The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-03-17
PoIIteness Pays. s.

youth inere was one refer COX, and
am sorry to say that, from what lttl,
stock of patience he may have posses
sed, he invested none of it in polite
ness. At all events he did not do i
when he enterted business. Peter wal
a builder by trade, and one OF the mos
thorough and faithful workmen in the
country. Ifhe undertook contract
he was sure to perform his part pune.
tually and properly. Still he was no,
always employed, for many who nigh,
otherwise have hired him, were re-
pulsed by his uncouth manner of treat
ing them, and sought assistance else.
where.
"Peter," said his wife TO him one
evening, ''do you know tnat you have
lost a good job by offending Mr.. Ora.
ham?"
Peter looked up from his paper and
asked her what she meant.
"I mean," she replied, that Mr.. Ora
ham has hired Leavitt to bnild his new
house,"
"Well-what of it?" said Peter
rather crustily.
"Why, am very sure he meant to
| have hired You to do the job; and that
he would have done so had you not of.
Tended him."
"How did l offend him2"
"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"
"Bahl |" cried Peter, with snap OF
his fingers, "don't talk of politeness In
business. IT l were to bother myself
to be p )lite to every body who happen
ed to call on me l should have my
hands full"
81 think it would pay" ventured the
wife.
Peter poohed 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, aud he had
been rather moody and crusty. His
wife noticed tho change, and asked HIM
what had happened.
"There's prospect of work." he re-
piled, eve are to have better times In
town. Sumner Wilkins of Byfield has
bought the whole OF the water pond OH
our stream, and Is e going to erect fac
tory here. l think I'll get the Job.
They say that Wilkins had rather h ave
some one here to do 1t, and my friends
will recommend me-"
Mrs. Cox was highly delighted, for
she knew that such job must pay
well; and she hoped that her husband
might not be disappointed.
A few days afterward All order came
for some window blinds and one at
ternoon, while he was busy ut his
bench, man came aud watched him at
his work for a few seconds without
speaking. He was q middle-aged man,
rather coarsely clad, and Peter suppos-
ell he must lie some one who wanted
work.
"How dye do?" said the stranger,
as Peter laid aside The sIaf which he
had Just finished.
"uow dye do% returned Peter, in a
sort of uncouih grunt.
"That looks like good lumber yon're
working there, remarked the visitor.
"It's good enough" was The re-
sponse.
"What is snch lumber worth here?'
al don't know" and as Peter thus
answered he took another slat and be-
gan to plane it.
81 suppose you buy some lumber,
sir?' said the stranger.
81 do when ant >" returned Pc.
ter, without looking up from his work.
''ls there any in town to be soldp
"Thev'll tell you at the mill. |
don't saw lumber myself"
"But you know the value of it," re.
marked the stranger, with slight
touch Of feeling in his tone.
"Who told youW retorted Peter.
81 supposed, as you were in the hab-
it of using considerable lumber of vari-
ous kinds, that YOU wonld be a proper
one to ask"
"Well, sir" said our grouty builder,
In his uncouth, unkind and ungentle-
manly way, sit SO happens that have
something else to attend to besides
keeping the price of lu mber for every
body who wants a few boards"
'..Ah, yes; didn't know you were
so busy, returned the visitor In the
coldest and most polite manner imagi-
nable. "Pardon me If l have inter-
rupted you." And with this he left
the shop.
Peter Cox had done no more ia this
instance than he had done a great
many times before; but yet he could
not put it from his mind 80 easy.
Somehow it clung to him, and even af-
ter an hour had passed he found him
self wishing that he had treated his Wis
itor with little more decency. But 1t
was too late now.
Bafar opf l;a kl.clo Ill A. .-l
then awaited news from Byfeld, as II
was expected 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 a 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.
IL 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 carriage, and he came into the |
store. He bowed 10 one or two who
stood there, but gave Peter only q cold
look. 1t was the man who had called |
at his shop two weeks before, aud in.
quired the price of lumber. He was
dressed plainly as ever, but he drove a
splendid horse, and tho carriage was
costly one.
"Who is that man?" Peter asked, af.
ter the stranger was gone.
THAT" returned bystander, in ev-
ident surprise "don't You know him?
Why, that is MIR. WILKINS"
" Summer wilkins Of Byfisld. The
man who is going to bRild The fac
Ioryr
eyes"
Peter Cox left the room with sink
ing beart; and BY the time he had
reached the shop was almost sick. What