The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-31
made his measurements, and got
from the shop new glass tube.

In putting it in, however, our
young timer came to grief, Both
ends of the tube had to be wrapped
tightly with Irvine to keep them from
leaking, and nuts had to be screwed
down over ends to hold them in
place. Any one that has tried this
knows that the glass tube binds at
every turn of the nut, and only great
care can keep it from twisting and
cracking. Careful as Conrad was,
just as he was giving the last turn he
heard sharp click, and knew that
the top of his glass tube had come
off inside the nut.
On the outside, it looked all right,
did not fall out. The water rose in it,
He knew, however, that in all likeli-
hood it would soon leak. But what
was he to do? He had used the last
tube in the shop, and none could be
obtained in town, unless, possibly, of
the rival timer
While Conrad was debating this
question he went on to attack his
concluding job, the tight stop cock
on the gas fixture up in the attic. In
deed, the stop cock was tight
rusted solidly in. Conrad used kerr
osene, and applied his wrench very
cautiously, but Just before the stop
cock turned, it yielded little in a
way he did not like, and on close ex-
animation he found narrow crack
running half way around its base.
Conrad loosened the stop cock, SO
that it would turn easily, and went
back to the shop with a head full of
queries.
Should he have hunted up Mrs.
| Blake and told her of the two acct
dentist Should he tell Mr.. Slosson
when he came home9 Should he rem
edy the defects without telling his
master?
The last question was quickly an
swered in the negative, for the shop
contained no stop cock such as he
had broken, and he would have to
go to the city, ten miles off, to match
it as we'll as to get the proper glass
tube. The stores would be closed in
the evening, and he could not go in
the day time without asking permits
sion. Early the next morning, there
fore, Conrad told Mr.. Slosson all
about his experience at Mrs. Blake's.
His master pulled and fumed.
"Poohl Carelessness! You are a
pretty hand. You'll spoil my trade
in month. There's no one in town
as particular as Mrs. Blake"
"But she can't complain if make
the jobs all right"
"She? That's just what she would
do. She'd call you a bungler and
never give us work again. She likes
to have bit of work done up ship.
shape"
"But you surely would have me
make things right. OF course, I'll
pay all expenses"
mo, indeed, you'll do no such
thing. Just as likely as not she'll
never find it out. That water gauge
tube will stay in all right, and the
cock will be as good as before unless
it sticks again"
"But want to do it. l shouldn't
feel right to leave it that way"
And l don't want you to do it, and
won't have you."
Conrad said no more, but he
thought all day, off and on, about
his troublesome job. Our awkward
young workman had very awkward
conscience. At least, good many
young fellows would have thought it
awkward, and would have tried to
smother it into compliance and ST.
lence. Such course never occurred
to straightforward Conrad.
Somewhere the lad had read the
advice of Mr.. Carnegie. urging work
men not to be afraid to know more
about their employers business, in
some respects than the employer
himself; to look out for their en-
ployer's interest with their own judg-
ment and conscience, and not hesitate
modestly to oppose him, if they really
believe such opposition to be for his
advantage. This was wise advice,
if tactfully followed, and Conrad
took it. After worrying about it for
a whole day he decided to make Mrs,
Blake's job good, though he got dis
missed for it.
Unable to get off to the city, he wrote
to friend of his who lived there,
and described what he needed as
we'll as he could. 1t was not an easy
matter to describe the stop cock,
which was of peculiar pattern, but
Conrad succeeded so we'll, and his
friend followed his instructions so