The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-02-14
From Life Illustrated.
A Story for the s. Higher Branches >,

| too-bave bothered their teachers with ask
ing that invidious question, "What is TIT
useI" That is the so-called "practica
view" of every thing that can't be entered
at once in figures on a profit-and-loss sheet
That is the objection to the introduction o.
| higher studies into common schools: to ex.
pense for apparatus, for experiments, for
every thing except the three R's-as the old
"practical man" called them" Readin
Ritin', and Rithmetic" Doctor Franklin
hoored one such critic with the memorable
answer, "What is the use of baby?" lie,
US consider another, and practical answer,
actually given not many years ago.
NJ. Sam Sharp, the manufacturer, always
considered "what was the use" Of every
thing Some people even said he went to
church, and gave to missions, because it was
useful in sustaining his business reputation
but probably that w4sn'tso. But that
was the principle on which he did business,
and governed his family. fancy he had
married before he got SO wise, or he would
have considered what was the use of fam
lily. But he had ono; and just as he wOuld
keep his old smoky manufactory, and incen-
venient house, because there wasn't any
use" in beautilying them, so also he gave
his sen, Sam, Jr., what he called "good
common education Exactly what he had
had himself-and put him straight into the
business. Sam grew up, some folks slyly
said, "a little older than his father" slow,
ness man, and nothing else at all
Bill Ward, Widow Wards son, and Sam s
schoolfellow, wasn't so safe and wise in lis
conrse. He went to school with Sam, and
then went into the glass works as a sort of
apprentice, while Sam entered the counting
room as clerk. Bill was steady, and smart,
and might have risen straight up to be fore
man; but to the disgust of Mr.. Sharp, who
knew enough to value a good workman, he
suddenly announced that he meant to 20 to
college.
Whats the use:'' said Mr. Sharp to
Widow Ward. "He saws he won't be a
lawyer; nor a doctor You wouldn't have
him to be clergyman? Ministers don't
have ncpr the salary in proportion, Hor the
Influence that they used to- and it's more SO
every day. He'd great deal better 90
right on with something practical and earn
good living now, and get rich after a
while. Where's he agoin' to get his sup
port through college,"
Mrs. Ward did not argue the case. She
only answered that Bill was bent on going,
ana that he was sure to do what he set
about; and that he was good and smart,
and such people always get living some
how, and = respectable one.
Bill went - coliege-supported himself
and in part his mother-by teaching, and
graduated; not with particularly high hon
ers, but with a good constitution, and a
head full of knowledge, especially in mathe
mates, for which ne had some taste, and in
which be had bestowed much study.
IyA l.a
glass-worhs to see Sam. lie found him
working away in the counting-room, looking
thin aud money-fed; but he was glad to
see his old schOolmate, and asked l;m to 90
over the works with him and see how they
looked. They went and they went,
they talked of old times, and OF new. Con-
fdently they talked of situations and pros
poets AMI here there was much dscrepan-
cy. Mr. Sharp's business was prosperous,
and he was accommodating large estate !;
while young Ward seemed to have no hing
grander In view than some leadership, or
professorShip of mathematics.
I" | almost wish you'd stayed in the works,
Bill. You'd be beginning really to have
some property by this time
Why, Aare-in my head.' answered
Ward. smiling.
But you can't raise money on that, by
check or mortgage either" answered the
young proprietor Whats the use of all
that
THE use of that returned Ward, Z" of
mathematics, for instance-the Use2 Sup
pose there were no higher mathematics,
there would be no astronomy without as
tronomy, 20 calculations of longitude; with
out the longitude, sea voyages would be
twice as long, and hundred times as dan
gerous; and consider how marine insurance
would rise. Isn't there any use in that"
"Why, yes-in that; but l don't know
as yeu are going to improve the longitude,
are you."
perhaps not. But l may improve some
thing else. All, here's the polishing room.
The same old hand-work, is it? Dear me,
what red room! One might imagine the
people were all drenchcd in their own blood
And he stood awhile, looking at the Grim
son atmosphere, and walls, and faces, occa-
stoned by the color of the bright fine pow
der used in the finishing polish Of plate
glass.
"That seems a clumsy way Of doing that
work. 1t ought TO be done by machinery"
he added.
81 wish it could" said Sam, Jr. "It's
the slowest, and hardest, and most critical
of all the work"
The foreman of the room, an old friend
of the two young men, came forward to
welcome the student; and Bill Ward stood
a long time asking questions about the op-
crations Of his department Sam, excusing
himself, rcturded to the counting-house to
his accounts and correspondence and Bill
Ware, after extracting all the knowledge he
could get from the foreman, went off, and
dow loft tha vi1laDa n short visit
to the university libraries where he had
studied.
1t was six months later; and Bill Ward,
and Sam Sharp, and Sam Sharp, Jr, sat to-
gether in the counting-room at the glass
works
"Mr. War,l," said the old gentleman, 81
have concluded to accept your offer. Mr..
Scrubem, the foreman of the polishing room,
and myself are entirely satisfied with the
operation Of your machine. 1t will un-
give us the whole market, for the
duration of the patent. The papers are
ready Shall we sign them now?"
Ward assented, and read them over. They
to pay him, in return for the
entire ownership Of the patent of his glass
polishing invention, ten thousand dollars
down. and yearly share Of one-fourth Of
all profits accruing from the use of said
machine, or the sale Of rights to use il;
which share was guaranteed not to be less
than two thousand five hundred dollars a
year for ten years. .... ..st
And now, Sam" said Ward to his friend
when all was settled, do you think there's
any thing practical about that? Isn't there
some use in studying the "higher branch
esq"
"What has that to do with inventing
machine to polish glass?" inquired the jun
ior proprietor, obviously.
"Every thing. Frst place, it kept me in
the habit of thinking pretty hard. Second
place, the principle Of the machine is work
ed out entirely by mathematical formula.
When came and looked at the work. it oc-