The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-02-18
RuTH-s srErrArHER.
AN ESGLlsn sroEr

I A curous trade 10 take, but then !. bss
grown 10 be profitable Things we're Al
lo~ ebb with me when l took il up. while
now
There. l Won't boast, only say I'm
thsskin for IL Poverty comes In at the
door. and lore goes out the window. 50
your poor people will always be misera-
ble. while TO my experience your poor
man is often more light headed than the
man with Thousands
was at my wits end for something to
do, aud sat nibbliog my nails one day.
grumbling horribly.
Don't go on like that. Tom. says my
wife; things might be worse.
Howy IsAid.
Why, ws might have Luke at home. and
be is doing well.
Lakes our boy, you know, and We have
got him into merchants Office. whence
he seems likely to stay; but / was in =
grumbliug ft then. and there was q click
ETY. click noise going on 10 the next room
that iidgeted me terribly.
Things can't be worse, said. angrily;
and was going to prove myself 10 the
wrong by making my wife cry. when there
was knock at the door.
Come in. said. and fellow lodger put
in his head.
Are you good at works, Mr.. Smith? he
said.
| What works? | said; fireworks gas
works?
Oh. no; l mean works Of things as goes
with wheels and springs.
Middling. said, for / waa fond OF
pulling clocks to pieces and trying to in
vent.
wish you'd come and look at this sew
ing machine OF mine, for cant get it to
60
Sewing machines were newish in those
days, and got up to look at it, and after
about an hours fiddling about it began
TO see bit Of reason why tho purpose
you know, OF all the screws and cranks
and wheels; found out, too, why our
neighbor's wife she was dressmaker,
and had just started one e-could not get il
to 60, and before night, and by thinking
and putting this and that together. had
got her in the way Of working il pretty
steadily, though with my clumsy fingers
I couldn't have done it myself
had my bit OF dinner and tea with
these people, and they forced half crown
upon me AS well, and went back feeling
like new man, so refreshing had been
the bit Of work.
There, said my wife, l told you that
something would GOMEZ
Well, SO you did, said !, but the some
thing is rather small.
But the very next days We were liv-
ing in the midst OF the people who we're
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 cobble and tink.
er machinery, without putting people to
the expense that makers would, if the jobs
didn't come in so fast, SO that l was
obliged to get files and drills and wise :
regular set Of tools by degrees; and at last
! was busy as bee from morn till night,
whistling over my work, as happy as q
king.
or course every now and then | got q
breaksge, but I could generally get over
that by buying new wheel or spindle or
what not Next we got tosupplying shut
ties and needles, and machine cotton.
Soon after bought machine OF man
who was tired OF it. Next week sold 1t
at . good profit bought another. and an
other, and sold them; theu'got to taking
them and money in exchange for new ones;
and one way or the other became regu-
lar dealer as you see.
Hundreds Why, new, second handed.
and with those being repaired up stairs
by the men, I've got at least three hun
ired on the premises, while il anybody
had told me fifteen years ago that 1
should be doing this should have laugh
ed at him.
That pretty girl showing and explain
ing 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
waters at the same time
Curious idea, that, you will say, but l
will tell you why.
In our trade We have strange people to
deal with. Most OF 'em are poor. and
can't buy machine right off. but are
ready aud willing to pay so much o.
week. That suits them, ard it suits me,
II they'll only keep the payments up to-
the end.
Yon won't believe me, perhaps, but
hbHc VI tbEtb ubI w tint' tooiAic VI sucm
leave their lodging. and never see them
again, and the most curious part is that
the sewing machine disappears with them.
and never see that again. Many one.
too. that has disappeared like that, l do
see again perhaps have them brought
here by some one 10 be repaired or sx-
changed for bigger, or different maker;
for II you look around here you'll see I've
20. all kinds new and old. little domes
tics. and big traders there, you name
any msker. and see II l don't bring you
out one OF his works.
Well. ~hesher l ask these people where
they get the machine -ior always know
them By The Number il turos ont that
they've boueL. II through "a advertise
meat or 4, sslssoom or maybe out OF .