By this time the new arrival is, in all probability, wondering what will
happen next, but he is soon enlightened. Work in one of the various
departments will be assigned him, for instance, presuming that the shop
where he is to be employed is the twine factory, he is turned over to the
guard of that particular shop. This officer instructs him very minutely as
to shop rules and duties that will devolve upon him, and usually
accompanies his instructions with some good, sound advice as to how to
best get along with the least possible trouble. The shop foreman now takes
him in charge and instructs him how to perform the duties required of him.
At the noon hour he must take off his apron, wash his hands and face in a
bucket of water placed conveniently near the shop runner, and when the
guard blows another sharp blast with his whistle form in line with the
other men and prepare to march to the dining room. He is now assigned a
place in the ranks of his shop crew and told to always “fall in” at his
place. The guard stamps his cane twice on the floor and the men begin to
march to dinner.
At first the “fresh fish” makes quite a number of mistakes: In the dining
room he is somewhat bewildered as to how to make his wants known to the
waiters, as he has been told that talking is strictly forbidden, but upon
reading the rules in the library catalogue he easily comprehends the
silent method of asking for food. If he wishes bread he must hold up his
right hand; meat, his fork; soup, his spoon; vegetables, his table knife;
coffee, his cup, and for water, the rule is to hold up the cup inverted.
This form of the sign language is fully adequate for the situation.