THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL ENDOWED BY THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES PS11U, .B85 W28 rh s book is due at the LOUIS R. WILSON LIBRARY on the last date stamped under "Date Due." If not on hold it may be renewed by bringing it to the library V DATE DUE RET. DATE DUE RET. I \, Form No. 513 1 4. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/watadamsyoungmacOOboyd The Miller. Wat Adams, ) THE YOUNG MACHINIST, AND HIS PROVERBS. P5//JY BY Mrs. MARY D. R. BOYD, AUTHOR OF "stepping-stones over the brook," "the three rules," etc., etc. " He gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many prov- erbs."— Eccl. xii. 9. PHILADELPHIA : PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 1334 CHESTNUT STREET. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by THE TRUSTEES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Westcott & Thomson, Stereotypers and fflectrotypers, Philada. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. PAGE Many Words won't Fill a Bushel 7 CHAPTEE II. Just as the Twig is Bent 19 CHAPTEE III. Time is Money fct 29 CHAPTEE IV. All Play and no Work 38 CHAPTEE V. All Work and no Play 49 CHAPTEE VI. One To-day is worth two To-Morrows 59 3 4 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. Trouble always comes Double CHAPTER VIII. No Lands, so Help Hands CHAPTER IX. Fortune Favors the Brave CHAPTER X. Nothing Venture, Nothing Have CHAPTER XI. A Friend in Need... CHAPTER XII. Perseverance Conquers Difficulties CHAPTER XIII. No Pains, no Gains CHAPTER XIV. Punctuality is the Soul of Business CHAPTER XV. Habit is Second Nature CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. Industry and Frugality lead to Success CHAPTER XVII. Hammering In and Hammering Out..., CHAPTER XVIII. Right Makes Might CHAPTER XIX. Character is Power CHAPTER XX. The Tongue Outruns the Wit CHAPTER XXI. He Rules Best who has Served Best. Wat Adams. CHAPTER I. MANY WORDS WON'T FILL A BUSHEL. djtlOW the youthful hero of our story pJMi acquired the singular name of " Old Proverbs " will be best known by tak- ing a glance at his early history. And here let it be observed that the word " hero," although it is ordinarily applied to a warrior — a man who has fought and bled for his country, and done wondrous deeds of valor — yet in a higher sense means the true champion of right and order, one who stands up to his colors at all times and in all places, no matter how strongly the tide of popular opinion may set against him. There is a moral heroism, superior to mere animal courage, which is often lacking in the 7 8 WAT ADAMS, character of the military leader, from defects in early training and want of the habits of discipline and self-government. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty ; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." First, then, as to the real name and home of the subject of our story — two items sup- posed to be indispensable in making a new acquaintance, although generally the only fic- titious circumstances connected with it. For instance, you may find several places called " Holly " on your map, and yet fail to meet with the ruins of an old mill that once occu- pied a prominent site in the neighborhood of our particular Holly, or encounter any one who may remember the worthy miller Dan- iel Adams. It was a picturesque nook enough, this same old mill, standing a rod or two from the brink of the noisy little stream that sup- plied it with water and widened at that point into a sort of lake, with sluice-gates to THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 9 lower or raise it at pleasure. This little pool was girt in with forest trees that bent their feathery branches as if listening to the con- stant chafing of the waters against the pebbly banks, while the low rumble of the great mill- wheel sounded pleasantly in the distance. The miller was not an old man by any means, but stout and hearty, with curling chestnut locks that were as yet only whi- tened by the dust of his mill. He was very cheerful too, and sung or whistled as he walked back and forth to keep his hoppers well filled and see that his machinery was in good working order. He had besides abun- dance of leisure ; for his practiced ear could tell to a moment when a new supply of grain was wanted, even if he were chatting with a neighbor as he helped to load his team with the plump sacks of flour fresh from the grinding, or sat in his little room on one side of the mill and busied himself with some of his favorite volumes. Daniel Adams was very fond of reading, 10 WAT ADAMS, and not a few choice books were arranged on the high shelf above his little unpainted table, which, with an antiquated arm-chair or two, and in winter a comfortable wood- stove, made up the furniture of this small apartment. But it is not winter now, neither is the miller engaged in his usual recreations as we look in at the open door of the mill. This door is as old-fashioned as anything about the premises, being divided into upper and lower compartments, so that one half can be shut at pleasure, while the air and sunshine are admitted from above. A slanting beam from the almost setting sun has indeed found its way into the dusty corners of the mill, and crowns the golden head of a little girl who is seated on the floor, sifting through her small dimpled hands some grains of wheat from the great heaps that are piled around ready for the grinding. This is the miller's little