Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-08-18
THE WIDOWS SEWING MACHINE.
A STORY OF LOVE, PRIDE AND POVERTY.

low ebb with me when took it up, while
now
There, I won't boast, only say that Pm
thankful for it. Poverty comes in at the
door, and love flies out of the window,
so your poor people will always be mis-
cradle, while according to my experience
your poor man is often more light heart
ed than the man with thousands.
| 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 I said.
"Why, we might have Luke at home,
and he is doing WE'LL"
Luke's our boy, you know, and we
have got him in merchants Office,
where he seems likely to stay, but / was
in grumbling fit then, and there was
clinkety click noise going on in the next
room that fidgeted me terribly.
Things can't be worse" said angrily !;
and | was going to prove myself in the
wrong by making my wife cry, when
there was knock at the door,
"Come in," | said, and fellow-lodger
put in his head.
care you good at work. Mr.. Smith,
he said.
"What workg' I said: fireworks
gas-works 2"
mo, no; mean work of things as
goes with wheels and springs"
"Middling," [ said; for was fond of
pulling clocks to pieces, and trying to In
vent.
81 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
davs, ana got up to look at it, and after
about an hours fddling about it began
to see bit of the reason why-the pur-
pose, you know, of all the screws and
cranks and wheels; found out, too, why
our neighbor's wife-she was dress
maker and had just started one-could
not get 1T to go; and before night, and by
thinking and putting this and that to-
gether, had got her in the wavof working
1t pretty steadily, though with my clumsy
fngersI couldn't have done so myself
I had my bit of dinner and tea with
these people, and they forced half a
crown upon me as we'll, and / went back
feeling like a new man, so refreshing
had been that bit of work
''There," said my wife, II told you that
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 the people who
were fast taking to sewing machines-if
the folks from the next house didn't
want me to look at theirs; and then the
news spreading, as news will spread,
that there was somebody who could cob
bic and tinker machinery, without put
ting people to the expense that makers
would, if the jobs didn't come in fast,
so that I was obliged to get files and
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 a
breakage, but | generally got over that
by buying a new wheel or spindle or
what not. Next we got to supplying
shuttles and needles, and machine cot
ton. Soons after bought a machine Of
a man who was tired Of it. Next week
I sold it at 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 BE-
came regular big dealer, as you see.
Hundred? With new, second-handed
and with those being repaired upstairs
by the men, I've got at least three hun
dIed on the premises, which if anybody
had told me fifteen years ago that I
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 bread thrown upon
the water at the same time.
Curious idea that, you will say, but
will tell you why.
In orr trade we have strange people to
deal with. Most of 'em are poor, and
can't buy machine right of, but are
ready and willing to pay so much a week.
That suits them and it suits me, if they'll
only keep the payments up to the end.
You don't believe me, perhaps, but
some of them don't do that. Some of
them leave their 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 Many one, too, that has disap-
peared like that, do see again-per-
haps have them brought here by some
one to be repaired or exchanged for
bigger one, or for one by a different
klaker; for if you look round here, you'll
see I've got all kinds-new and old, lit
tie domestic and big traders-there, you
name any maker, and see if [ don't
bring you out one of his works.
Well, whenever | ask these people
where they got their machine-for
always know them by the number-it
turns out that they've bought it through
an advertisement or at salesroom, or
may be out of pawnbrokers shop.
But I've had plenty of honest people
to deal with, too-them as have come
straight forward and asked me to take
their machines back, when I'd allow
them as much as l thought fair, and
that would be an end of a pleasant tran
action.