Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-04-18
THE APPRENTICES LIBRARY.
BY ELIHU BURRITT,
The LEARNED Blacksmith.

"Why Frank Wilson! where on earth did you
get all these good books? Here! whOt--the
knickerbocker, too and the North American
Review and the American Ecectic Now, Frank,
where did you get the money to buy all these -
Why, have ten dollars more year than you !;
yet have to send down to father for money, al
most every month You take the Eclectic in Heed!
Why, there are none but Squire Waters md Doc
tor Marvin in the whole town, who think them
selves able to have such costly work. which is
only for few rich people to read. Pretty WELL
Ell for poor apprentice 10 soap boiler. Where
did you get that hook case, and all those books you
have stuck up there? Let's see - PiuiarchsLiufs
Who's he? what's that about' Rollins Ancient
History why didn't he write it all in one book
as well ms to have a dozen about q? Gibbons
Rome there's no such place in the United States
Why, my dear fellow, what long list OF outnnd-
ish names you've got here Let me see Milton
Shakespeare, Young, Pope, Dryden, Cowper, Ba-
con- Locke, Goldsmith, aud all other Smiths in
creation, as we'll as those in America! Now, come,
will light my Havana, and give you chance to
explain how you, an apprentice, with only forty
dollars year, cOnirve TO scrape together libra
ry half as large as Parson Dayton's."
Sitting down in the proffered chair, and lighting
his Havana, Edward Saunders placed his feet up.
on his friends clean desk, AMI seemed really TO he
waiting for detailed account of the modts oper-
nndi by which an apprentice could acquire hon
esy such collection of books. Nor did Fran
els hesitate to crafty his curiosity. Both of the
young men were in the middle Of their appren :
tlceshp md q cordial intimacy had subsisted be-
tween them from their youth. Edward was lie fl
cient in nothing so much as in that economy so
necessary for an apprentice in expanding his small
annuity and Francis hit upon very successful
method of administering to his friend u sau,ary
lesson upon this subject, while he explained how
an apprentice could acquire a taste and the means
for the cultivation of his intellect.
Edward" said he, taking up his pencil, 81 will
explain to you in figures what seems to have ex-
cited your wonder, it you will permit me, by the
way, To nsk you few questions in order 10 solve
the problem see you are very fond Of smoking /;
how many cigars do you buy in week ~
80, none Of any account" replied Edward,
anticipating some unpleasant structures upon his
lavorile practice. "Aher working all day, il is
really comfort 10 smoke one genuine Havana it
does not amount TO much; only smoke six in
the course of the whole week.
Six Havanas week." repeated Francis, put.
ting II down upon paper, with much Formally
as 1t he were registering the data of problem
"sx week, at Two cents apiece, amount to the
very triflng sum of six dollars and twenty -four
cents per annum. suppose you spend triRe at
the fruit shops" continued Francis.
Nothing worth mentioning" replied Edward,
rather startled at aggregate of such little items
" all buy apples, nuts, raisns, fgs oranges & e.,
that is not half as much as Tom Williams. the
goldsmith's apprentice, spends for mint juleps ia
half that time; and, besides, Francis, you know
never taste drop Of any kind of liquor not even
wine. You certainly can't think lack economy,
Frank ?"
"Ninepence week for nuts, raisns, orasges
and figs repeated Francis, in low, serious tone,
pronouncing the items one by one, ne wrote
them down, with all the precision and gravity of
a clerk in country store. "Ninepence week is
SIX dollars and fifty cents per annum; which, ad-
ded 10 six dollars and twenty -four cents spent for
cigars make the tr,fing sum of twelve dollars aud
sevenly-four cents for one year. Now, Edward,
see what have obtained for just this sum. Here,
said he taking down several neatly bound vol
umes of the North American Review, and hand.
fu of those OF the Knckerbocaer, 81 have bought
all these for less sum than you have paid tor
nuts, fruit, cigars, &C., during the last year. And
as for these other hooks which you see here in my
book case, | will tell you how have obtained
them, aud how any other apprentice can do the
same, with only thirty six dollars year. too. You
know our masters very industrious and steady
men; and are attentive 10 their business aud like
to see their worknen so. They prefer also 10 see
them with II book in their hands when they have
done their work, rather Than TO be loungipg about
at the taverns, or in vicious company. SO when
my master saw that liked TO read every chance |
could get, and spent oil The money could spare
Tor books, lie offered 10 give NE nnepence an hour
for all the time would work from twelve O'Clock
10 one, Il. Nj. And Tint is the way, Edward, that
have obtained all these books which you thought
| had borrowed, begged or stolen. l work from
noon-tme half an hour, and earn enough in fort
night to buy one of these books Paradise Lost,
for instance, To be sure, they are not bound in
call, or gilt edged but they contain the mat
ter as il they were, and that's enough for me-"
When Edward Saunders had listened TO the
cle's apprentice, and had passed his eye over all
the fine books in his liulv library, he suddenly
arose at the last words of Francis, and opening
the little chamber window, took out his last half
dozen cigars, which were TO constitute his week s
stock OF comfort, and without saying word toss
ed them into the garden. A new fire of animation
liz up his eye as he dnrted out of the room, turn
ing only a, the door to say-"IH try il, Frank
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