Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-10-07
The Sturp Teler.
"POLITENESS PAYS"
AN EVERYDAY SKETCH.

Among the acQualnCanceS ol my youIt
there was one Peter Cox and | am sorry te
say that, from what little stock of patience he
may have possessed, he invested none Of it il
Politeness. At all events he did not do il
when he entered business. Peter was build
er by trade, and one of the most thorough
and faithful workmen in the country. If he
undertook contract, he was sure to perform
his part punctually and properly. Still he
was not always employed, for many who
might otherwise have hired him, were re-
pulsed by his uncouth manner of treating
them, and sought assistance elsewhere.
Peter" said his wife to him, one evening
"do you know that you have lost a good job
by offending Mr.. Graham ?"
Peter looked up from bis paper and asked
her what she meant
81 mean," she replied, "that Mr.. Graham
has hired Leavitt to build his new house"
"Well-what of it?" said Peter, rather
crustily.
"Why, 1 am very sure that he meant to
have hired you to do the job; and that he
would have done 81 had you not offended
him."
"How did offend him ?"
"By not listening to him when he wished to
describe the plan for the building"
Ellis plan was foolish one."
"Well, suppose it was if you had felt it
to be your business to tell him so, you might
have done it in polite way"
BAH cried Peter, with snap of his
finger, "don't talk of politeness in business.
If were to bother myself to be polite to
everybody who happened to call on me, |
should have my hands full"
II think it would pay" ventured the wife
Peter pooh'd at the idea; and then told
his wife that he wanted to read.
About month after this, Peter came home
in unusual spirits. He had been out Of work
for some time, and he had been rather moody
and crusty His wife noticed the change, and
asked What had happened
"There's prospect of work" he replied /;
eve are to have better times in town. Sum-
ner Wilkins, Of Byfeld, has bought the whole
of the waterproof on our stream, and is 60
ing to erect factory here. think I'll get
the job. They say that Wilkins had rather
have some one here to do it, and my friends
will recommend me"
Mrs. Cox was highly delighted, for she
knew that such a job must pay we'll and she
hoped that her husband might not be disap
pointed.
A few days afterward an order came for
window-biinds; and one afternoon, while he
was busy at his bench, man came, and
watched him at his work for a few seconds
without speaking. He was middle aged
man, rather eoarsely clad /; and Peter sup
posed it must be some one who wanted work.
"How dye do?" said the stranger, as Pc.
ter laid aside the slat which he had just fin.
ished.
"How dye do?" returned Peter, in a sort
Of uucouth grunt.
"That looks like good lumber you re work
ing there" remarked the visitor.
"Its good enough" was the response.
"What is such lumber worth here?'
"I don't know" and as Peter thus answer
ed he took another slat and began to plane it.
81 suppose you buy some lumber, sir p
said the stranger.
81 do when l want it," returned Peter,
without looking up from his work.
us there any in town to be sold ?"
They'll tell you at the mill. don't saw
lumber myself"
"But you know the value of it," remarked
the stranger, with a slight touch of feeling in
his tone.
"Who told you? ?" retorted Peter.
81 supposed as you were in the habit of
using considerable lumber of various kinds,
that you would be proper one to ask
"Well, sir," said our grouty builder, in his
uncouth, unkind, and ungentlemanly way,
''it so happens that have something else to
attend to besides keeping the price of lumber
for everybody who may happen to want
few boards"
"Ah! yes; I didn't know you were so
busy" returned the visitor, in the coolest and
most polite manner imaginable. pardon
me if have interrupted you" And with
this, he left the shop.
Peter Cox had done no more in this in.
stance than he had done great many times
before; but yet he could not put it from his
mind so easy. Somehow it clung to him, and
even after an hour had passed, he found him
self wishing that he had treated his visitor
with little more decency. But it was too
late now.
Peter got his blinds all made, and then
awaited news from By6eld, as it was expect
ed that Sumner Wilkins would soon make
arrangements to commence operations. He
felt sure of the job, as his friends had seen
Wilkins, and recommended him strongly. 1t
would be as good as three dollars day to
him for several months.
One morning as Peter came out on the
street, he heard it remarked that Wilkins had
got his hands all engaged. and would break
ground very soon. 1t could not be possible,
thought our builder. Surely he would have
had some notice of such a move. Half an
hour after that, he was standing at the door
Of grocery, when a man drove up in car
to one or two who stood there, but gave Peter
only a cold look. 1t was the man who called
at his shop two weeks before, and inquired
the price of lumber. He was dressed plainly
as ever, but he drove a splendid horse, and
the carriage was costly one.
"Who is thai man?" Peter asked, after the
stranger had gone.
THAT" returned by-stander, in evident
surprise; "don't you know him?"
"No. Who is it?"
"Why, that is Mr. wilkins
Summer Wilkins, of By6eld. The man
who is going to build the factory?'
Yes"
Peter Cox left the room with sinking
heart; and by the time he had reached his
shop be was almost sick What fall it was
He went home to dinner, and ere long his
wife had learned the whole story. She had
already learned that the great job had been
given to another, and knew why it had been
done.
"Why didn't he let me know who he was