The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-06-13
Ase Thorough.

1t was Carlyle who said "Genius is
an immense capacity for taking trou-
ble," and George Elliot gives the same
thought in other words; Genius is,
at first, little more than a great capac>
ity for receiving discipline" The
most successful have always been the
most painstaking, A prominent
judge, living near Cincinnati, wishing
to have a rough fence built, sent for
carpenter, and said to him:
"I want this fence mended to keep
out the cattle. There are some un-
planed boards-use them. 1t is out of
sight from the house, so you need not
take time to make a neat job, will
only pay you dollar and II half"
However, .afterward, the Judge, COM
ing to look at the work, found the
boards were planed and the fence fin
ished with exceeding neatness. Sup
posing the young man had done it to
make a costly job of it, he said, an
grily:
81 told you this fence was to he COW
cred with vines. | do not care how it
looks"
81 dc" said the carpenter.
"How much do you charger" asked
the judge.
ga dollar and a half" said the man,
shouldering his tools.
"Why did you spend all that labor
on the job, if not for the money!"
"For the job, sir"
"Nobody would have seen the poor
work on it"
But should have known it was
there. No; I'll take only the dollar
and half" And he took it and went
away.
Ten years afterward the Judge had
a contract to give for the building OF
certain magnificent public buildings,
There were many applicants among
master-builders, but one face attracted
attention. 1t was that OF the man
who had built the fence.
81 knew, said the Judge, afterward
telling the story, eve should have on
ly good, genuine work from him.
gave him the contract, and made a
rich man Of him."
The Hon. Josiah Quincy was at one
time conversing with Daniel Webster
upon the Importance Of doing even
the smallest thing thoroughly and
well, when the great man related an
incident concerning petty insurance
case which was brought to him while
a young lawyer i'll Portsmouth. The
fee promised was only 500. Yet, to
do his clients full justice, Webster
found he must journey to Boston to
consult the law library. This involv-
ed an expense OF above the amount of
his fee, but after hestating little, he
decided to 60 to Boston and consult
the authorizes, let the cost be what it
may.
He gained the case.
Years after this Webster was pass
ing through the city of New York.
An important insurance case was to
be tried that day, and one of the coun-
sci had been suddenly prostrated BY
illness. Money was no object, and
Webster was asked to name his terms
and conduct the case.
at is preposterous," said he, "to ex.
pect me to prepare legal argument
at a few hours notice"
But when they insisted that he
should look at the papers, he consent
ed. 1t was his old twenty dollar case
over again, and having a remarkable
memory, he had all the authorities in
his mind, and won the suit. The
court knew he had no time for prepa
ration, and was astonished at the
skill with which he handled the ease.
$50 you see" said Webster, as he
conclu1ed az was Handsomely maid
both in fame and in money, for that
journey to Boston; and the moral il
that good work is rewarded in the end
though, to be sure, ones self-approva
should be enough"
Thoroughness implies attention tt
details, neatness and method. A
young man who was shrewd and ex
acting, but whose business habits were
careless and unmethodical, succeeded
by hard work and economy, in estab
fishing prosperous business, but fail
ed and went into bankruptcy at the
early age of thirty-fve because of hi,
carelessness in emitting toplace note
for a large amount in his bills pay
, able.
WAsHINGToN, June 1.--Superinten
: dent d. w. Rhodes, of the division O
= nost-officn silnnlies was to dav ran,ay