Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-04-11
AN ENGINEER,s YARN.

Not one of these youngsters who go to
a scientific school for few years, who
take G. E., M. E., or something of
the kind, and then put on airs about it.
They always affect to snub us practical
men, but we rather get into them when
it comes to real work. OF course, these
chaps are well enough in their way (and
that isn't mine) in getting mp artistic
drawings and models, and all that sort
of thing. And sometimes they are of
some account. There was young Hop
pin, who helped me with that toggle-
joint. I originated the idea he pnt it
it, and did the square thing by him, if
he aoas a scientific man" so I feel
perfectly free to speak my mind about
the lot, always excepting my friend
Hoppin.
But this isn't telling my story.
There's my wife Bessie (bless her dear
little heart), always saying that can't
come to the point without as many
twists and turns as my own old machine
ry. Perhaps she is right. But then,
this is the first time ever tried to ex-
press myself in print, and don't ex-
actly know how to go about it, SO you
must excuse me. That's reasonable.
isn't it? And besides, I am getting so
stout and logy-hke, and amt as sharp
as I used to be. My young acquaint-
ance, who is an editor, has roped me
into this scrape, and ought to help me
out; but he doesn't. All he says is,
" Fire away, old man, and make ii
short and sweet" I'm afraid this isn't
telling my story, either. Prolixity
CHATS the word) comes sort of natural
like to me now.
Let me see. It was sixteen years ago
this summer that I came to New York in
search of employment. I had been run
ming an engine in big tannery in the
western part of the State, and doing
first rate, till the company failed, and I
was thrown out of work. So 1 was
looking about town for something to do.
Money-gauge SO low that 1 was ready
for anything after fortnight of search
ing and waiting. / happened to be
walking through a downtown cross
street, when saw placard in the win
dow OF paper-box factory" ENaIN-
EER WANTED. Coon SALARY" "That's
just me, I" says 1, SO went into the Of
flee and asked if would do. The man.
ager said he would try me. He did try
me, and it seems must have satisfied
him, for he told me to stay.
Now, it is about this manager and
this paper-box factory that nv story.
such as it is, will be; and to make
things all straight and plain "a sort of
oiling up at the start), let me attempt to
describe them both.
First, then, the manager, Mr.. Samuel
Hardness, also sole owner of the fac
tory. This Mr.. Samuel Hardness was
the greatest villain / ever came across.
He's dead now, poor man, and I hate to
speak of those who are gone, cause.
you see, it's much the same as chinning
behind mans back but he sUas a vii
lain all the same. Not one of your
story-book villains, either. / have read
lots of novels, romances and such stuff
lately, but / haven't seen anything about
their villains that applies to my villain.
Theirs are invariably thin, dark men,
OF 1.-the, serpentine motion, with yellow
faces, straight black hair, and deep-set,
fugitive eyes. Something of the evil
one cropping out at every point. Whv.
Lord bless you, you'd recognize this
kind of villain soon as ever you clapped
eyes on him, just as you would o patent
machine, with every bit of metal Ia
beled. My villain wasn't tall, wasn't
dark at all was tolerably stout, in fact.
and welLto-do looking didn't sauirm
bit and, to cut this description short,
was just like most anybody else YOU
meet. When I engaged under him. OF
course l didn't know anything about
his villainy. How could L? He wasn't
labeled.
And now for the factory itself. 1,
was somewhat dilapidated five-stc-,
brick concern. Engine in cellar (mosi
every manufacturer had his own powe,
then, instead of just betting on to the
one big engine of the block, as they dc
now; Office and samples, first floor
clipping and folding machines, second
hoor /; girls pasting, sorting and trim
ming on the third floor stock of all
sorts on the fourth and fifth. We used
to turn out an immense deal of work
with very few hands. There were about
twenty-five or 80 girls, the manager, his
clerk and Office boy, o man to hoist and
do odd jobs, the fireman, and myself.
Except when stock WAS taken in. or
work sent out, there was nobody else in
the building.
generally kept to my own business,
and stayed down in the cellar, nursing
the old engine. She sadly needed it.
being as ricketty and patched up con-
tr1vance as one cares to stay alongside
OF. She always reminded me of some
old people you see, who are always in
need OF pectoral for a cough, or lin
lment for rheumatism, or something or
other. This engine of mine was in
such state that she always wanted
easing somewhere, rivet here, plug
there, new stufing, more felting, or a
band around the whole boiler. From
boiler to fly wheel she was ricketty.
ricketty. But there was no present
danger to be apprehended-a was safe
enough with proper care and attention.
There was the rub. / had to exercise
the same proper care and attention all
the time. But if was so occupied, I
could not help meeting the girls now
and then in the passage-way. Most of
them were of the common sort-coarse.
vulgar creatures, that L never could
abide. But there was one little pale
faced girl 1 took to straight off She
wasn't bit like the others, and seemed
as nice and quiet and lady.like, as they
were noisy and common. As / said, 1
took to her, and she-well, she didn't
altogether snub me. We got to be fast
friends soon She told ma the fola ~