Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-09-24
Masbington ssntinel.
THE JoURNEYMAN,s SECRET.

here is stck--here Is some copy; and II you
would like quiet and steady partner, you
will find this gentleman still enough in all
conscience -
The "partner' merely looked and family smiled
in acknowledgment of the foreman's compl-
ment, 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 look. In the after
noon had more leisure to study the physiog-
nomy Of my neighbor. He was a young man
Of about three or rfourand-twenty, with handsome
features and rather Intellectual cast of counte.
nance. His face was quite pale, and the raven
darkness OF his hair, eyebrows and eyes, made
me Immediately come to the conclusion, after
thoroughly studying his physiognomy. that he
was hard student during his leisure hours, or
that, depriying himself of the recreation OF
books, or other sources of enjoyment, he spent
all his waking hours at the case. The latter
supposition time proved 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 kind of closet, which con-
tanned spirit lamp, nattrass with bedding,
few cooking utensils, and small stock of
the plainest kind of food. When the hours
for meals arrived he would light his lamp, and
putting some food over it to cook, would work
until the hands had left the office, when he
would sit down to his frugal repast. He work
ed necessarily during work hours, hardly
leaving the Office, unless to purchase food or
upon some errand Of that kind. Morning,
noon and night, when l returned from my
meals, l invariably found him at the case,
/ Al l.
great issue depended upon the Improvement of
cot which he kept in his closet but as he was
always at work when I left at night and when
/ returned in the morning, / could not posi-
lively assert that he did so. am not very
garulous, especially when employed at the
case, and as he would not first address me, /
would not speak to him-so while the fun and
joke were passing round the other cases. we
were silent as the grave. | was not long in
discovering that there was some mystery con-
nected with him, and that his intense applica-
ton to labor was not prompted merely by de-
sire to make money; for if there is anything in
phrenology, judging from the formation of his
head, he was the very man whom would have
selected from score for spendthrift. Occa-
sionally his cheek would fush his eye light up,
and happy smile overspread his countenance;
then the smile would go away, his eyes would
fill with tears, and an expression Of sadness
almost despair-would seat itself upon his
countenance / have been tempted thou
sand times to ask him the cause Of this, but as
he appeared SO cold and isolated, refrained
from doing SO, as it is not pleasant proferring
sympathy unasked.
tsWell, how do You like your neighbour
asked one Of the journeymen of me as we we're
| uescending the stairs one evening"
"I can hardly make him out" said ! "he ap-
pears to be strange sort of being. You are
better acquainted with him than ] how do you
like him?''
"For my part, hate him; and what is more,
he has not single friend in the whole Office.
That fellow has been here for three months,
and has hardly spoken to any one. A man
who makes such bills rs he does, and boards
up his money like miser, have very little
friendship for We wouldn't any Of us care so
much if he would be little sociable and spend
dollar, or even dime occasionally; but no.
every FIVE cent piece he hangs on to as if he
was afraid the eagle on it would spread his
wings and fly away with it, doing him out of a
FIVE cent piece. But he can't stay here long.
We have insulted him dozen times, and he
has less spunk than think he has, if he don't
resent it some day. Well get him into n
quarrel then, and have him discharged"
"But'' said |, "do you know anything about
his history? He may have some alabsorbing
end to accomplish, which is the cause of his
untiring assiduity. You should have little
charity for the fellow, and taking Crocketts
motto be sure you're right before you go
ahead
"No, we know nothing of him; and if cir
cumstances are as you suppose, it will be his
own fault if they are discovered too late, for
we have tried often enough to scrape an ac-
quaintance with him. You had better not take
up on his side, if you do not wish to incur the
displeasure of the whole Office. Good night
] had some charity for the fellow, and was
resolved to see him righted should he get into
difficulty / soon saw that he was very unpop-
ular, and that ], as | felt disposed to make al
lowances for him, was considered his friend.
Many were the jokes at our expense; when
ever the "Quaker corner" (as the place oc-
cupied by us had been dubbed was mentioned,
universal litter ran round the Office. The
little things irritated me, but as ! was not the
principal object at whom these arrows were
aimed / resolved to forbear and let him be the
first to speak. | say, fellows" said rowdy
looking customer who went by the name OF
Zeke, ado Quakers ever have camp meetngsg'
/
meeting over there in Quaker corner every
night. That fellow camps out upon the floor
every nap he takes.'
"Well," said another, "Tve heard Of board.
ing at the market house and sleeping on the
bridge, but / never saw an illustration Of it
| before"
| Wonder if they wouldn't take in boarders?'
asked the first speaker; "Tll see if they don't
want the rules and regulations of the house
printed if they do, I'll board out the bill"
glanced at my neighbor to see how he bore
this ridicule. His face was flushed, and his
lips firmly compressed, as if to choke down the
rising Indignation, but he said not a word; I
fancied, however, that he picked up the type
faster than usual.
Things could not 60 on in this way much
longer, for as godlike quality as forbearance
is, it cannot hold out against everything. /
saw that storm was gathering, and prepared
to act my part as man when It burst forth.
1t was Saturday afternoon; the hands we're
ranged round the "stone,n with their bills in
their hands, waiting to be paid of. 'Quaker'
L. 4 4 Al. ~ @.