Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-31
Do Your Work Well.

DO 1OuT VOTk Vtlls
CARE you going to let that pass?" said
one workman to another, a shade Of sur
prise in his voice.
"Why not?'' was the answer at will
never be seen"
would you buy the Article, if you
knew just how it was made?"
mo"
"Why not?'
Because it might give out in a year in
stead Of lasting five years"
"And you are going to let the job pass
when you know that whoever buys it will
be cheated?" said the fellow-workman
ooh, you're more nice than wise,n re
turned the other, with toss of his head
"You draw things too fine.''
Suppose Mr.. Gray, down at the store
were to sell you stuff for pants that he
knew would drop to pieces in less than
six months. Would you call him a
swindlers"
perhaps / would
as there really any difference in the
cases? Whoever buys this article that
you are making will be cheated out of
his money You'll not deny that. AS
much cheated as you would be if Gray
sold you rotten CLOTH
The journeyman shrugged his should
ers and arched his eyebrows.
ave must draw things fine" resumed
the other, ''if we would be fair and
honest. Morality has no special bearing.
but applies to all mems dealings with
their fellow men. To wrong another for
gain TO ourselves, is dishonest Is not
that so?"
eyes, | suppose"
"You slight this job, that you may get
it done in shorter time than would be
possible if you made it stronger in every
part. Thus, in order to get a dollar or
two more than honest work will give, you
let an article leave your hands that will
prove cheat to any man who buys it. |
tell you, it isn't right! We must do as we
would be done by in our work, as in
everything else. There are not two codes
of honesty-one for shopkeepers and one
for workmen. Whoever wrongs his
neighbor out of his money, cheats him. %
The other journeyman turned away
from his monitor, looked half offended,
and bent over his workbench At first, he
went on finishing his job but after awhile
his fellow workman saw him take out a
defective piece of wood, and then remove
another which had not been properly
squared and iointed. Observing him still,
he saw him detach' piece which had
simply been driven into place, and which
gave no real strength, and after selecting
another, three or four inches longer, set it
by mortice and tenon firmly into the arti-
Gle he was making.
All this was done at an expenditure
Of time not exceeding an hour and a
half
There" said he, in tone of satisfac-
ton, speaking to his fellow-wOrkman
''If that doesn't last forever, it will be no
fault Of mine"
"a good, honest job" remarked the
ether.
"As ever was made
and you feel better about it than YOU
would have done had it left your hands
to cheat the purchaser out of his
money 90
Eyes, do" The answer came frankly
"How much more time has it cost you
to do this work well?" was asked
"Oh, not over an hour or two"
and The thing is worth ten dollars
more to the buyer In other words, it is
well-made article, as it should be, and will
cheat nobody. Now you have done as
you would be done by; have kept your
conscience clear; have acted as a Chris
tian man should"
ooh, as to that, I don't profess to be a
Christian,' said the other. I'm no hypo-
crite.n
"A Christian profession is one thing,
and Christian life another" answered
the felow-workman. ''All professors are
not Christians. Religion is a thing of
daily life, and unless it comes down into
a mans work and business, isn't worth a
copper No amount of church going, or
praying, or singing, will save a man, if he
isn't honest in his dealings. He must do
as he would be done by-must begin just
as you have begun, by refusing to wrong
his neighbor, though tempted to do so
that he may get an advantage for himself
"A new kind of religion that" remark
ed the JOurneyman.
CAS- old as Christianity said the other,
land the only kind that will save men.
AS We would that men should do to YOU,
do We even so to them, for this is the law
and the prophets.' He who said this,
knew all about it. And | am very sure
that if we begin to be just to our neigh
Dor, to try in all things to do as we would
be done by, our feet will have entered the
way that leads Heavenward-and though
we may be a long way from that happy
country, if we keep walking on we shall
surely get there in the end-A1Thur's
Magazine.