The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-11-07

be able TO make ana MT an0 anleh Q v0ul
door, with locks and all; and in year
hope to be able to build . steam engine
No, Henry-I won't leave this place for an,
such situation - the one We are speaking
off, 81 s. s M IN s, ~. q
well, Sam-you can do a. you please
but ! shall quit ut the end Of the week am
60 at work for the new concern. ] cam
afford to loose this offer. Let's see twenty
Eve cents day. Now between this and mex
new years there'll be-let's see; twenty-twt
weeks, ,that'n be one hundred and thirty-twO
days-just thirty three dollars. Now i
We should-you know, Sam, what we've
been talking about y sr + "a
sYes know
well, if we conclude to be married mex
new year, those thirty three dollars will b
worth something, eh?'
sWhy, yes: but then l look beyond that
If had no more Of life to look up to thar
next January, might run the risk ct some
change, but as it is, l think Pm better of
as am. At all events, lam contented here
and so were you till this new offer came up
We both felt We were receiving all that We
ought to receive, and our ambition was, to
merit more. If We remain here We shall
surely gain all we deserve, and what we dc
deserve we shall surely receive.'
30, that all sounds very well, but say
take the best you con get.' , sar r.
$50 do L. returned Samuel; and here the
conversation ended. n-, ,.
Several times during the week, young
Willis approached his companion on the sub
ject, trying to get him to 60 and work fol
thenew firm, but without effect. ....-.-
81 see," said Peterson, at the last con-
versation, ssYou are getting spice of ex-
citement into your system. You will one Of
these days love change for the mere sake Of
change. You'll be like Tom Packard-one
of the best fellows living, but see how he
manages. He loves change-change has
become necessary to him. Let him have
the best business in the world, and he'd
leave it for the first new thing that might
turn up. Last year he was making money
in the express business. lis owned four
good horses clear, and was doing well. But
soon as Rasom went up to him and opened
his plan for that new bowling alley, Tom
went right into it. He wanted something
new and he had it; after losing all he had
of money, he's gone to peddling. Next he'll
be driving coach, and he always cOntrives
to leave good business as soon as some
thing else is offered.'' .r-.s ....-..E j. ..
However the week came round, and Hem
~ Willis left his old EMPLOYER and went at
work for Crafts, Cumfrey 4 Co., and Mr..
Merrill nut new hand in his place, advanc-
inp one of the older apprentices, and taking
q new one. Samuel Peterson worked on
with renewed energy, He had determined
to merit the confidence of his EMPLOYER, and
proye himself WORTHY Of the advancement he
aimed at, He often met Henry and he new
er failed to congratulate himself on the ex-
cellent place he had obtained. Samuel was
glad to hear it.
Some time in August-near the first of
the month-Mr. Merrill called Peterson into
his room. 49,
.Samuel," said he, 81 have received an
offer to nut an iron vault, with double doors,
into the Merchants Bank-the inner door
to be triple plated, with the middle plate of
cast steel. Here is a minute draft Of what
thew want. 80 far as form and style is con-
cerned. You NAV take this. and 20 up and
look at the place where tae vault is to be
placed: :: and then YOU car let me know if YOU
feel competent to do it.
The youth thankcS as EMPLOYER, and,
then with a strangely liuttering heart, he
took the plan and withdrew. He looked it
over, and then went up to the bank, where
he received all the information he desired |;
and that evening he informed MIR. Merrill
that he could do it.
s'Very well,' returned the master. s'And
now YOU shall have nv proposition. am
to receive twelve hundred dollars for the
safety vault. About three hundred of that
must 20 for the locks, and some for other
matters besides stock. will give you two
hundred and twenty dollars to make it, and
YOU may take such help as you need by paying
them the same as am paying them. For
instance: If you use Jones, shall deduct
two dollars for every day you use him-and
for Smith shall deduct only one dollar
You understand. But you will say nothing
of this to the hands,"
Some further conversation was held On
the subject, and then Samuel was ready for
his Job. On the following morning he went
at It. He kept Smith at work with him
nearly all the time, and most of the time he
had others to help him. He made all his
own plans and draughts, and every bit of
the head work, and in every case the work
fitted to hair. The door was splendid
specimen Of workmanship-in fact, both of
them were. The outer door. which was of
polished iron, was made with stiles, rails
and pannels, and when it was done, not
seam or mark could be detected where the
Joints were, nor could the heads of the bolts
be seen. 1t was placed in the counting room
on exhibition while the rest Of the vault was
under way. ~.a y.
At length the work was completed, and
the vault set up. Samuel superintended the
masons while they set it, and not until it
was ready to put the papers into, did he
give up the keys. He sat down with Mr..
Merrill after the work was done, and reck-
oned up the result Of his job. He had work
ed on the vault forty-seven days. He had
Smith to help him forty-two days, at one
dollar per day Gurney twenty days, at one
dollar and twenty-five cents per day, and
Jones, eight days, at two dollars per day.
Then there were five dollars to pay for truck
ing. This added up amounted to eighty
eight dollars, leaving q balance in his favor
Of one hundred and thirty-two dollars.
"Weli, Samuel you've made pretty good
speculation," said MIR. Merrill, after the re-
suit had been arrived at. .-. ......
s.And-a-how much am l to receive ?"
nsked the youth, tremulously. -.
s'Why, here it is, in black and white: |
offered you two hundred and twenty dollars