The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-17
JOHN BURKE. OPTIMIST.
lCIeveIand Dan nealnrl

This IS the story of John Burke:
Man. IL would do you good to know
Burke. Whether you are high in the
world or low, whether you count your
wealth by the million, or whether the
pay envelope at the end Of each week 3
marc work is all you may count as
your own; whether you live in a stone
palace. or whether four rooms on the
third floor rear suffice to cover your
mead, contented or unhappy, lust so
long as you are human land you are)
yon would come away better and more
content with the world as il Is after
a talk with him. But It is impossible
Tor you 10 know him. He isn't a pub
lie character But you can read his
story 1t is the story OF d man, and,
therefore, good reading.
he isn't much 10 look at as he
stands before you now, John Burke
isn't. He Will tell -ou when you get to
know him well enough that once he was
diuerent. But now there is an arm and
a leg missing, both on the same side,
an eye Is dead in its socket, and one
size or his face is considerably wrecked
from stopping a section Of boiler plate
IN It's flight toward the fresh air. He Is
Waterman and makes 50 a week, and
he and his invalid wife manage to live
IN their tWo-room fiat in considerable
comfort. But, best of all, they are al
most contented and have not given up
hope; and this is the marvellous part
OF the story.
Future Promised Big Things.
Twenty years ago Burke was % years
Old He was printer and he had
knack for inventing special machines
and appliances that caused people to
predict that he had a great future be-
Tore him. Hardheaded business men
said he would make lot of money be-
fore he died, and his employers paid
him the wages Of first-class foreman
because OF the aforementioned inven-
lions incidentally they made thou
SANDS or dollars because Of these inven-
lions, but that is 4 matter of business
and not concerned with the matter Of
Burke. So we'll did he progress in this
early rOseate stage OF his career that
Burke told himself he was justified in
getting married. Then he settled down
70 work as hard as his body and MIND
would let him for the success that he
knew was his due. He was young and
his faith in the world was brand new
and unsuitable.
Burke Perfeets Big Invention.
Tt was when he was 81 that ne had
his first invention completed. The 9TH
ers were merely Improvements, but
this was different. 1t was something
new. something that no other man had
ever conceived in similar form before
and II was Burke's, all Burke's. II
represented just five years of his life
years of existence when every spare
hour effort and thought was the ma
chimes. when the rest of the world
didn't matter so long as the machine
neared perfection. Burke kept 1t a Sc
cret from all, save his young wife. until
II was already and he was ready TO
spring it on the market.
II he had done a little press agent
work and let a few people know he had
such a machine under construction he
would have saved himself a fortune
and right TO call the machine his own.
AS II was he took il 10 two men who
were naturally interested in his inVen-
ton. They questioned Burke closely
after they had carefully examined the
machine. Had he shown this 10 any
one? Had he talked over the thing
with any one? Did any one know that
he had contemplated making such a
macine; or that the making Of il We're
possible?
Sharks Steal the Invention.
Burke. because of the faith he had in
the world, answered the questions all
guilelessly and truthfully. The men
asked him 10 leave his model Burke
did so. He returned the next day and
the TO men received him coldly. Upon
investigation they found that Mr..
Burke's machine was almost an exact
copy of one lately installed in their
eastern works. They did not wish 10
accuse AR Burke OF copying their ma
chine, not to say stealing it, but il was
a remarkable coincidence, as MIR. Burke
himself must see. There was q fuss.
but In the end they succeeded in steal
Ian In - d.
ana gave him bad name among the
men OF his trade besides. He lost his
old position and was forced 10 take an
other and poorer one.
Five years is a good share OF q mans
lie No man buries five years in =
grave and RECEIVERS from it, quickly.
Burke never tried his hand nj mVentilg
again. He had lost The taste for H.
But he did devote himself Wen Ia mis-
business. He was moro practical now
ana ne began 70 save money. Soon he
had $1,000 laid by, and he started a
shop OF his own. He went along SWIM
luingly. He got deeply into debt IA
first. but he pulled up and was pes
ter than cver-Wa5 just touching SUI,
cess with his finger tips-when the ac-
cident came. Old boilers are unCer-
tain things. Burke used a boiler and
engine 40 furnish the power in his
blew up il was Burke who took the
brunt of the explosion. TIE left leg
and arm, one eye, and a crushed IA
were the things that the explosion cost
him.
:" far this reads like the bad hard
luck story that is coDcocted OCCASION
ally when man wants Ia explain
why he does not win success. but the
novelty OF this one IS that tho man
n ta@rY a
iieve that his is down. despite the fact
that there IS every reason why ne
Should.
Refuses 10 Admit Defeat.
II was a long time before Burke re.
covered from the effects OF tho ex-
plnslou. He was unconscious for
weeks mentally incapacItated foI
months. and bodily helpless for two
years. When finally he was able Ia
De on his feet his shop was a thing
Of the past, his money was all gone
and his wife, now a confirmed invalid
was living on the charity of relatives
Burke was a wreck II a man ever was
wrecked. lie was a misfit in the world
NOW, and friends say they didn't see
just what Burke had to live for But
Burke knew.
It was impossible for him TO re,
work AT his old trade. II was impoS-
sible Tor him 10 get any kind OF highly
Temunerative employment. Burke knew
this just as well as he knew and knows
now that his chances for success as il
IS generally reckOned have gone glim-
mering into the past.
Despair would lave sat on most
mems shoulders. Burke hustled around
a5 much as a man may hustle on a
wooden leg and veal, body and got a
job as Waterman. lie worked for siv
months. saving and sacrificing in a
manner that approached actual starva-