The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-10-26
Ruth.

A curious trade to take to. but then it
has grown to be profitable. Things were
at a low ebb with me when | took it up.
while now
There, won't boast. only say that I'm
thankful for l.. Poverty comes 10 at the
door, and love flies out at the window, so
they say but that's all nonsense, or else
your poor people would be always miser.
able, while according to my experience
your poor man is often more light. hearted
than the man with thousands.
was at my wits end for something to
do and sat bibbling my nails one day.
and e-unbliog horribly.
"Dnn't go on like that Tom" says my
wife; "things might be worse"
"How ?" | said.
why. we might have Luke at home,
and be is doing WE'LL"
Luke's our boy, you know, and we had
got him into merchants Office, where he
seemed likely to stay; but l was in a
grumbling fit then, and there was clicke.
ty.click noise going on in the next room
that fidgeted ne terribly.
Things can't bc worse" | said angrily;
and l was going to prove myself in the
wrong by making my wife cry, when there
was knock at the door.
Come in." | said, and fellow.lodger
put in his head.
"Are you good at WORKS Mr., Smith ?"
he said.
what works p | said; fireworks
gasworks ?"
mo, no /; mean works Of things as
goes with wheels aud springs
"MiddIing," said, for was fond of
pulling clocks IN niaoas and ,-pina IN in.
vent.
IL wish you'd come and look at this
sewing machine Of mine, for | cant get it
to CO."
Sewing machines were newish in those
days. and | got up to have look at it,
and after an hours fddiDg about, 1 be-.
gan TO see bit the reason why-the pur.
pose. you know, Of all the screws and
cranks and wheels found out. too, why
our peigbbor's wife. who was dressmake er
and hDd just started one could not get
it to go; and before night, by think ing
and putting this and that together. had
got her in the way Of working it pretty
steadily, though with my clumsy fingers
couldn't have done it myself.
l had my bit Of dinner and tea with
these people, and they forced half crown
upon me as we'll, and | went back feeling
like rev man, so refreshing had been
that bit OF work.
There" said my wife. Il told you
something would come"
"Well, SO you did," said but tina,
something ia rather small
But the very next day-as we were
living in the midst of people VINO were
fast taking to sewing mechnes-if thu
folks from the next house didn't want m,
to look at theirs and then the new
spreading. as news will spread. that there
was somebody who could cobble anC
tinker machinery, without putting peopl,
to the expense that makers would. if th,
jobs didn't come 10 fast so that | wa,
obliged to get lies and drills and a vic,
regular set Of tools by degrees and \
last was as busy as a bee from morning
till night, whistling over my work a
happy as king.
OF course, every now aud then got
breaksge, but | could generally get owe
that by buying new wheel, or spindle
or what not. Next we got to supplyiu
shuttles, and needless aud machine cotton
Soon after | bought a machine Of a maj
who was tired oft. Next week sol
it at a good profit bought another. an
another, aud sold them then got to tax
ing them and money in exchange for ne,
ones and one way and the other becam
a regular big dealer, as you see
Hundreds 2 Why. now. secondhand
and with those being repaired up stair
by the men, I've got at least three hund
: red on the premises. while il anybody ha
: told me fifteen years ago that should b
doing this, / should have laughed at hin
The pretty girl showing and explainio
the machine to = customer 2 That's Rutl
!. that is. No. not my daughter yet. bu
y rhe soon will oe. Poor girl. | alwsy
!" think Of her and Of bread thrown upo
the waters ct the sams time.