Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-12-07
From the Aurora Standard.
LEAVES FROM THE DIARY
OF 4 JOURNEYMAN PRINTER.

oE a JoU hN r. MAN fhIS1 Ek.
ny IouRNEYMAN PRINTER
You can take this case" said the
foreman; "here is stick-here is some
copy, and ii you like quiet and steady
partner. you will find this gentleman still
enough in all conscience"
The partner merely looked up. and
family smiled in acknowledgement of the
foreman's compliment and Kept on with
his work; while the foreman turned away
to attend to something else.
We worked on steadily until dinner, as
we were in hurry to get the paper up,
without exchanging word or even a
look. In the afternoon had more lei
sure to study the Ph?siognomy of my
neighbor. He was young man of
about three or four snd-twenty, with
handsome features, and a rather intellec-
tual cast of counterance. His face was
quite pale. and the raven darkness Of his
hair, eyebrows and eyes. made me i'm
mediately come to the conclusion, after
thoroughly studying his physiogncmy,
that he was hard student during his
leisure hours. or that. depriying himself
of the recreation of books, or other sour
ces of enjoyment, he spent all his work
ing hours at the case. The latter suppo.
sition times proved to BE correct.
As day after day passed by, [ became
more acquainted with him and ! found
him to be singular character Beneath
his stand he had constructed q kind of
closet, which contained spirit lamp.
mattress with bedding, q few cooking
utensils, and a small, stock of the pIainest
kind of food. When the hours OF meals
arrived, he would light his lamp. aad
putting some food over it TO cook, would
work until all the hands had left the Gf-
fee, when he would sit down to his fru-
gal repast. He worked ircessantly du-
ring work hours, hardly leaving the of
fee unless to purchase food, or upon
some errand of that kind. Morning,
noon and night, when returned freTn
my meals. l invariably found him at the
case, working away as with all his might,
as if some great issue depended on the
improvement of every moment. l sup
pose he slept upon the cot which be kept
in his closet; but he was always at work
when l left at night and when returned
in the morning, l could not positively
assert that he did so. | am not very
garrulous, especially when employed ut
the case, aud as he would not first ad-
dress me, l would not speak to him so
while the fun and joke were passing round
the other cases, We were silent as the
grave. l was not long in discovering
that there WAS some mystery connected
with him. and his intense application TO
labor was not prompted merely by de-
sire to make money; for if there is sny-
thing in phrenology, Judging from the for
nation Of his head, he was the very one
whom would have selected from score
as a spendthrift. Occasionally his
cheek would flush, his eyes light up and
a happy smile overspread his features
then the smile would go away, his eyes
would ill with tears. while an expression
of sadness-almost despair-would seat
itself upon his eountenarce 1 have been
tempted thousand times to ask him the
cause of this, but as he appeared so cold
and isolated, 1 refrained from doing so,
it is not pleasant proffering sympathy
uuasked.
"Well. how do you like your neigh
Dor ?" asked one OF the iourneymen Of
me as we were descending the stairs one
evening.
t'I can hardly make him out" said l.;
che appears to be strange sort of be-
ing. You are better acquainted with
him than how do You like him 90
&c For my part hate him, and what
is more, he has not friend in the whole
office. That fellow has been here for
three months, and he has hardly spoken
to any one. A man who makes such
bills as he does, and boards up his mo-
ney like miser, have very little friend
ship for. We wouldn't any of US care so
much if he would be little sociable and
spend dollar or even dime occasional
ly; but no, every FIVE cent piece he hangs
on to it as if he was afraid the eagle on it
would spread his wings and fly away
with it, doing him out of FIVE cent
piece. But he can't stay here long
We've insulted him dozen times; and
he has less spunk than I think he has if
he don't resent it some day. Wen get
him into quarrel then. and have him
discharged"
But said I. ''do you know any
thing about his history +? He may have
an all-absorbiug end to accomplish.
which is the cause of his assiduity. You
should have iittle charity for the fel-
low, and taking Crocket's motto. be sure
you're right aud then go ahead"
IS No. we know nothing of him /; and
If circumstances are as you suppose. 1t
will be his own fault if they are disco
yered too late, for We have tried often