The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-11-07
from cssssll's Family Msyaslns.
RUTH'S STEPFATHER.

has grown profitable. Things were at a
low ebb with me when | took 1t up,
while now
There, l won't boast, only say that I'm
thankful for it Poverty comes in at
the door, and love flies out of the
window, 80 your paor people will be
always miserable, while according 70 nv
experience your poor man is often more
hght'Lesrted than the man with thou.
ssnIs.
was at my wits end for something
to do, and sat nibbling my nails one day,
grumbling horribly.
Don't go on like that, Tom," says
my wife; things might be worse"
Howl said.
why, We might have Luke at home
and he is doing we'll"
Luke's our boy, you knew, and We had
got him into merchants office, where
ne semed likely to stay; but was in a
grumbling hit then, and there was &
clickety click noise going on in the next
room that tidgeted me terribly.
Things can't be worse" said, an.
grily; and l was going 70 prove myself
in the wrong by making her cry, when
there was a knock At the door.
Come in" said, aud a fellow lodger
put in his head.
Are you good at work, Mr.. smith,
he said.
What work." said; "frework-
gssworksF'
"No, no; mean works OF things as
goes with wheels and springs"
Middling," said, for / was fond Of
pulling clocks to pieces and trying to in.
ven..
al wish you'd come and look at this
sewing-machine of mine, for can't get
it TO CO."
Sewing machines were newish in those
days, and l got up to have q look at it,
and after about an hours fddling about
il, began 70 nee q bit of the reason
why-the purpose, you know, of all the
screws and cranks and wheels; | found
out, too, why our neighbours wife-who
was q dressmsker, and had just started
one--could not get it TO go; and before
night, and by thinking, 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.
had my bit Of dinner and tea with
these people, and they forced half a
crown upon me rs we'll, and went back
feeling like new man, 50 refreshing had
been that bit of work.
"There," said my wife, ~ told you
something would come"
"Well, so you did" said /, "but the
something is rather small"
But the very next day-as we were
living in the midst of people who were
fast taking TO sewing mschines-if the
folks from the next house didn't want
me to look at theirsl and then the news
spreading, as news will spread, that
there was somebody who could cobble
and tinker machinery, without putting
people to the expense that makers
would, If the jobs didn't come in fast,
20 that was obliged to get files and
drills and vise-regulsr set of tools by
degrees; and at last / was as busy as a
bee from morning TO night, whistling
over my work as happy as king.
OF course, every now and then / got
breakage, but could generally get
over that by buying a new wheel or
spindle, or what not. Next we go TO
supplying shuttles, and needles, and
machine cotton. Soon after bought a
machine of man who was tired of it.
Next week | sold it at a good profit;
bought another, and another, and sold
them; then got TO taking them and
money in exchange for new ones; and
one way or the other became q regular
big dealer, a. you see.
Hundred? Why, new, second hand
and with those being repaired upstairs
by the men, I've got at least 800 on the
premises, while If anybody had told me
fifteen years ago that should be doing
this should have laughed at him.
That pretty girl showing and explain
ing the machine to a customer? That's
Ruth, that is. No, not my daughter
yet, but she soon will be. Poor girl, !
always think OF her and of bread
thrown upon the waters at the same
time.
Curious 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 a machine right of, but
are ready aud willing to pay 30 much q
week. That suits them, and it suits me,
II they II only keep the payments up to
the end.
You won't believe me, perhaps, but
SONIC Vi IncLu uOn uO tuht. some u
them leave THEN lodgings, and ! never
see them again; and the most curious
part is that the sewing machine disap-
pears with them, and ! never see that
again. Iiany a one, too, that has dis.
appeared like that, ! do see again-per.
haps have it brought here by some one
TO be repaired or exchanged for bigger
or for one by different maker; for IL
you look round here you'll see I've got
all kinds-new and old, little domestics
and big trades-there, you name any
maker, and see If don't bring you out
one of his works.
Well, whenever l ask these people
where they got the machine-for al.
ways know them bv the number-it
turns out that they've bought 1t through
an advertisement or at salesroom, or
maybe out of pswnbrOker's shop
But I've had plenty of honest people
10 deal with, tno-them as have come
straightforward and asked me 10 take
their machine back, when I'd allow them
as much rs ] thought fair, and 'twould
be an end of pleasant Transaction.
The way I've been bitten, though, by
some folks has made me that case hard
ened that sometimes I've wondered
whether I'd got any heart left, and the
wife had to interfere, telling me Pvt
been spoiled with prosperity and grown
unfeeling.
It was she that made me give wa,
about Ruth; for one day, after havinl
had my bristles all 'et up by finding ou
that three good sound machines, by bes
makers, had gone, mob dy knew where
who should come into the shop but
ladylike-looking woman in very shsbb,
widows weeds. She wanted mschin
for herself and daughter to learn. ant
said she had heard would take tn
money by installment. Now Just hal
an hour before, by our shop clock, ha,
made VOW that I'd give up all tina
part of the trade, and / was very roug
with her-just as am when Pm Cross
and said ono"
"But you will IL the lady gives secul
ityT said my wife hastily.
The poor woman gave such q woe bt
gone look at us that II made me NOR
out of temper than ever, for could fe.
that II / stopped | should have to ID
her have one at her own terms. And 4
Il war for there, II ] didn't let her hay
A first class machine, as good as new, 81
only paying seven and one-half dow
and undertaking TO pay half crown
week, and NO mere security than not
ing! ..a...