The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-06

A correspondent Of the New York
ErcUVg Post gives the following ac-
count of an experiment iu human nature
which illustrates well the qualities of
earnestness and reFOiutiOn, aud how an
incident essentially grotesque, may be-
the foundation for q useful and prosper
Gus career;
One bright morning Of November,
some years ago, ] was preparing 20 20
down town, when the servant Informed
me that a man was waiting at the front
door % see me. "pell him I'il he down
i'm "a moment" I said, aud on going to
the door, a man of tall stature aud ro-
bust appearance called me by name, re-
quested assistance, saying that he had a
large family, wife i1 delicate bealth,
aud no means 20 procure food for them
"A0u appear 10 be strong and healthy;
why don't you work?' asked l. "Sim-
ply, sir, for The reason that ] cannot
procure work.
Not having any work fo give him, 7
thought I would test The sincerity of his
Intentions. III give You WORK, what
pay DO you waut2"
Anything, sir, you choose % give
me, so long as / can obtain means for
my suffering family
''Nery well, - said ]; 81 will give You
twenty-five cents an hour DO you will
carry brick on your arm around the
block for 1--WE hours without stopping" d"
"Ihank you, sir; ] will do it,"
After hunting while found brick.
placed DO ON the mans arm, started him
90 his walk, aud theu went down town
90 my business. Not having the least
faith in the mans promise. I thought
uui little more Of it; yet as knew /
should be back within the five hours. ]
determined % see if he performed bis
work. My business kept me away
rather later than expected, So ! had %
torego my usual walk home, and took q
Fourth Avenue car 10 get back within
The five hours. AS ] approached the
corner OF the street where I reside, ]
found great crowd Of persons gathered
two fire-eugines, "A hoee-cart, and a
hook-aud-laGder truck. Upon inquir-
ing where the fire was, ] was informed
that DO was false alarm, and that what
brought the people together and oc-
casioued the agitation was the spectacle
OF a tail man carrying brick on his arm
around the block for nearly five bours
The neighbors were looking ut him from
the windows aud doors as he passed
along; some thought he was crazy. bul
when spoken 20, his answer was. Dom
stop me; irs all right" As he inter
fered with no one, be was allowed tc
walk on uudisturhed.
"Where is the man now % 7 asked.
"There, YOU can see him az the othel
end Of the block, walking with his head
down." was the answer
He was just about turning the corner
and ] waited tll he had performed th,
circuit, then taking him quietly by th,
q.
lowed by lot Of BOYS. In the mean
time the firemen, engine, aud hOse-carl
ratified Oft. Tie man was thoroughly
tired out when / took him into my hail
aud seated him on a chair, while my
servant went 10 procure something foT
him 90 eat. paid him forthwith a dol
lar aud "a half. He informed me that
while making his rounds a lady came
out Of q house aud inquired why he was
carrying DO, aud on his giving her the
reason he received "a dollar. The object
Soou became known, for as be passed the
es li'g small sums were given 70 him by
rIehl persons, and be was well salts
nc" =" tth "i- day work. Butt said
ne what suai do to- morrow 2ri
n.y. / replied, ego early in the
morning 70 the houses from which vor
received money and ak flr work. and
Hv evuot 9"u VIII und ~ume ore who
VIII put you Ia the way OF getting In.
then report to me-" ~
The following afternoon he i,.f,r,,,..,,
me that he had been sent 10 "A C;..rn1s.,,
who kept pork establishment on pbiri
Avenue, aud who wanted a clerk 10 sasT,
his books. He was to get five dollars !
week IL his work proved satisfactory. and
his duties began the following day. BE-
fore leaving be asked for the brick which
had brought him such good luck, aud I
gave it TO him. Within the year I as
certained that the man bad been trans
ferred to a larger establishment Of the
same kind, with a salary Of one thou
sand dollars.
Three or four years after this / was
riding in a street-car, when we'll
dressed man accosted me with smile