South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-09-10
Ruth's stepfather.

. 1t up. was at my wits end for some.
thing to do. and sat nibbling my nails
one day, and grumbling horribly.
Don't GO on like that, Tom," says
my wife; things might be worse"
"How?" said. e.,
Why. We might have Luke at home.
and he is doing WE'LL ara fzt.7
Luke's our boy, you know, and we had
got him into q merchants office, where
he seemed likely to stay. ~
Things can't be worse" I said an
grily; when there was knock ut the
door.
Come in" said, and fellow lodg.
er put in his head. s4 ,s.i-
Are you good at works. Mr.. Smith,
he said. I" @
"Middling." I said. for was fond of
pulling clocks to pieces, and trying to
invent. e
II wish you'd come and look at this
sewing machine Of mine, for 1 can't get
it to go. ~i Nr ~
| got up to look Mt It, and after about an
hours fiddling about, began to see a
bit the reason why. 1 had my bit of
dinner and tea with those people. and
they forced half crown upon me as
well, and went back feeling like new
man, so refreshing had been that bit of
work. The very next day the folks
from the next honse wanted me to look
at theirs, and then the news spreading,
as news spread. that there was somebody
who could cobble and tinker machinery,
without putting people to the expense
that makers would, the jobs came in so
fast, so that was obliged to get files and
drills and vice-regular set Of tools
by degrees; and at last was as busy
as bee from morning to night, and
whistling over my work as happy as q
king.
| Next we got to supplying shuttles
and needles and machine cotton. Soon
after bought machine Of man who
was tired of it. Next week sold it at n
good profit; bought another and another,
ard sold them; then got to taking them
and money in exchange for new ones,
and one way and the other became n re-
gular big dealer as you see. I've got Mt
least three hundred on the premises.
while if anybody had told me fifteen
years ago that l should be doing this,
should have laughed at him.
That pretty girl showing and explain
ing the machine to customer? That's
Ruth, that is. No, not my daughter
yet, but she soon will be. Poor girl, /
always think of her and of thread thrown
upon the waters at the same time. ecu
rious idea, that" you will say, but I'll
tell you why. In our trade we have
strange people to deal with Most of
'em are poor, and can't buy machine
right Off but are ready and willing to
pay 80 much week. That suits them,
and it suits me, if they'll only keep the
| payments up To the end.
The way | have been bitten by some
| folks has made me that case-hardened
I that sometimes I've wondered whether
I'd got any heart left, and the wifes had
to interfere, telling me I've been spoiled
with prosperity, and grown unfeeling.
1t was she made me give way about
Ruth, for one day, after having had my
bristles all set up by finding out that
three sound machines, by best makers,
had gone nobody knew where, who
should come in the shop but ladylike-
looking woman in very shabby widow 5
weeds. She wanted machine for her.
self and daughter to learn, and she said
she had heard | would take the money
by installments. Now just half an hour
before, by our old shop clock, / had
made VOW that I'd give up all that part
of the trade, and / was rough with her
just rs | am when I'm cross-and said
mo"
"But you will if the lady gives secu-
rity," said my wife, hastily.
| ha 10
| gone look at us that il made me more
out Of temper than ever, for | could feel
that if stopped ] should have TO let
her have one at her own terms. And so
it was for let her have n first.class
machine, as good as new, she only pay
ing seven and six down, aud undertake.
ing to pay half a-crown n week, aud no
more security than nothing
/ TO make il worse. too, | sent the thing
home without charge. Luke going with
/ it, for he was back at home now. keep
ing my books, being grown into fine
| young fellow Of five and twenty. and
sat down and growled the whole day,
/ calling myself all the weak. minded idiots
under the sun, and telling the wife that
business was going to the dogs, and
/ should he ruined
"You ought to be ashamed Of your.
self. Tom." she said.
$50 / am" say3 7. / didn't think
could be such fool"
"Such fool az 20 do good, kind nc
1 ton 20 one who was evidently lady
born, and come down in the world"
"Yes." says, ito live in Beunetcs
place. where I've sunk no less than ten
machines in five years"
Yes" says the wife. "aDd cleared
hundreds Of pounds. Tom. I'm asham
ed ofyou-yOu a man with twenty work
men busy up stairs. a couple Of thou
sand pounds worth Of stock, and in the
bank a."
Hold your tongue. will you?" I said
roughly, and went ont Into the shop To
try and work Il all Oft.
! Luke came back son- afts- lnoki"~