The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-12-08

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JoSEPHUS.-VIII.
"Honor and Fame from no conditions rise
Act well thy part there all the honor lies"
Josephus, having really braced himself
up for work, went about it with diligence
which nobody ever noticed 10 him before:
He went to the foundry each morning at
six O'Clock and toiled on console ntiously
through the long hours until the whistle at
half past five released hin from bis la
bors. Having washed and supped he went
over, three times a week, to the night
school and at the end of the second month
was advanced enough to be put in the
third reader. On evenings when he did
not 60 to school he spent all his time with
his cousin William who had with his friends
assistance started himself in little shoe.
makers store on back street. Here, the
two young men worked and talked from
supper until bed time, or William went on
patching up the weather beaten boots en-
trusted to his care, aud Joe read aloud his
lessons for the following day. The passages
in the reading book were discussed as they
proceeded and they both discovered genu-
Inc pleasure in tracking out the parts of
speech, the different meanings of words, the
construction of sentences and the clear pro
nunciaton of separate syllables. At times
the work was varied by his simple home
life in Germany which William gave with
great sincerity and feeling. His narratives
were always told in his most interest.
ing strain, when his fingers at the same
time were kept busily at work putting
a new heel on an old boot ,or cutting up the
leather for new one. lie at irst aston
Ished his cousin with the care and tender
ness he bestowed upon each little detail of
his business.
"Why Billy, my boy" said Joe one
evening, "you handle that old boot as if it
| were baby or a glass case. You are as
careful abou: il as If you were drawing a
picture or preparing to float your mud in
great book"
well" said William, "if a man is not
fond of the work Of his own hands aud
trained skill what can he be fond Off Ny
po0r old father used to hook upon eevery
they were young children going out INTO
the world. lie never forgot then, nd when
/ e met their owners on the street or ut our
little parties in the evening lie always
motto, d il ,h'y wore unevenly on the sole
| or heels and gave his customers sound rat.
lngs upon the matter Come into me W when
you are passing he used to saw, 'and I'll
put them right for you. | don't like to see
my work treated as carelessly as if time
and thought and skill had not been spent
in producing it. won't charge you any
thing for the small repairs, but | don't
want people to say that old John Nordho1"s
shoes are no better than brown paper
bundles which get out of shape with little
ordinary wear"
"Well," said Joe, al think that's non.
sensical way OF feeling about it. What's q
pair OF shoes but pair of shoes? When
they are out of your hands that's the end
of them, and when they are in your hands
all that man has to do is to get through
with them as quickly as possible aud pu
the money, which is their only value, il
his pocket"
90, could never agree with you in that,
said the other. "You don't seem to remem
Der that spend ten hours every day max
| ing good covers-or at least a s good as | cal
make them-for the feet of my neighbors
| II | don't take great pleasure and interest il
that work then 1t becomes very tiresom
and stupid. Shoe making is not beauti
iul art like architecture or painting grea
picture or chlseling out piece OF magDfi
cent marble, but all the same there is
pleasure in doing my work thoroughly wei
which could meyer feel if it did not deep
ly interest me. haye to think Of ever,
possible way for making every piece Of eacl
boot as stund and strong and durable as
can, and along with that, | have TO tax
care and make all the various parts as goo'
looking as possible when the whole is com
ple!e. Then when l have put a bit O
string through the pull up straps put tn
pair of new sh"es in the corner OF my room
and look at them and say to my self, 'Yo
have done another piece Of good work 70
the world. The man who wears these boot
will be made, by so much, happier AM
more comfortable and he will say tha
fellow William must be a solid sort of
chap, he makes solid boots and this lie th
principal reward that any man should ex
pect during his life, namely, the apprecia
ton Of his fellow citizens for good work
promptly and intelligently done"
"Why Bill, you must be one of those fel
lows that believes in the 'nobility of labor
that the politicians and mob orators are 5
fond of Ginning upon. / don't see muc
nobility in hammering away at bit o
leather, and I'd sell readily at large dis
count--all the tally Of my customers an,
the pleasure | could derive either from tn
work itself or from their appreciation {
it,"
"Well, cousin, it isn't a very excitin
sort of pic nio' as you say, but the more
think aud the loager live, am more Ger
| taf hat ha a..
piness of life Is to be had by doin
our daily work with care and pleasure
The peOple are often the most unhappy VIII
have nothing TO do but hunt about alle
what they call pleasure, My father use
to say that holidays were the dulest day
II the year. Here you co. he said, run
uing about TO fairs and circuses, and tryin
to make believe that il is all terribly, eX
cruciatingly funny that you feel so 'gooC
you are ready 10 jump out of your ne'
! boots and turn a somersault over the rain
bow. But 'rwont do, boys. The onl
pleasure is that which comes Of itself, with
= out our seeking for it. III the work itself
: not mere drudgery, our faculties ngreeabl
employed, and there is no such reaction
follows pleasure hunting, And" sal
William in conclusion, "my old father wa
r right"
I "Billy, my boy" replied Joseph VIII
, rose TO stretch himself, "you are wi,
enough to be your own grand. d.iather. Bt
this great bust Oi elOquence max IS m
e kinder think Of something. You know thi
s the young ladies ana gentlemen meet ever
Saturday evening in the school r0omj an
one OF the members has asked me TO CON
and bring you along. | said was no on
tor, but that you were better than a wall
: ing lecture book, SO l want you come ne'
a Saturday night"
"But you know l can only speak &c
& man"
e meyer mind, old boy that's quite GOO
j. enough for NO."
"Very we'll, cousin" said viii quietl
d "well just book ~ 10 see what's it al ahoI
J. al any rate" FALKLAND.