daughter, and as he passes by he often stops to speak THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 11 a pleasant word to lier or stoops to pat her rosy cheek as she looks up in his face and asks some childlike question. But the miller's countenance is graver this afternoon than usual ; he neither sings nor whistles as he mechanically attends to his calling, and he often steps to the door and gazes wistfully in the direction of the little cottage near the lake which is to him the dearest spot in the world, because it is his home. But after all his watching and wait- ing, he is taken by surprise at last as the tall figure of a woman intercepts the sun- beam, while she leans with her bare arms on the half door of the mill and exclaims in a high-pitched voice, "Well, Dan'l, it's a boy this time for sartin." The miller's brown cheek took on a deeper hue, and his wide mouth opened with a low laugh of pleasure that showed teeth white as his own bolted flour. Yet being a man of few words, he said nothing at the time ; 12 WAT ADAMS, but lifting his little girl from tlie floor, he hugged her close to his breast, as if to imply that not even a son should take the place of his first-born darling. In the mean time, the old woman came into the mill, and seating herself on a heap of well-filled sacks of corn began to adjust the frills of her mob-cap and otherwise repair the disordered state of garments that had been somewhat neglected in the bustle of the important occasion. While she pinned and unpinned her white neck-kerchief, until she got it settled to the proper angle, Grandma Haynes, who was as unlike her son-in-law as possible, commenced to gossip volubly about the new arrival : " He's the very moral of you, Dan'l, if I have any eyes in my head, while little Kizzy here takes after her mother to at. So I suppose the boy'll be called Dan'l, as it's proper and right he should be." The miller stopped in his walk, put down his little girl and thoughtfully chewed a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 13 piece of straw that he had picked out from the pile of wheat. "I'd rather call him Benjamin Franklin, if I've any say in the matter/' he remarked, with a slight hesitation in his manner, as if he expected some opposition to his proposal. " What !" exclaimed Grandma Haynes, sharply ; " and who be he, I'd like to know ? Not any relation of yours by the mother's side, is he ?" " Oh no," said the miller, smiling, " only a great wise man — a philosopher — that I've been reading about in a book I have in yonder. He's the one, mother, who first found out how to bring the lightning down from the clouds and keep it off our houses and barns." " Well, I always thought that was very wicked," said Grandma Haynes, decidedly ; " it's a clear distrusting of Providence, to my mind, and seems like a tampering of things above our knowledge. I don't think the Almighty ever meant us to pry into such 14 WAT ADAMS, matters, or else he'd have revealed them to us himself." " But he has given us minds to compre- hend, and surely the more we know of his wisdom and goodness, as displayed to us in the wonders of creation, the greater will be our love and reverence to the great Creator. You know what David said : ' When I con- sider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast or- dained, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visit- est him?' " "Now, that sounds something like," re- marked Grandma Haynes, admiringly, she having a wholesome reverence for the Bible ; " and if you were a-going to call your child by any good Scripter name, such as David or the like, instead of that 'losopher as you was a-telling me of just now — " "Why, mother," interrupted the miller, laughing, " Benjamin is a Bible name, don't you know ? However, it's neither here nor THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 15 there ; Huldah'll have a choice in the busi- ness, as it's her right, no doubt." " She !" exclaimed the old lady, scornfully ; " she's sot her heart on the baby being called after the one that's dead and gone, sweet lamb ! Says I to her, ' Huldy, it isn't lucky to have two children of the same name one after t'other. Sure as you do he'll die.' Chil- dren always do if they're named after the one that's dead. Leastways, that's my ex- perience." The miller's face twitched painfully, and he passed his broad hand several times across his eyes as he pretended to busy himself about the work of the mill. He remember- ed—what parent can ever forget?— that moment of irrepressible agony when the little busy hands were folded over the quiet breast, the tireless feet stilled for ever, and the small rosebud of a mouth that had dimpled with smiles and innocent words frozen into the everlasting quiet of the grave. 