Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-04
THE LABORING MAN.

thing; but the simple garb of labor may
cover the best of men. Among the
many unfortunate mistakes which has
been made in this latter respect is the
following, which happened within my
own knowledge and observations;
Christopher Goodhue, at the age Of 40
amassed fortune in mercantile pur
suits, and had lost his health. His ply
sician told him he must leave the city
and quit his present business.
"Of course you must have employ,
ment, and that, too, of kind that shall
exercise your best business faculties.
Now think, my dear Goodhue, | have
just the thing for you. You have been
at Walkers Falls, up in Franklin
"Yes."
"Well, those large mills are for sale
both the wooden mill and the paper mill
together with machine shop belonging
to them. The former owner is dead, and
his widow wishes to sell; 5000, 900 cash,
am very sure, will buy the wole property
You can pay that and yet have enough
left to make you independent. And then,
if you buy, you will naturally improve
two or three excellent water privileges
which are now idle. Think of it, deal
sir. A very healthy, salubrious and in
vigorating mountain air; retired ano
delightful location; fish and game OF all
sorts ready to your rod and gun, when
ever you wish relaxation and recreation
and the very best sch ool in the country
for your children" :"
Mr.. Goodhue was taken with the idea
but, like a prudent man, he said he would
speak with his wife. He did so, and she
sensible woman, said: Let us go from
the city. Oh, we can be so happy in the
free, fresh air; and not only you, but our
children will be better and stronger.
So Chris. Goodhue went up to Walk
er's Falls, in the beautiful village among
the mountains, and bought the mills, to-
gether with all the unimproved water
power, and within two weeks thereafter
he had removed thither with his family
and entered at once, heart and soul, into
the work of improvement.
Now, Molly" he said to his wife
you know | have come up here fol
healthful exercise and shall hire men tC
do the drudgery of close office work. We
must fix up around the house. am 60
ing to dig and hoe and delve in the gar.
den. So you must make me pair Of
blue oyeralls and frock. | must dress
for the work do. =
Mrs. Goodhue smiled, but the cheerful
tones of her husband, already vimmy
and robust, made her heart glad, and she
and the girls set to work cheerfully and
merrily upon the clothing for the new
laboring man.
People were rejoiced when they knew
that wealthy business man from the
distant city had bought the mills, be-
cause those same mills, employing near
ly two hundred hands, were the life OF
the place, and the real good and pros
perity of other business depended in a
great measure upon their thrift and sue
cessful management.
The principal store at Walker Falls
was kept by man named Ralph Stoyer.
He had managed to work into the bulk OF
trade through the partiality of the for
mer proprietor of the mills, with whom
he had shared the high profits on goods
sold upon orders to the employees OF
the mills. He was an honest man, as
the world goes; but with him honesty
was policy, and nothing more.
Eben Shackford kept the other
proper store-and when | say proper
store" mean a regular country store,
where goods ofall kinds, qualities and
varieties are kept, and where farmers
can dispose of all sorts of transportable
produce.
Shackford was truly an honest man
honest from the very inmost instinct of
his heart. With him honesty was not
so much a principle as part Of his
nature. He had not laid up money.
His trading was mostly confined to an
old run of custom among the neighbor-
ing farmers, while those who had mohey
to pay for their goods had been mon
opolized by the more stirring and
scheming Slower.
81 believe" said Slower, must go
and see Mr.. Goodhue, and make some
arrangement for securing his custom
and his orders. / calculate his trade
and influence will be worth more than a
thousand dollars a year clear profit. He
must have got settled down by this time,
and ready for business. / wish | knew
what sort of man he is But i guess |
shall know how to take him after | have
studied him awhile. can read human
nature pretty easily"
The trader was preparing 10 leave
when laboring man entered the store
a man habited in blue overalls and frock
and wearing upon his head an old straw
hat,
"Mr. Stover, | think2' said the new
conner.
That's my name.
The laboring man started at the alb
ruptness of the tone. He was not used
to being answered in that Wayi nos was
he used to hearing traders speak so to a
customer.
81 want to get a little paint, sir. |
am
MY boy will attend to you. l am
busy
But, sir, your boy may be as ignorant
of the compounds ] require as ! am. I'm
going to paint floor, and only know
that ] want some yellow ochFe, some
litharge and"
al am not painter, sir" broke in
Slower, roughly. my boy will put up
whatever you want,
Then you cannot accommodate
customer with the benefit of your knowl-
edge concerning the respective quanti-
ties for specified purposeY'
knowledge isn't one of my trading
commodities. You will find that up at
the academy. Here, John-if this man
wants anything, sell it TO him."
And thus speaking, Mr.. Slower put on
his hat and left the store, evidently
thinking that his customer, whom he
had never seen before, was either an
itineraBt laboFing man or a farmer from
the back region, who would want 10 pay
for his goods Ia poplar wood or old pots-
toes.
Ralph Stover went to the mills, where
he found an architect and an engineer
from the city supervising extensive alter
ations and improvements. But Mr..
Goodhue was not there They thought
likely he was at his house. So TO the
house Mr.. SioFer wended his way, where
he was informed by a lady that if Mr..
Goodhue was back from an errand upon
which he had gone out, he would proba-
hix IL eonnd in the Garden