The Steam Horn

1930's Ireland was a tough place to live in.With the Brit's customs levy on cattle imported from Ireland so great as to make their export prohibitive, the Irish economy nose dived and money was as scarce as hen's teeth.
But cometh the hour cometh the man.
Twinnie Byrne was hewn from the rock on which the Black Quarry is nested and was as hard as nails and just as driven.
He was a cabinet maker and a perfectionist to boot.He made furniture of the highest standard and of lasting endurance.It was much in demand especially in hard times,believe it or not.
Gradually he expanded until he employed over 250 men all under the one roof ,expert tradesmen all and above all  punctual to a fault.
A job with Twinnie was much sought after and carefully minded.
Twinnie watched everything in microscopic detail,never relenting .Firm but fair.
A steam horn blasted off  at 9.00  a.m. each morning and 6.00 .p.m.each evening.Woe to anyone who failed to meet the signals for starting and quitting.
Then the Padna Riley got the start.He was good enough at the cabinet making but not great at the time keeping in the morning.
His lateness grew from 5 minutes up to 30 on occasion.Twinnie saw all.
He was fuming and one morning planted himself behind a row of planks stacked adjacent to the entrance door to the factory in such a position that he could see all but was hidden from view himself.
20 minutes after kick off the Padna saunters up in no particular hurry.
Twinnie nabbed him and in his grating falsetto voice started to berate him for his lack of punctuality his  voice rising the further he went.
All the windows in the factory were wide open and 250 men were as silent as the night listening intently and as Twinnie's voice rose higher the could hear snatches like "Time is fucking  money, my money "and "Collect your wage packet now and don't come back".And then the Padna pleading for one more chance.
Twinnie relented screaming "And remember Padna as long as work here you come in on the horn and go home on it."
And 250 men rolled around the floor with laughter AND LIFTED THE CEILING WITH ONE HUGE CHEER.
That cured the Padna.