16 WA T ADAMS, But Daniel Adams was a true Christian. He knew it was well with the child, and that he was saved from the trials and cares of a troublesome world — one of the dear lambs of the good Shepherd, whom he takes away early, as the choicest flowers are gathered, for gifts to the great King. Neither was he in the least superstitious, nor did he believe that to name his living child for the beloved dead would cause a second bereavement. Yet somehow it grated on his feelings that the name that was inscribed on the pages of his family Bible — the book that had been his father's and now bore the record of a second generation — was to be given to another. He wanted the name of his dead child to be always remembered and spoken in the house- hold — not as of one lost, but only gone before to a heaven of infinite purity and bliss. Yet being, as has been observed, a man of few words, he said nothing of all that was in his mind to the good old lady, who sat so contentedly before him on the heap of piled- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 17 up bags. Perhaps she would not have un- derstood him if he had. Instead of that, he affected to treat the whole subject lightly as he prepared to stop the mill and make all fast for the night, saying as he did so, "Well, well, mother, 'many words won't fill a bushel,' so there's no use talking any more about the matter. I think it's high time I was going to see Huldah and our little boy ; she'll think I'm long of coming." " And that's just what I came to tell you," cried Grandma Haynes, springing lightly to her feet with almost the agility of youth ; " she told me to ask you to come right away, and Sally Jones, she called out to me that supper was a'most ready, and here I've forgot all about both my errands. But you do talk so, Dan'l Adams, when you're once set a-go- ing, that my head gets quite carried away with you." So catching the hand of little Keziah, who lingered behind, unwilling to leave her fath- er, the old lady hurried back to the house, 18 WAT ADAMS. the miller following at a more sober pace, wondering greatly at this new trait which his mother-in-law had discovered in his character. CHAPTER II. JUST AS THE TWIG IS BENT. ULDAH ADAMS was a meek little woman, gentle-eyed and sweet-voiced, not in the least resembling her bust- ling, strong-minded mother, whose will, meeting with but slight opposition from the quiet couple with whom she lived, had become an absolute law in the household. It was perhaps on this account, together with some undefined feeling of dread of " the judgment" that would be sure to follow in case her new-born baby should bear the name of his dead brother, that the young wife wavered in her choice of a name, and subse- quently gave up her own fancy altogether, especially as she discovered that it was ex- tremely distasteful to her husband. 19 20 WAT ADAMS, On the other hand, the good miller found out by dint of much questioning that Benja- min, though " a good Scripter name enough," and remarkably appropriate, with its strong, Hebrew signification, was not a favorite either with his wife or her mother. Indeed, the old lady exclaimed, with much asperity, when her son-in-law tried to explain the meaning of the word, " Hebrew, indeed ! As if we were all going back to the Jews again ! And to be plain with you, Dan'l, I think it would be much more respectable to call your child after some of your own folks, or Huldy's here, instead of naming him for a stranger. Don't you know as children generally take after the one they're named for? Ay, you may laugh, but I've seen it as much as fifty times, and fifty to the back of that." " Which makes a hundred strong argu- ments in favor of your theory," said the miller, smiling ; " but I suppose the little ones were generally named for some of their THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 21 own kin, so it was no great wonder that they resembled them in both character and person." Finally, after much consultation and many deliberations over various cognomens, it was agreed to give the important little stranger the name of Walter, for an absent brother of Huldah' s, as a prefix to that of Frank- lin, thus dropping the Benjamin altogether. With this arrangement the grandmother professed to be quite satisfied, and remarked that — " It was as good as a fortune to the little lad, for Uncle Walter was sure to come home some time with money in his purse, and he w T as never known to be a miser or a churl in all his born days." " I don't want any man's money for my children," said the good miller as he thought- fully took the pink fingers of his infant son and held them a moment in his broad palm ; "but I do ask the blessing of God, which maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it. 22 WAT ADAMS, Let them but have that for their portion, and I desire no better inheritance." Yet notwithstanding the father had par- tially carried out his idea in naming his child after the venerable American statesman and philosopher, he was destined, after all, never to have his wish accomplished. Grandma Haynes decided from the very first to short- en the boy's name to " Wat," and as he grew in years Wat Adams was his familiar desig- nation among his young companions. The old lady would fain have had her way in other matters too. She looked w T ith no partial eye on the miller's studious habits, and often remarked to her daughter that " she hoped little Wat would never be a bookworm like his father. She hated, for her part, to see a man always poring over a book instead of being sociable and lively and good company with his neighbors." " But, mother," ventured Huldah, timidly, " Daniel is a first-rate provider and a loving father and husband. Isn't it better for him THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 23 to spend his leisure-time over a good in- structive book than to go out evenings and to stay away late, besides, maybe, getting into bad company and learning idle habits ? There's Jethro Crane ; you know everybody called him such good company, and so they enticed him away night after night to the tavern. Nobody could sing a song as he could, or tell such a funny story. So they flattered and coaxed him on till he