The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-06-27
Numerous OCCUPATIONS,

A Kansas gentleman sends to The
Companion a report of conversa-
ton recently overhead in a shop
where O number of Western men were
comparing notes OH their different
kinds Of work. 1t soon came out
that nearly everyone present had
been born in the State of Vermont
and "raised" ON II farm. But after
going West they had all engaged in
u variety of occupations.
One man said: II went into real cs.
tate; then sold out and tried clerking
it on Mississippi steamboat; then
went into the cattle business, and
tired oft; packed up my goods and
settled on claim in Nebraska; quit
that, and went to Texas to do bust.
ness in feed store: from there l went
on to the road for n boot and shoe
firm, and just now am in the livery
That's nothing" snid another.
owe been Il school teacher, II post
master, preacher, u lawyer, IL black
smith, IL notary public, u store keep
Ell, n sheriff, acounty superintendent
OF schools, cigar manufacturer,
and n tarmer."
There was silence till another man
remarked that he had left the printed
list of his accomplishments and oc-
equations at home, because it was
too bulky to carry around, but if lie
remembered right the list began with
u college president and ended with
member of the Legislature.
At this point two or three men re-
marked that it was getting rather
close in the store; they guessed they
would go home, and they went out.
Another man edged up to the door
and sud in q lazy tone that he
thought his experience would beat
the lot for variety. Some ono asked
him to tell it, and he said:
Il beganliteas a baby. From that
grew into a boy. While l was a
boy went to school, clerked it in u
drug store, worked on Il farm. had
my arm broken in two places in n
saw mill, taught the district school
one term, and sung in the village
choir.
"When I grew up served as up
prentice to tailor in Boston, but at
the end Of six months ran away to
sea, and went round the world three
times. At the end of my last voy-
age, bought ticket for Texas, and
went onto n ranch where stayed
two years. l then had an offer to
edit the Weekly Blizzard. and held
that position just one week. when the
government offered me place as In.
dian agent.
After serving n year at TINT |
went into the mining business in Col.
orado, and made two hundred thou
sand dollars in six months. went
to san Francisco and invested my
fortune in real estate. The invest
ment was unfortunate, for in less
than month l lost every cent OF it,
and was obliged to seek work as n
day laborer on railroad.
81 worked up from brakeman to
engineer, and then in IL collision
broke my leg and had to go to n
hospital. While there studied med
icine, and when got out took to
practicing. and was quite successful
until | treated IL smallpox patient
for eryslpelas. Then decided to go
to preaching, and got on well att for
several months. But the pay was
not very regular, and l quit to go
into Il dentists office, and"
1t was very quiet in the store, and
the man who had had such a varied
experience said softly, Good night,
gentlemen" and went out. lie was
the wag of the town, though the
strangers did not know it; but his
story was u good comment OH the
number of occupations that some
Western men try.-ioutll's Compan-
ion.