The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-09-07
A BRICK.
And How Carrying one-Not in His Hat
Made q Mans Fortune.

A well-known citizen, living not many
blocks from Union Square, relates an Incl.
dent somewhat in this wise: IS
One bright morning in the month Of No.
vember, some years 60, l was preparing
to go down town, when the servant inform.
ed me that a man was waiting at the front
door to see me. Tell him I'll be down in
a moment" said I. On going to the door.
q man of tall stature and robust appearance
called me by name, requested assistance.
saying that he had a large family, a wife in
delicate health, and no means to procure
food for them. "You appear to be strong
and healthy why don't you work p" asked
l. Simply, sir, for the reason that l can
not procure work"
Not having any work to give him, I
thought l would test the sincerity of his
Intentions. IF / give you work, what pay
dc you want 7" Anything, sir, you choose
to give me, SO long Us / can obtain mean
for my suffering family "very well, y
said ], 81 will give you twenty-five cents
an hour If you will carry q brick on your
arm around the block for five hours without
stopping" THANK you, sir, l will do it,
After hunting awhile, I found q brick,
placed it on the mans arm, started him on
his walk, and then went down town to my
business. aot R
Not having the least faith in the mans
promise, l thought but little more of it,
yet as / knew l should be back within Eve
hours, l determined to see il he performed
bis work. My business kept me away longer
than l expected, so 1 had to forego my usual
walk home, and took a Fourth Avenue car
to be back within the five hours.
As / approached the corner of the street
where l reside, l found a great crowd Of
persons gnthered-two FIRE engines, u hose
cart and a hook and ladder truck. Upon
inquiring where the fire was, | was Inform.
ed that it was a false alarm, and that what
brought the people together and occasioned
the agitation was the spectacle of q tall
man carrying q brick on his arm around the
block for nearly five hours. The neighbors
were looking at him from the windows and
doors as he passed along. Some thought
he was crazy, but when spoken to his an.
swer was: Don't stop me; it's all right
AS he interfercd with no one, he was allow.
ed to walk on undisturbed. "Where is the
mar now?" / asked. There you can
see him at tho other end of the block.
walking with his head down. was the an
swer.
He was just about to turn the corner, and
] waitedtill he had performed the circuit,
then, taking him quietly by the arm, /
AAha w AhJ lOllOWto ny u
lot of boys. In the meantime the fremen
engines. aud hose cart ratified off. The
man was thoroughly tired out when l took
him into my hall and seated him on a chair,
while my servant went for a little wine and
something to eat. l paid him forthwith
$3.50. He informed me that, while max.
ing one of his turns, a lady came out of o
house and inquired why he was carrying
that brick, and on his giving her his reasons
he received one dollar. The object soon
became known, for as he passed the houses
small sums were given him by different
persons, and he was well satisfied with his
days work. But" said he, what shall
! do tomorrow 2" why" l replied, "gc
early in the morning to the houses from
which you received the money and ask fol
work, and no doubt you will find some one
who will put you in the way Of getting it
then report to me-" The following afternoon
he told me that he had been sent to a Ger |
man who kept q pork establishment in Third
avenue, and who wanted n clerk to keep
his books. He was to get s. a week if his
work proved satisfactory. and his duties
began on the following day Before leaving
me he asked for the brick which had brought
him such good luck, and l gave it to him.
Within the year l ascertained that the man
had been transferred to a larger establish
ment Of the same kind, with a salary of
1000.
Three or four years after this / was
riding in a street car, when a well-dressed
man accosted me with a smile, and asked
If l knew him. Seeing me hesitating he
said: Don't you rccollect the man who
carried the brick m
He then informed me that he was doing
a prosperous business on his own account,
had laid up money, and expected soon to
build himself a house up town.
"What became of that brick / in
quired.
"That brick, sir, has always occupied q
place on our mantel- piece, and we valu it
as the most precious Of our little posses
sions. 1t has made our fortune -Ereninq
Post. r