The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-20
PART TWO.
THE BREAKER.
INV a Lazy Man Came to Make a
Good Living.
From Black and White.

4 ogsd man, inclined to portliness. AS
tbe train moved on he discussed COM
ronpIace subjects with me in COM
& n,onnIace way. 1 should not have
4 nean surprised to have been told that
10 was a stock broker or a solicitor,
or that he was engaged in the tea
trade.
In the course Of our chat something
happened to be said about curious &C.
cupations.
we'll" said my companion, II do
not suppose that there is any more
curious occupation than my own.
am a breaker"
He had not at all the appearance of
man used to horses, but 1 suggested.
"A horse breaker, you mean?"
mo" he said, lust a plain breaker.
man who breaks things, breaks any
thing that requires to be broken-gets
his living by breaking"
glanced nervously at the communi-
GATOR. though he looked even less like
lunatic than he did like a horse
breaker.
II see" he said, smiling, that 1
must explain. When 1 left Cambridge
with classical degree, no prospects
and no influence. I looked about for
profession. 1 found everything over
crowded. besides, none of the profess
sions appealed to me at all.
81 like to travel about a little, and
enjoy social life. 1 like talking
talking to any one. I hate work of
any kind. This being the case, look
ed about me to see If there was not
a chance for some new profession;
If among our million wants there was
not one idea that was not supplied.
The idea came to me by accident.
l was stopping at my uncles house,
when he received as a present from his
wifes brother a singularly ugly but
very valuable pair of oriental vases.
His wife's brother was frequently in
my uncles house. and therefore these
examinations had to be displayed. l
heard him grumbling about this.
Il suggested that he should sell
them. The idea was, of course, alb
surd he told me so. Nor, said he, could
he break them himself, for his wifes
brother would never forgive him; nor
could he ask his wife to break them,
because, although he had been married
fifteen years, he felt that he did not
know her well enough; nor could he
ask the servants to break them, for
that would encourage carelessness and
thriftlessness.
That is all right I said. rose
from my place and smashed the vases,
one after another, on the floor. Sorry
was so clumsy, I said, you had bet
ter ring and have this rubbish cleared
away He rang and told the servant
that I had broken them accidentally.
When she had gone he said without a
smile, 1T seems rather a pity
Il said: 1 am very short of ready
money. Could you lend me 1882
HE wrote me a check for $25, and
said that I was a useful man to
know of. Then I said, Recommend
me 10 your friends, for already I saw
the possibility of my future profess
sion.
He mentioned me to some half
dozen people ne knew, some of whom
l had never seen in my life before.
They sent me invitations to their
houses, and indicated the objects on
which I was to operate. In my first
week 1 broke. I remember, a lamp
shaped like an owl, an oil painting, a
tea service and a dining-room table"
But an oil painting" 1 said. How
does one break an oil painting?"
1t is simple enough" he said. II
first of all undid the wire so that the
picture fell, and then in picking it UP
nut my foot through the face. 1t was
a portrait of my hosts wife's aunt.
1T was more difficult to break the
dining-room table. I recollect that it
became necessary for the purpose to
invent a somewhat boisterous form of
round game. Even then we had to play
1t for three evenings before the legs
came off.
When I left this house my host
handed me a check and promised to
recommend me to other people.
never advertise, and 1 have more
breaking to do than can possibly find
time for. If l could find young man
with plenty of tact, I would take him
as an assistant"
TT must need some tact" I sug-
gested.
1t does. 1t so often happens that
l am employed by the husband with
out the knowledge of the wife, or by
the wife without the knowledge of the
husband. Even with the utmost tact
one gets ones self disliked, but that 1
must put up with.
The other day one of my clients
asked me to come to his house to
break a dinner service. 1 dined there
and made myself as pleasant as
could and told several good stories,
put then 1 also broke the dinner serV-
Ice, or most of it, and it was one to
Which my hostess was much attached.
She said to him afterward, / will new
er have that brute in my house
again""
He said: I fully agree with you,
my dear. To the best of my belief the
man was drunk If he had not been
the son of an old college friend l
should never have asked him at all
mat was a little mean: but then 1t
was necessary for him to cover him
sell in some way. and as / never break
dinner esrvice under $25, 1 received
some consolation for the indignity"
Have you got any engagements at
present?" 1 asked.
Yes, he said, IT am going to one
now, but it is a trifling thing, requir-
ing no tact at all Had / had an as
siStant I should have sent him.
am to go the day after a wedding re-
cepton when the presents are being
packed. Those which, from their ugli-
ness or worthlessness, are not worth
packing I'd and sending to the BRIDE
sIooms distant home. have been placed
VI separate shelf. 1 shall upset that
sneI and accidentally stamp on any,
TrlIlG which is not broken in the fall.
ne Job won't take five minutes, and
- ktt SIS for 1t. I am doing it for
s,e bridegroom without the knowledge
WI me bride Men begin to deceive
'oiHen very soon. find"
nave ] said, "one or two little
'"1ecis IN my own house which"
H.t at this moment the train enter
iotoria station. and though I man
80 20 complete my sentence and my
-panion said that he would be glad
'P Tine 10 oblige me, In the con-
OF our arrival / neglected 10
t H'a name and address or 20 give