Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-10-14
BEING Somebody.

afternoon said James Grey to hi
cousin.
No, James and have already give
you my reasons for refusing, was tn
reply.
"A fig for such reasons! You can
afford the time! Why man--or boy
rather, for you will never be man..
what is one afternoon, that you are s,
afraid ofspending i'll
much, very much. James. have ;
difficult plan almost complesed. ant
wish to finish il W hile the idea is fresi
in my mind
That everlasting plea again. Som.
old machinery. enough to puzzle thu
brain Of Archimides himself. Are yos
! going TO invent perpetual notion!
do declare, you are enough TO provoke
the patience ofa saint. Forever opins
over plans. diagrams and models, and
heathenish machinery, that would make
your room pagan temple. expec,
you will apply Tor a patent for an i'm
provement in the car Of Juggernalt.-
But il is of no use to talk to you, for
you are Joined to your idols. | would
try to be somebody,' he pettishly con
tinued, as he turned towards the door.
Would you, James2' was the quiet ra.
ply of William. We'll, am trying to
be somebody
You take strange way FOR it, though
Here you are. shut up in this dismal
room. day and night, never enjoying a
harmless trick with the rest of us, or
giving yourself any of the indulgences
that make life pleasant. Even holiday
makes no difference with you. One
would think that you loved the very
sight of the tools and workshop. for
YOU have them forever with yon.'
'Don't get excited. James, said Will
liam, smiling. Come. do be serious
now. Do neglect any of my duties7
Do not perform as much labor. aud
succeed as we'll in my trade, as any Of
YOU? And, as for enjoy ment, no one
loves pleasure better than do. lshould
enjoy sail with you very much; but
cannot indulge myself. for my means Of
i'm provement are limited. and but little
OF my time can call my own.
James, we are machinis,s. causing
gross material substance to assume
shapes OF beauty and fitness, under the
mysterious supremacy Of our wills
Some call this low, common bust
ness; a mechanical opera tion; but il is
not so There is mental power to
which matter must bow; and there is
nothing higher than 70 elevate and eno-
BILE our conce ptions. SO as TO make this
plastic matter subservient to the best
interests Of man. Ii is thus improve.
ments are made. First, the ideal, the
corresponding outward form. Now, in
my mind, there is shadowed forth,
though but dinhy--'
'Save me from such learned inhic.
tions,' exclaimed James. Il have no
tast for wha, cannot understand. Well,
William, be dreamer if you please; |
am for active life and its pleasures.
Hurrah for our sail and goodbye to the
second Fulton.'
sPcoy Jumes! A mere hewer of wood
and drawer Of water, said William. as
he closed the door, and resumed his EN-
ployment.
where's Willv cried several voices,
as James joined his comrades in the
street.
ooh, in his room Of course, calcula
ting how much beetle-power it will take
to draw an acorn up an ant.hill."
.Couldn't yoa prevail IN him to come?
He is enc Of the best rowers we have
Prevail on him!:: No, you might as
welltry oprevail on an oyster TO leave its
she'll! was really vexed, and gave him
short piece Of my mind. told him at
length. I would try to be somebody"
said Jslnos, lighting his cigar and twirl-
ing his cane after the mos, approved
fashion.
Good said Harry Gilbert. Il am glad
you showed your spirit. William is q
good-heartsd fellow, if he is so full OF
oddities. and it may perhaps start him
from his burrow. But what did he say!'
'Oh, after arguing the matter awhile,
he went of into learned dissertation,
in the mids, OF " hich made my escape.
His conceptions and ideals were too
much for me. He will never be any
body in the world; that's the long and
short OF it,
James and William Grey were eous.
ins, and were both apprentices in ma.
chine shop where various kinds Of ma
chinery were made. James, as may be
inferred from the foregoing conversation. !.
looked upon his employment as nee
esssry evil.-To him it was mere man.
ual labor. given number OF blows re-
quisite degree OF heat. certain expen
diture Of strength-in word, it was toll
in its most literal sense.
William, on the contrary, vie we'd it
with the eye Of an artist. There was
not merely the rough iron to be moul-
ded into some uncared for machine, but
as lie had told James, plastic material
assuming beauty by the will Of man
He studied, therefore. not only the me
chanical part Of his trade, but his inven
tive genius was excited. Curiosity les
him to examine the uses aud peculia
adoption Of the machinery he made, ill
at length his active mind suggested va
rious improvements.
All his leisure time was employed il
the construction ofmodels, aud his roor
might have been taken for miniatur
pa;en, Office. The last year OF his ap
premiership was nearly at lis close. an
William had not only improved, bat ha
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