasion. The three women courtseyed respect fully when they found themselves in the very presence of Mrs, Haylou-EadMby, the widow of their old master, and the mother of the young man who now ruled nith au iron baud.

" What hsive you ccine about ? Tell me evuiythiiig," Mrs. Hsyton-Euderby sail in a tone which immediately put the women at ease. •' Please, rn'lady. we'll bin at lh' mill this many a year an' ne'ii 'ad na tiouble wi' ».o one, uu 1 it's very 'ard as th' youngMestur should put on us like this," said the old worn an who had eouae as spokaswotuau of the patty. •• I dou*t know anything about it. Tell me what is the matter. Wheie is liich?rd t'roston ?" Mrs. Hayton-Enderby said, impatient to get at the truth. "'E'9 discharged by Me*tur Paul's orders, m'lady." •• What for P"

" Only 'cause 'e stood up for us when Mestui Paul found fault about the girls singiu' at their work."

" ringing at their work They've always suug s'nee I've known the mill. What's the meaning of that ?" asked Mrs. Hayton-Ender-by. her impatience to know the real truth increasing.

'* Nobody knows m'lady. It's like as if 'e's tuk a whim, an' it's upset the girls until they can 'ardly bear to be i' the place They

thoichl if tbs-v cimi' over an' 'im tlxMrsels mebbe Vd lak o'er it an» let things goonM they was." " How many of you are there P" " Nearly all of us m'lady. Mebbe five 'undred." Mrs. Hayton-Enderby 6tpod aghast. Buch a thing as the mill girls coming in a body to the bouse in that way to complain of harsh treatmeet had been unheard of in the history of the family. She felt unspeakably indignant, and could have cried. The old woman read the worVigJK of her feature*.

" You know, m' lady, it were such a small thing-," she went on. " Mestur Paul's young. We ilunno believe an 'e means 'arm to anyone, but 'e don't understand things same 's the old did. 'E don't know 'ow them girl's sing* in' 'elps tU' work uiong. We don't mean to complain o' nutbin', n»' lady, but there's many a woman an' girl i° the null as is wuss off than any o' us. My 'usband's dead, so the six of _..»..« as i gbts docs well enough for me. But there's wimmen as as cbilder to ke«p an' uo 'ußban3s,an' it's a 'ard scrat for 'cm on that. 'Sides, there's many a big girl as is only gcttin' betwixt two sbillin' an' four shillin' a week, as as a 'ard fight t' keep off their mothers. When tbey siug at their work they forge tl en o' about this. Tbey keep light 'arted an' merry an' works well. It pays t' let 'em Mng." The old woman's snow-white apron had been raided to her eyes as she told or- the life of tha mill girls. " Well, well ! Go back and sing all yo» please. Bay I gave you permission. I wil" talk to Mr. Paul about ycu. Tell the girls that I wish them well. My husband thought a great rival about his workpeople ; a great deal. It will break my heart if Paul is not the same."

Mrs. Hayton-Enderby brushed away a tear as she finished speaking. "We know as it wasn't you, m' lady. Nobody ever says an ill word o' you or o' the qld Mestur. An' nobody 'll think uo ill o' Mestur Paul now's you've said we could go on as w* was. 1 wish, m' iady, you could persuade Mm Xm let old Kicbard back V " 1 will see about that. Go back. Tell the girls to go quietly away, and give them my best wishes."

"Thank, yer, m' lady," said the three women together as they courteeyed and retired from the room.

They had hardly reached the garden 'pre the maid carried to her impress the information that William Graham was nb the side djor. He had learned that the women were going to the house en masse and had hurried up to see if he could be of any service, " Ah,' how fortunate ! Now, I shall learn the truth. bhow him up, Ridley," Mrs. Hay-tou-Enderby said with glad animation as she hnard tho maid's statement. Mr. Graham was conducted to the imtiugroom, where he gave Mrs, Hayton-Enderby a full and faithful account of the changes which her son had made at the mill, and of the state of chaos in which everything stood at that particular hour.

