Year: 1878

Tiniest acts of ours may yield


THE MAN AND TEzE EIRICK.


New York Evening Post


A we'll known citizen living no
many blocks from Union Square, re
lates an incident somewhat in thi
wise:


One bright morning in the month O
November, some years ago, l was pre-
pairing TO go down town, when thu
servant Informed me that man wa
waiting at the front door to see me
'Tell him Eli be down in moment
said L. On going to the door a man o
tall stature and robust appearance
calling me by name, requested assist
ance, saying that he had large fami
ly, wife in delicate health, and nc
means to procure food for them. you
appear 10 be strong and -healtlsv:- .shv
don't you work 2 asked I.


Simply, sir, fer the reason that
cannot procure work


Not having any work to give him, ]
thought l would lest the sincerity OF
his intentions. 'If give you work,
what pay do you want? Anything,
sir, you choose TO give me, so long as
[ can obtain means for my suffering
family very WELL said I, Il will
give you % cents an hour If you will
carry brick on your arm around the
block for five hours without stopping.
'Thank you, sir. will do it,


After huuting aw lille l found brick
placed it on the mans arm, started him
on his walks, and then went down
town to my business.


Not having the least faith in the
mans promise l thought but little
more of it, yet as knew l should go
back. within Eve hours I determined
to see if he performed his work. Ny
business kept me away rather later
than he expected, so had to forego
my usual walk home, and took a
Fourth Avenue car to be back within
the five hours.


AS approached the corner of the
street where reside l found q great
crowd OF people gathered-two fl re-
engines, q hose.cart, and hook and
ladder truck. Upon inquiring where
the fire was, 1 was informed it was a
false alarm, and that what brought the
people together and occasiOned the
agitation was the spectacle of tall
man carrying brick on his arm
around the block for nearly five hours.
The neighbors were looking at him
from the windows and doors as he
passed along; some thought he was
crazy, but when spoken to his answer
was, Don't stop me it s all right AS
he interfered with no one, he was al
| lowed TO walk on undisturhed.
Where is the man now?' l asked
'There you can see him at the other
end of the block, walking with his
head down. was the answer.


He was just about turning the cor
ner, and l waited until he had per-
formed the circuit, then, taking him
quietly by the arm l marched him TO
my house, followed by a lot of boys.
In the meantime, the firemen, engines
and hose carts ratified Off. The man
was thoroughly tired out when l took
him into my hall and seated him Oh a
chair, while my servant went Tor a
little wine and something to eat. i
paid him forthwith a dollar and half.
He informed me that while he was
making one of his turns a lady came
out OF q house aud inquired why he
was carrying that brick, and Oh his
giving her the reasons he had received
dollar. The object soon became
known, for as he passed the houses
small sums were given him by differ
ent persons, and he was well satisfied
with his days work. But said he.
what shall do tomorrow Why,
| replied. go early in the morning to
the houses from which you received
the money and ask for work, and no
doubt you will find some one who
will put you in the way of getting it !;
then report to me. The following af-
ternoon he informed me that he had
| been sent to German. who kept a
| pork establishment in Third avenue,
and who wanted clerk to keep his
books. He was to get S5 week il his
work proved satisfactory, and his du-
ties began the following day. Before
! leaving me he asked for the brick
which had brought him such good
luck. and L gave it 10 him. Within a
year / ascertained that the man had
been transferred 10 larger establish
ment of the same kind, with salary
of $1,000.


Three or four years after this l was
riding in q street-car, when we'll
dressed man accosted me with smile
and asked me if / knew him. Seeing
me hesitate, he said: Don't you rec
ollect the man who carried the brick !?


He infOrmed me that he was doing
a prosperous business on his own ac-
count, had laid up money and expect
ed soon TO build himself house up
town.


What became of the brick p 1 in.
quired.


! sThat brick, sir, has always occupied