desire spirit. He gave them, once a year, a handsome dinner, at
which he presided himself. He encouraged them to read, and helped
them to obtain books. He had a singing master, and took care that
every one who had a voice should be taught to sing. He bought a
pianoforte for them, and had it put in a room in the factory, where
any one, who had time, and wished to play, could go and play upon
it; and he gave them a music teacher.
He did every thing he could to make their life beautiful and happy.
He induced them to save a small sum every week from their wages, as
a fund to be used when any one died, or was sick, or was married, or
wanted particular aid beyond what his wages afforded.
Henry's factory was the abode of industry, temperance, and
cheerfulness. The workmen all loved him like a brother. It was his
great object to show them that labor was an honorable thing, and to
make laborers as happy as he thought they ought to be.
Henry was much interested in all that related to the United States
of America; and he was very angry at our slavery. He felt that
slavery brought labor into discredit, and his heart ached for the
poor slaves, who are cut off from all knowledge, all improvement.
Nothing excited in him such a deep indignation, nothing awaked such
abhorrence in his heart, as the thought of a man's receiving the
services of another without making adequate compensation; or the
idea of any man exercising tyranny over his brother man.
Henry's workmen were the happiest and best in Hamburg. They loved
their employer with their whole hearts; there was nothing they would
not do for him. When his factory had been established twenty-five
years, the workmen determined to have a jubilee on the occasion, and
to hold it on his birthday. They kept their intention a secret from
him till the day arrived; but they were obliged to tell his
children, who, they knew, would wish to make arrangements for
receiving them in such a way as their father would approve of, if he
knew of it.
It was summer time; and on Henry's birthday, at seven o'clock in the
morning, (for they knew their friend was an early riser,) a strain
of grand and beautiful music broke the stillness of the early hour,
and a long procession of five hundred men was seen to wind around
the house.
The musicians, playing upon their fine wind instruments, and dressed
very gayly, came first. Then came those of his workmen who had been
with him twenty-five years; then
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