The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-03-01
Srlett Mlisetllang.
PETER BARENDS:
The Man Who Gained by Losing,
BY REV. JOHN DE bIERDE.

Though Eliphaz the Tcmanite was mis-
erablc comforter, yet he was not an alto
gether incapable preacher. 1t was q true
saying of his that God diSappointeth the de-
rices Ofthe crafty so that their hands cannot
perform their enterprise. At least this
was the experience of Peter Barends, the
foreman of Mr. Kolmans large bedding and
mattress manufactory. ..1 t..r..r
Mr.. Ko!man's extensive premises were
situated in one of the denSely populated
suburbs of the metropolis. There also was
situated Peters snug little house, which
looked as clean outside and Inside as a
Swiss toy under glass shade. And no
wonder, for his excellest, active, and indc-
faticahle wife brushed and ecrubbed the
two rarlors and the attic and the littlo eel
lar every day, and squirtcd dclnse of
water upou the outside walls twice every
week
'i"When am dead" she used to say, al
cannot help going to the DUST but as long
as | live the dust shall not come to me"
Aud Peter quito agreed with her there, and
thought there was not cleverer wife with
in ten miles around.
Nor was Mr.. Holman less pleased with
Peter. lie lad enjoyed his honest and val
liable service for upwards of twenty-one
years. During that period the small six
wiulowed factory had grown into the 81
gantic odifce which lifts its fve.storied
frame as higlrabove the surrounding houses
as tho elephant, with its upliited trunk,
must have figured above the beasts that
crowded the ark of. Noah Everybo ly,
from the first feather cleaner down to the
assistant. ticking ,scamstress, agreed that
but for Peters able and faithful manage-
ment, the building would never havo got
beyond its old six windows. Nor did Mr..
Holman deny it altogether, though he al
ways tried 10 make the people understand
that rcter had acquired all his knowledge
and ability under his mastcrship; which of
course. Peter in his turn never denied,
His wife, however, would sometimes re-
mark, that If Peter and his master had an
equal share in the praise bestowed upon
the excellent beds, it might be understood
in this way: that whereas Peter made them
during The day, up even till eleven o'clock
at night, his master tried them during the
night, up even till eleven o'clock in the
day. If, however, Peter kept the works
going To such a late hoHr in the night. il
was well known that he often demonstrated
with his master about this dsproportiou-
ate division of labor and rest; and the pco-
pie were not unconscious that they were
indebted to him for the higher wages which
at length they received for their 0ver-work.
Thus, though he would sometimes give a
welIdescrved ear-box 10 boy, or turn out
dirty-looking seamstress with the threat
that he would throw pail OF water on her
If she ventnred to come again in that state,
YET he was liked by Ills people as the
beasts in the Geological Gardens like the
keeper, who brings them their food. In
fact, MIR. Koman's works exhibited re-
marEable similarity to a managcrie. There
was the clumsy white bear, and the roaring
lion, and the malignant tiger, ana the irrita-
BILE will-dog, and the always laughing mon
key, and the neverstniling ospray. And
all this tribe was kept in order by Peter.
When he but lifted the latch of the door,
the noisiest humming and babblement i'm
,nediately changed to perfect silence, just
as at railway station the ear deafening
kissing of the engine at cnce ceases when
the engineer turns the handle.
There was one lamb, but only one lamb,
In this human menageric. Jane Moling,
the ticking .scamstress, was q good, quiet,
kind girl. and a Jealous, clever worker at
the same time. Whatever came from her
hands might be examined with ioup; no
bCMluK NbhlN oSN ihoiN 10 VA
stitches. Yet Peter always felt puzzled
with her She wa the only one among
the crowd whom lie felt certain dread OF.
Whenever he entered the seamihg.room in
his usual rough, imperious manner, the
look of that girls eyes at once disarmed
him. Especially when lac allowed him
self to strengthen his rebukes by an oath
or two, or by threatening tho people with
the condemnation Of God and the fire Of
he'll if they did not work Sbetter-at such
times he felt ashamed of himself if ns eyes
met those of Jane, aud he would leave the
room with blush.
There is something queer about that
Jane Moling,7 he one day said TO the first
seamstress, when paying her her wages.
II don't understand what it can be-. DO
you know anything about her, Mrs. Steeu!"
"Ali! she is saint, sir. She is one Of
the elect, you know. mean in this way"
With these words Mrs. Steen turned up
the white Of her eyes towards The ceiling
and drew down her lace 10 something like
Ihree.qusyters more than its usual lcuslL.