"What about them?"
"O, how you manage; how they do; anything!"
"Well—the hands go to work at six o'clock, and work two hours; or not quite that, for the bell rings in time to let them wash their hands before breakfast; and for that there are rooms provided, with soap and towels and everything necessary. Then they gather in the dining halls, where their breakfast is ready; or if any of them prefer to bring their own food, it is cooked for them. There is no compulsion."
"What do they have for breakfast?"
"Coffee and tea and bread, and porridge with milk or with syrup—all at certain fixed low rates and all of good quality. There are people to cook, and boys and girls to wait upon the tables. They have the time till half past eight, but it is not all used for eating; the last quarter of an hour they stroll about and talk together. At half past eight comes the time for prayers. One of the managers conducts the service in the chapel; the Bible is read, and a hymn is sung, and there is a short prayer. At nine o'clock all hands go back to work."
"They have had an hour's good rest," said Rotha. "You say, in the chapel? have you a chapel for them?"
"In the midst of the mills. It is a pretty little building—in old
English rustic style; I think it very pretty."
"I dare say the people enjoy that," said Rotha. "It ought to be pretty, for them. I should think your hands would never want to leave you, Mr. Southwode."
"They never do. And as I told you, there is never a question of strikes. Neither do we ever have a time of bad business. The work done is so thorough and has been so long well known, that we never need to ask for orders. We never lose by making bad debts; and we never give notes, or take them. I say 'we'—I am using the old formula—it is all in my hand now."
"Why are not other people wise enough to make such arrangements and have the same sort of comfort?"