The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-22
Tho Practical Man,

he sat beside us in the street car. Il,
looked over our shoulder at new cop
OF the Scientific American, which, ireSl
from tho press, was receiving our 1nA
scrutiny, and requested the loan OF th,
paper for moment when we had finished
He glanced at the first page, skinned
over tho middle, and peeped into the in
side.
" suppose that paper interests a great
many people," he remarked.
We mOdestly signiIled our assent.
"WR'll II don't me-" he lnutterGd sharp
ly. ut doesn't take no books or paper
10 learn me my business, you know
Never learned nuthin' from books in my
lie. Didn't have but quarters schoOlln'
and then ! went into the shop. Served
my time with old Pete Reynolds, Of Dos.
ton. You knows him mebbe; dead now.
Was his foreman; now I'm boss Of my own
works In the city. I'm q practical man,
l am. All yer hollergeys aud hosSerphys
may do well enough 10 write about, but
they amt no sOrt'er use In the shop. They
Just git inter mems heads and set 'em a
thinking about other things than their
work, and then they get inyentin', and
that's the last OF 'em. Why, | had a like.
ly young teller, who used 10 buy that
paper and read on II, dinner hour. Some.
times he'd stick itup on his lathe, until l
stopped that mighty sudden. Wall, one
day I caught him scribblln' with piece
OF chalk on q bit Of board; then
knOw'd the invention tit had got hold Of
him, and that he was q gonGr. A lew
weeks after he came to the office, and
says he, "BOss, I've got q little arrange.
ment here thatll make the old lathe do
better work. and he out with one OF them
regular printed paytents and he showed me
q new attachment for making gearins and
such. wall, says l to humOr him like,
sonny says |, you can go and make
your masheen, and sit 1t up on the lathe,
II yer wanter.' But the ungrateIul vii
lin began'to say something about royalty
and shop tights, and told the bookkeepcr
to pay him right of, and let him clear
out Blow me Il he didn't go over to
Smiths, across the street, and rig his
affair there-and the frat thing l knOw'd
Smith was turnin' out work at halt my
prices. Then had to go and find that
teller and pay him his bland royalty
and heap 1t was too.
Nov, there was q good hand Just spill
cd by R.readin'; II he'd a.let that ere pa
per Of your'n alone he might ha' been
good, stiddy man, gitten his So a day
comfortable and regular. Now they say
he's maxim stamps by thousands, but he's
spilled. Won't be worth nulhin' ever for
ever for work agin. Where I'D l have
been II I'd pegged away at books and
noozepapers-ehY"
Our practical friend did not wait for an
answer; and while we were Cogitatng
suitable response he suddenly made a
bolt out OF the car, and rushed down a
side street, toward dilapidated- looking
editice, which, we coDjectured, was none
other than the works
Our acquaintance carried of our paper.
lie honestly mailed II back TO US the
other day. We smiled as we saw the |
humb marks on all the pages, and oppo-
lite an engraving there was pencil note |
lt"I kno bettur plan than this" Perhaps
liter all a latent idea In his brain has
,een aroused, or has he taken the inven.
ion ftP Should he see this he will
scout the idea that our humble
forts have awakened him, for ut doesn't
AXE no papers TO learn me my business,
ou know"