Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-15
The TWO THINKERS.


coal-mining region was the humble dwell
ing of very humble man. The little,
old-fashioned kicthen was the home and
study of very poor man, of whom the
world then knew nothing, but has since
known q great deal. He worked in q
coal-pit He never learned to read or
write till he was eighteen, and then went
to school three evening in the week. But
he had eyes, and what he saw with his
eyes he thought upon. He carried it
home, worked 1t over in his mind, and
when occasion called, could use il in a
manner that astonished his neighbors. l
will giva you an instance.
One of the coal pits was flooded with
water. The engine had been fruitlessly
pumping for nearly twelve months, and
came to be regarded as a total failure
The pit "was drowned out"
On Saturday afternoon he went over to
examine the engine more carefully than
he had done before. One of the men
asked him, "Weel, George, what do you
maxi of herr" man." said George, in
reply, 81 could nlter her and make her
draw: in weeks time from this could
send you to the bottom"
"What do you know about engines"
cried the man, scornfully. But the su-
perintendent, hearing OF 1t, determined
to give Georges skill trial. In three
days he had altered the engine, and in
two days more the pit was cleared of
water and the workmen sent to the bot
tom.
How did he do it He was not bred
an engineer He had no books to teach
him. It was because he was thinker.
He had seen engines just as the other
men bad /; but he did what the rest did
not. In his spare moments he set his
mind 10 work about how they were bnilt,
and al the why's and whereiOres. In this
way he saw the cause Of the difficulty
and how TO remedy it,
Look at him. He is planning, and
drawing and studying, instead of spend
ing bis time at ale shops and cock fights
See the wheels, and cors. end axles, and
bits OF machinery about the room- no
has no books to guide him. The knowl-
edge of other men was beyond his reach.
His little son il interested in all that in.
terests his father, and his father explains
TO him pretty much all he knows. Robert
goes to school. AT thirteen his father
sends him TO the academy at Newcastle.
Bob hunts up ali the books which tell
about machinery. II he could only carry
them home TO bis fatherl But that is
against the rules. WHAT did he dor He
took the pains 10 copy all the pictures
and diagrams Of machinery which ne
thought would interest and help his
father, and when he went home on Sat
urday he explained them TO him. While
Robert was still at school, his father pro-
posed 10 him during the holidays that he
should construct a sun dial to be placed
over their cottage door. 81 expostolated
with him at first" said Robert, afterwards,
when he had become famous, 'that had
not learned sufficient astronomy and math-
clnstics TO enable me to make the neces-
cary calculations. But he would have
no denial. The thing 10 10 DO done
said he, so just set about it at once.
Well, we got Ferguson's Astronomy, and
studied the. subject together. Many a
sore head had while making the calcu-
lations necessary to adapt the dial to the
latitude Of Killingwortn. But 1t last IT
was done, and we made a very respecta.
bic diGl ST it; and there 1t is, you See
pointing 10 it over the cottage door, "still
quietly numbering the hours when the
sun shines" The date carved upon the
dial Is, " August 1lth, ADcccxu"
Would you know what all this led TO
II laid the track Of the first railroad and
built the frst locomotive. The mans
name ia George Stephenson, who drove
the first steam horse the world ever saw
and his son ia Robert Stephenson, who
planned the largest bridge IN North
America, that over the st. Lawrence
River at Montreal called the Victoria
Bridge; two names that the void viii
not soon let die.
No beginning could have been less
promising than that OF George Stephen
son. Born in poor condition, yet rich
in spirit, ne was from the first compelled
to rely upon himself. Whether working
as brakeman or sn engineer, his nina
wss always full Of the WORK in hand.
When workman, be put bis brains end
labor iato his work; and when a master
he put character and conscience into it.
You may 20 to school, boys, and read
ever Sc many books, but unless you learn
to think, you viii never be able to turn
your Knowledge TO any good or great ac-
count. II will be as loose ends in your
mind, never ready TO use, adding little or
nothing 10 your efficiency or excellence.
FOrgivings