It was nearly eleven o'clock that night when Mr.Paul droTe up to The Limes. To his surprise he received from the butler an urgent request to go immediately to his mother's private sit-ing-room, where she was awaiting him. With an ill-grace, be obeyed what he felt to be a binding instruction. For the nest half hour he was engaged in a heated controversy with bis mother bufc v ere half of that time had passed he was a obagrined, defeated, but wiser man. " Mr. Graham, step into the privile office with me for a moment," said Mr. Paul as with a quittnesfi of demeanour wholly unusual for him, he walked into the office at ton o'clock the following morning. " I've been considering the mill affaire, Mr. Graham," he said, when the cashier had closed the door upon themselves. "It will perhapa be best if you let things go on as they were when I came into control. For the present let the girls sing ai they please so long as the work is done, and let old Croxton come back. You can issue instructions at once and let us see how things will work " Within hall an hour every employee at Endtrby Mill was jubilant. The new regulations had been annulled and Richard Croxton had been told that he could return to his old position in the morning. At half-past eleven Mr. Paul walked slowly into the mill. Ho looked haggard and uneasy, and without any definite purpose. On Uio landing ot No. 6 room he stopped a little at one side of the dcor. Above the whirr of the looms rose the sound of voicos singing a verso of the song, " True as the stars that are shining " Sweetly aDd distinctly the lines were sung through to the chorus. Then there arose a great swell of vocal music as if every occupant of the room had joined in. Treble and alto voices b'.euded faultlessly in the full burst of song until thcie was uo place for the din of the wheels. It was drowned, utterly. At the end of the chorus there was a pause. Then the solo voices began ugam with the next verse and sang it clearly and musically through. And orict; more nearly thr»:e hundred voices joined in the chorus, and the sound of the looms was lost.

Mr. Paul stood as if trausfixed until the song was done.

" What a thundering idiot I was to bring that nest of horuiisabout my ears for Itus," be said to himself, as he turned on his heel and retraced his steps without entering the room.

In the dining-room that dinner-hour there was only one theme. It was iho unexpecttd change which had come over tha fortunes of the woikers in the Euderby mill. One of the prircipal speakers was old Mrs. Kent, the spokeswoman of the three who had had an audience with Mrs. Hayton-Eudeiby. •' Th' new mestur I" she said, finishing an harangue. "Tck my word for 't. Th' new mestur o' this mill is th' owd missus, an nobry else." And when, at the end of a fortnight, the reriscd wage-list came into operation and most of the old hands, and some of the girls iu the women's rooms found their weges increased by 20 per ce.Bt, one and all agreed that old Rachel Kent had spoken the truth.

Cupid and Cycling:, The weeelman took hor hand in his, gave it a loving squeeze, the while hor warmth of passion riz a whole lot of degrees. He cried, "My love oonsumeth me? My breast is all on lire! 'Tis love as boundless as the sea—love that can never ' tire.'

" See how ' my frame' is all convulsed with. sighs I can't conceal. If my advances are repulsed.to ruin I will wheel. " Think not I am a ' crank,' or that my brain is out of ' gear,' or that I'm talking through my hat; I'm honest and sincere. '"I do not 'pedal' out„my love to every girl 1 meet, as pedlars hawk their wares who rove along the busy street. "If you should scorn my earnest plea, how 'sad'H' be my lot! No 'hand'il bar' my misery from boing over wrought! "But if to hear me j»u will deign and take me for you 'hub,' how smooth will run affection's 'chain,' without a jai or rub." This quaint proposal won the dear, into hie arms she fell, and now the happy day draws near, when he will " ring the belle."— The Hub.

NOT TO BE OUTDONE. In a ccrtaiu manufacturing town out West it was a common thing, not many years ago, for skilled workmen to have sufficient money wherewith to build houses for themselvts.

A great deal of rivalry existed among these mf n as to who should have tbe best house, with sometimes curious architectural results. A and B wore two rivals. A haviog built a housp, B, whose turn soon afterwards came, determined to '* best " him. Soon he called in a well-known architect to prepare plans.

Asked what aspect he would like to hie house, B, scratching his head, inquired—- " Aspect ! What' 6 that r" Has A got one ?" •* Oh, of course," said the architect ; •• he souldn't possibly "

" Then pat me on two !" was the prompt tnd etnphaiie reply.