Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-18
The Man With the Dirty Face.

shirt soaked with perspiratiOn, stopped,
laid down his dinner bucket, rolled a
broken knuckle cut of the pathway be-
tween the tracks, put it close up
against the ties where no one could
stumble over it, picked up his dinner
bucket and plcdGed home.
Over fifty other employees had pre-
coded this man, each one carefully
picking his way around the obstruction.
] asked this man why he took the
trouble to roll the knuckle out of the
pathway. He seemed surprised at such
a question, rubbed his hand across his
face and said: why. some Of the boys
might get a bad fall If that knuckie
was. there after Clark"
7 said "All the other men passed it
BY" and he replied: "Oh, they're all
good boys. they'd have done the same
if they'd thought about it,
He said something, didn't he?
IF they'd thought about it." All, yes,
IF they'd thought about it."-Chas. T.
Banks, in Erie Railroad Magazine.
Yes. IF they'd thought about it!"
How many Of us do little things for
others. unless there's advertising in it
for US?
If this employe had suspected that
the president Of the road was watching
him and his act would make a favor
able impression, it would have been
more in keeping with modern affairs of
humanity. We do not, as rule, in this
hurry-up life. waste" our energies in
removing stumbling blocks from the
pathway Of others; it is more than so
to one Of us. probably, who see it but
pass by on the other side and save our
exertion.
We recall a wood dealers employe
who left wood In a basement and piled
1t in the walk between stove and set
tubs instead Of carrying it step or
two farther where were the chips and
a few scattering sticks of previous
pile, because it would have meant a
little more effort for him. He was one
of the loudmouthed kind, always con-
signing the more prosperous to the last
hot place and telling of his hardships
on a wage Of $3.50 day. The last we
heard Of him he was contributing a
percentage Of his 50 a week as dues to
union and was helping make regula-
tions to keep others from doing more
than he in the same service.
Do you suppose he ever had an ac-
tual sane and kindly thought about
anybody?
A farmer recently sold his apples to
middleman who sent four packers to
grade and barrel them. When the
farmer came home at night he found
the packers had finished their work and
left. after tiering the barrels of fruit
in front Of his grain boxes. 1t was APP
parent to him that they could find no
place on the premises where the bar
rels would have been so much in his
way; but to have placed the barrels
where they would have given him the
least trouble it would heve been nee
essary to move an empty wheelbarrow.
a pail and basket. Before he could
feed his horses and cows he must move
all the barrels or climb over them.
Did these men think about it? If so,
did they purposely add to the farmers
work? Probably not it is more reas-
enable to believe that they disposed of
their Job with the smallest brain exer-
else possible. mechanically following
the usual motions while gossiping or
arguing political or union problems.
That was the type of the so who had
passed around the broken knuckle.
They had been too busy with their own
affairs to think about" anybody else.
The one had a nature too big to be
filled by his own personality; he Just
naturally had kindly thoughts and
deeds for others.
II the matter had been mentioned to
some OF the so the retort would most
likely have been: "Wha'd that git i'm,
anyway"
What DID 1t get him.? That is a
big question ard must be left to indiv-
idnal conscience according each to his
light.