spent every cent he had, and now he's a common drunkard and his wife and children starving poor." " Nonsense !" said Grandma Haynes, an- grily ; " how you do take a body up, Huldy ! As if I wanted our Dan'l to turn out such a poor creetur as that Jethro Crane ! Why, the very sight of him sickens me when he comes and sits on the doorstep yonder, with his slouched hat pulled over his bleary eyes, and asks for a penny to buy him some bread, which is another name with him for whisky. But there's reason in all things ; and for my 24 WAT ADAMS, part, I don't like to see a man hanging round the house and being in the way half the time, besides being so fussy about an old book or paper if one chances to take a bit to set the fire a-going." " Why, mother, how can you say so ?" cried Huldah, who, mild as she was, loved her husband far too well not to stand up for his rights ; " Daniel is never in the way, as I know of, and to my liking I'd rather have him here of nights reading out loud to me while I sew or knit than see the best sight that was to be had for money. I only hope little Wat will grow up to resemble his father ; I could not wish him a better wish." Grandma Haynes sniffed contemptuous- ly at this speech. But she had learned by experience that the gentlest of women will sometimes lose patience under undue prov- ocation. So she went to pick up little Wat out of the dirt, where he was mak- ing sand-pies with his sister Keziah, and administering first a slap, and afterward a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 25 lump of sugar by way of compensation, put on liim a clean frock and pinafore, and then set to work briskly making batter-cakes for supper. • But Grandma Haynes, although she man- aged the household to perfection, and her daughter Huldah into the bargain, could not control the inevitable tendency of her young grandson to what she disparagingly termed " that hateful book-larnin'." From the time he could toddle across the room his favorite plaything was a book ; and once allowed to possess himself of it, he would sit content- edly on the floor, and turn the leaves for an hour at a time without giving any further trouble, much to the annoyance of his sister Keziah, who delighted much more in play than in books. When little Wat was five years old, he could read quite well, and seemed to under- stand what he read, although his sole teacher was his father, with the exception of a few hurried lessons given once in a while by his 26 WAT ADAMS, mother when Grandma Haynes had gone to call on a neighbor, which was a rare chance, as she seldom allowed herself time for useless visiting. Not that the old lady wished her grand- son to grow up entirely ignorant of the rudi- ments of the English language, but she scorned the idea of such a " mere baby " learning to read. And when the proper time should arrive, she thought the bare rudiments would be quite sufficient. He ought to be able to read a chapter in the Bible without much spelling, write a fair hand and cipher as far as long division ; which qualifications she deemed all that w^as necessary to make a useful man of him. In one of his occasional visits to the mar- ket-town with a load of flour, the miller pur- chased and brought home to his little son a copy of " The New England Primer," now becoming so scarce as to be looked upon as a relic. The child was delighted with this present, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 27 and soon mastered all those quaint and inim- itable rhymes that are intended to fix in the juvenile memory all the letters of the alphabet, beginning with the orthodox lines, " In Adam's fall We sinned all," and ending with the triplet, "Zaccheus, he Did climb the tree His Lord to see." Even Grandma Haynes unbent her brows as she listened to the measured jingle of the time-honored words, for they brought back to her remembrance the clays of her youth ; and besides, such as were on sacred subjects w r ere of sound scriptural theology, and so entitled to her reverence. She even made no complaint when she found little Wat one day trying to imitate some of the rude wood- cuts with a piece of coal on her newly- scrubbed flags, although on any other occa- sion she would have rewarded his artistic attempts with a sound rap over the knuckles. 2S WAT ADAMS. Another time Wat's father, with his strong partiality for his favorite Franklin, present- ed him with " Poor Richard's Almanac/' which so pleased the little boy that he was never weary of repeating the old maxims with which it abounded. The miller, too, had a goodly supply of these wise saws ready for all subjects ; so it was no wonder that young Wat grew up with his mind stored with quaint sayings, their use in a way giving rise to his name of " Old Proverbs." CHAPTER III. TIME IS MONEY. HE old red school-house belonging to the village of Holly was one of those ancient structures common in the last century, built more for utility than taste. The walls were of rough unhewn stone, and it boasted a chimney nearly as large as itself, run up from the very foundation of the house and forming a strong abutment on the outside. Within was an immense fireplace, capacious enough to hold the trunk of a large tree, but with such a draught that the greater part of the heat went up the wide chimney, thus imparting a ruddy glow to the faces of those young people who were so happy as to be crowded in front of it, leaving the less fortunate ones to bear the stinging blasts that came whistling in 29 30 