The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-03-14
from his pocket; for Johns pocket was
filed with little tools and queer, tiny me-
chanical eontriyances

filed with little tools and queer, tiny me-
chanical eontrivances.
"Who made them, JohnW said his
teacher.
"I did, sir,"-looking stupid again. :
The next day, about dusk, Mr.. Nagle
was in the ferry-boat which crossed the
river at that point. Several of his pupils
were on board, coming back from a
match of baseball; among them Clar-
ence and John.
When half way across the river, there
was loud explosion, and Mr.. Nagle
found himself clinging to the deck rail,
his legs in the water.
The boiler had burst with such force
that the boat was shattered. A portion
of the deck had parted from the hulk as
the latter sank to the bottom of the
river. There was frantic struggle for
life. Then the portion of the wreck he
was on foated down stream.
About dozen of the passengers clune
to it. The night fell fast. The shore
was but fast-receding dark line, with
red twinkling lights.
Upon the shattered deck cabin hung
single life-preserver. John saw it
climbed like a cat to where it was, and
brought it down.
"Giye me thatp shrieked Clarence
"Oh, give it to mel Ican't swimp
I" It's for this woman"
There was but one woman among
them, and she was old and lame.
"Give it to me, say? Help, help
We're drowningl"
He seized the life-preserver.. John
quietly took it from him, and buttoned
| it about the old woman's waist.
Then he began to drag out one or two
benches and boxes that were in the
cabin.
Mr.. Nagle noticed how cool and alert
the boy was, in spite of his deadly pale.
ness and trembl ng.
"We had better tie ourselves to
these" he said. "This deck is 80 shat
tered it will go to pieces before they see
us from shore"
Mr.. Nagle, without a word, followed
his advice. John was q Latinist and nc
poet, but he had one quality which made
him leader just then.
A few moments later, the deck broke
up, and Mr.. Nagle found himself in the
rushing current, but was picked up by
one Of the boats which were out in
search of the yi,tims.
The banks were lined with pale, ter
riff. d faces. As he was lift d on shore,
he saw boy dragged out of the water,
and poor little woman in black fly to
him with wild cry.
"I'm all-all right, mother" gasped
John; and then he cried on her breast
like the child that he was. II thought
I'd never zee you againP' he sobbed.
Now there had been a stranger on
board, "a queer, wizened little man with
foxy wig. This man, who was among
the saved, took up his quarters at the
village inn, and presently there arrived
by express mysterious engine or pump,
directed to him, which was placed in the
hallway of the inn.
It seemed to have curious fascina-
ton for John. He spent half his leisure
time poring over it,-measuring the
tubes with his inch rule.
In front of the case there was square
of plate-glass. Now it happened that
one day, while John was relaxing his
mind by game of ball in the street, he
threw the ball plump into this costly bit
of glass.
The other boys ran, and John ran too
but only for a few steps. Then he
went to his savings-bank, and took out
the money which was meant for Christ
mas. He presented himself before the
old man, who was looking at his shat.
tered glass and taking snuff violently.
II did that, sir. There is the money
for it. Will it be enough" ?"
"Oh, you did it, eh?" scowling at him
"Well, give me the money. What are
you eternally prying into my press for,
anyhowp
dts not press. It's a pump, ]
understand it all but that wheel. can't
make out what that wheel is there for
starting for it, his hands in his pockets
The old man talked to John awhile.
That evening he called on Mrs. Steele,
and sent up his card. Peter Copley,
Machinist."
GIVE had my eyes on your boy,
ma'am," he said, abruptly, "for some
time. Noticed him the night of the ex
plosion. I'd like to take him with me
and teach h'Ia my trade. He has 6
sound, practical head, that boy"
Mrs. Steele accepted the offer, and
went with her boy.
Twenty years afterwards, Mr.. Nagle
then Judge in the Supreme Court
tried a case in which the firm of Copley
and Steele, engine builders, was plain
tiff.
In the course of the suit, he became
acquainted with the junior member o.
the firm, man of high standing in hi
business, and of equally high repute as s
man of probity and honor.
One day there was sudden recogni
ton.
"John Steele, the ?''-
"Good-for-nothing? Yes" said John
with laugh; "and no better acquainted
with the classics or belLes-lettres thar
then, judge. / had but ONE talent, ant
I came very near burying it for life
Whenever Ihear boy despond becaus,
he has not dozen talents, say, Lool
for the one talent, boyi Look for tn
one p"