Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-07-25
Colman & CO., Per c."

firm long and well known in the
country as Colman & Co. I want
to tell you how I worked my way to
this position. At the age Of fifteen,
with my free cons ent my father
signed articles which bound me to
give William r. Lee, cabinet-maker,
the labor of three years. In lieu of
board, clothing, etc, the usual equiv
alcnt given, was to receive one
dollar per week, and at the expira-
ton of the three years, fifty dollars
in money. My home, in the mean
time, was with my father, who
boarded and clothed me.
A backward look over those three
years seems pleasant TO me. sup
pose many years during my appren-
ticeship l longcd for more liberty,
moro leisure, and more money, or
something different from what l
had. l should hardly have been an
average boy if had not, but in the
main l was tolerably contented.
So eighteen came. The heir of
an English estate, on the happy day
when he was to take possession,
could hardly, l think, have felt hap
pier than I. Upon the morning Of
the day when my indcntures were
to cease, Mr.. Lee came to me and
said:
81 suppose I shall have to tell you
that / haye no further claim upon
your time after tonight"
l felt a certain amount Of inde-
pendence as I replied:
81 know it sir" and drew sigh
Of relief.
Come to the Office after hours" }"
he said, and turned away.
In the office at night / met my
father, who, with me saw the writ
ing cancelled. then received fif-
ty dollars, shook hands with Mr..
Lee, and turned to leave the office.
zone moment" said Mr.. Lee;
shave you any plans for the future?''
"No sir,"I SAID, promptly;" to
morrow is my eighteenth birthday
and want to spend it with out a
thought of anything"
He smiled a little gravely, and
then said:
"Well take 4 week to think of
nothing, and then come back to me. "
Outside l met my fellow workmen
waiting to give me u cheer, for it
was customary among us on such
occasions to have a general hand
shake.
"Come, Colman, can we not have
beer?,' said several voices.
This was also customary, and /
hesitated moment, but something
said to me, "begin now as you ex-
pect to 60 on" and l said:
"Threc times the sum, boys, in
anything else you like, but let us
have no drinks"
"That's So" said one of the mum.
Der; "rcmembcr poor Stearns."
Stearns was n man whom Lee had
employed again and again. A week
since he had been turned away be-
cause he came to his work intoxica-
ted, and we knew he had no work
since.
Mears' remark gave me thought,
and ] turned quickly and said:
eff the crowd will forego treats,
oysters, or what it may be, we'll
agree to send the money to Stearns'
wife and family"
My plan took well, and was Sec
onded not only with words but
deeds, and We dcputized "little
Tom," as he was called, to take the
money to Stearns' house.
"And mind" said Mears again,
"you give it to Stearns' wife, else it
may yet 60 for drink"
Then l went home, and spent the
week after in idleness. Perhaps l
ought to have felt guilty of waste of
time. I do not think 1 did.
thoroughly enjoyed my respite and
liberty to be out at any time of the
day. A curious feeling, almost like
seeing new world, comes to per-
son who, having been shut up frc m
the sunshine for a considerable
time, is suddenly given the freedom
to walk, lounge, or loiter, subject to
no hours, times, nor bells. My faith
er and mother left me entirely to
myself during that week, though l
have since been told that my moth
er's heart beat anxiously for fear I
was beginning a downward path.
my father restrained her fears, say
ing:
"Give him his time, a week, wife;
let him run to the end Of his rope.
1 think he will begin to pull in
then"
1 even deserted the family pew
on Sunday, thing never heard of
before, and looked in at the different
faiths around; but no comment was
made. Until the appointed time, I
had actually taken no serious
thought Of the future. Punctually
then, but with a sigh, ! presented