Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-11-17
G8e Storp GfIlfr /.
TEE
JoURNEYMAN's SECRET.
FROM THE DIARY OF JorunsrrnAs PRINTER.


than the following. y was clipped, by us,
from the columns of Brooklyn cotemPorary,
but we do not know where it had its origin.
1t is SO true to nature and so unaffectedly
narrated, that it brougM tears into our eyes,
and tears of our own are so few and far be-
tween, that we can say sto them, with Kotz-
bue's stranger, 'Welcene, old friend, it's long
since we have met Ifwould be useless to
explain the technical phases used in this little
narrative, which is evidently, as they say in
court, when they sweaE you, 'the truth, the
whole truth. and nothing but the truth We
have seen many 'QuaEer,' like the one spok-
of below, in printing Offices.
You can take this case, said the foreman,
shere is stick-here 10 some copy and if
you want quick and SHADY partner, you will
find this gentleman stilh enough in all con-
science
The spartner' mereE looked and family
smiled in acknowledgement of the foremans
compliment, and kept oA with his work, while
the foreman turned away to attend to some
thing else. z
We worked on steadily until dinner, as we
were in a hurry to get the paper up, without
exchanging word or even look. In the
afternoon I had more leisure to study the phys
iognOmy of my neighbof. He was Soung
man, Of about twenty-three or four years, with
handsome features and rather intellectual
cast of countenance. Ills face was quite
pale, and the raven darkness of his hair, eye
brows and eyes, made Ane Immediately come
to the conclusion, afiat thoroughly studying
his physiognomy, thats he was hard student
during his leisure moments, or that, depriving
himself of recreation of books, or other sourc-
es of enjoyment, he spent his waking hours at
the case. The latter supposition, time proved
to be correct. q
As day after day passed by, | became more
acquainted with him !; aud found him to be
singular character. s Beneath his stand he
had constructed kind of closet, which con-
tained cooking lamp, mattress with bed
ding, 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 his food over it to cook,
would work till all the rest of the hands had
left the Office He worked necessarily during
work hours, hardly leaving the office unless
to purchase food, or upon some errand of that
kind. Morning, noon and night, when re-
turned from my meals, | invariably found him
at the case, workingswith all his might, as if
some great issue depended upon the improve
ment of every minute. / suppose he had slept
upon the cot which he kept in his closet; but
as he was always akwork when left at night
and when returned in the <morning, could
not positively assert that he did SO. Twas not
long in discoveringAhat there was some mys-
terry connected witffhim, and that his intense
application to laborwas not prompted merely
by desire to make money for if there is
anything in phreRology, Judging from the
formation of his head, he was the very one
would not have suspected of being a spend
thrift. Occasionally his cheek would flush,
his eyes light up. and happy smile over
spread his features; then the smile would go
away, his eyes wobld fill with tears; while
an expression ofssadness-almost despair
would seat itself upon his countenance.
had been tempted q thousand times to ask him
the cause of this, but as he appeared so cold
and isolated, RETAINED from doing SO, as it is
not pleasant profSring sympathy unasked.
Well, how do you like your neighbor 2
asked one of the lourneymen of me, we
were descendingJhe stairs one evening.
can hardly make him out, said / 'he
appears to be strange sort of being. You
are better acquainted with him than how
do you like himp
For my part ! hate him, and what is
more, he has notsa friend in the whole Office
That fellow has been here three months, and
he has hardly spoken TO any one. man who
makes such bills as he does, and boards up
his money like 4 miser, ! have very little
friendship for. We wouldn't any of us care
so much if he'd bea little sociable and spend
dollar, or even asEime, occasionally but no
every five cent piece he gets he hangs on
to, as if he were afraid the eagle on it, would
spread its wings aqr fly away with it, doing
him out Of a fve-cfnt piece. But he can't
stay here long. We've 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 quaEel then, and have him dis
charged
But said l, 'doyou know anything about
his history! He may have some all-absorbng
end to accomplish, which is the cause of his
untiring assiduity. fEou should have little
charity for the fellow, and taking CrOckett's
motto, "be sure you're right before you go
ahead. - vrF tt-a
No, we know noshing of him, and if cir
cumstances are as ysn suppose, it will be his
own fault if they arekdiscovered too late, for
we have tried often &Aough to scrape acquain-
tance with him.. Ybu had better not take
sides with him, if ydt do not want to incur
the displeasure of ashe whole office. Good
night M ar9rs .
I had some charity for the fellow, and was
resolved to see him.Hghted should he get into
difficulty. Isoon aw that he was unpopular,
and that, as felt f8ther disposed to make al
lowances for him4I was considered as his
friend Many were the jokes cracked at our