WAT ADAMS, from the loosely-hung window-sashes and ill-fitting door. But in summer-time the school-house was pleasant enough, with the light breezes sway- ing the pendent branches of the maples that surrounded it and making stirring shadows on the sanded floor, pleasant with the songs of birds and hum of bees— too pleasant for tasks and enforced quiet, and causing many wistful glances to be cast alternately at the face of the teacher and the noon-mark on the floor, so as to ascertain how soon the moment would arrive for release from books and freedom to rove the woods and wilds in search of amusement. On one of these bright days a group of boys was seated on the bank of a little stream that went singing along over the white peb- bles until it was lost among the moss and ferns" of the forest. Some of the smaller lads had launched tiny boats, made with their pocket-knives and furnished with rudders and sails. These they watched as intentlv The Young Machinist. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 31 as though they were precious argosies freight- ed with gold and gems. But the older boys had gathered about one particular spot where a little fellow, much younger than they, had set a miniature water-wheel which turned the model of a mill, and was viewed by them all with considerable interest and curiosity. As the young machinist raised his head to answer the questions of his companions one might recognize in the bright eyes and broad, smooth brow, framed in by chestnut curls, the miller's son, little Wat Adams. When his work was quite complete and the wheel moved with steady, even strokes, the boy rose to his feet, and clasping his hands above his head cried out exultingly, "There ! I knew I could do it if I tried ; and 6 try never was beat.' " " How long did it take you to do it, Wat ?" asked several of the boys as they crowded around him. "Oh, I don't know; little bits of time when I could be spared from work. For 32 WAT ADAMS, you see I have work to do when I am out of school. I have errands to run for my father, and I help him sometimes in the mill. Then grandma calls me to split up the kindlings and fill the box with wood and bring water for the boilers." " And sometimes you set the table and pare the potatoes and clean the knives and wash the dishes/' said one of the boys, sneer- ingly, as he raised himself from the grassy bank, where he had been lying at full length, seemingly absorbed in the contents of a soiled yellow-covered volume. Wat Adams colored up at that attack, but he answered right manfully : " Yes, Phil Graham, I sometimes do just those very things, for mother is very sick and grandma and Kizzy have so much to do. But I am not ashamed of it in the least." " You ought to be, then, drudging in the kitchen like a girl. I'd like to see any one ask me to turn scullion after I've been fag- ging in school all day." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 33 " You fagging !" exclaimed Frank Harris, one of the oldest of the boys. " Why, Phil, you never have a lesson ready to recite, and you are kept in half the time to study over what you ought to have known perfectly at first. It's a wonder to me how you got out this time." "Don't you know?' 7 said one of the other lads. " Mr. Harvey was sent for to go and see Jack Morgan, who fell from the cherry tree last spring. They say he received some interna] hurt and will never be well again. Jack wanted to see the teacher, so there had to be a general jail-delivery, and that is the reason our friend Phil and some others are roaming at large just now." There was a loud laugh at this among the boys ; but Phil Graham, in no wise ashamed of its being at his expense, turned over lazily to resume the perusal of his fascinating book. " Let's see what he is reading," cried sev- eral of his companions, throwing themselves down beside him. 34 WAT ADAMS, " Not his Latin grammar, I'll be bound/' said one. " Nor his catechism, either," chimed in Frank Harris, snatching the book from Philip's hand. " Look, boys ! did you ever see the beat of this ? A trashy yellow-cov- ered novel brought right into Mr. Harvey's school, when he has talked to us so much about them ! I wonder what he would say if he knew it?" " You'll tell him, I suppose," said Graham, sullenly. "No, I sha'n't. I'm not a telltale; and besides, it's none of my business. But I'd like to know how you manage to keep him from seeing it." " Oh, nothing more easy than to have two books, one inside the other. And Mr. Har- vey is a little near-sighted, you know. Do you think I'd care to be kept in so much if I hadn't such a book as this to pass away the time ? And there's plenty more where this one came from. I have lots £>f them hidden THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 35 away in the barn. I read them at night when father thinks I am studying." Little Wat could bear this conversation no longer. He had been standing on the out- side of the group, clasping and unclasping his small hands in a nervous way. Now he confronted the indolent Philip, his eyes hiaz- ing with excitement : " I wonder at you, Philip Graham, to talk so ! I wouldn't be a thief for the world." " What do you mean by that, you young rascal ?" cried Philip, starting to his feet and clenching both his fists as he advanced on little Wat in a threatening manner. Philip Graham was twice as large as the miller's son, and could have punished him severely if they had come to blows. But Wat never flinched, although his cheek paled a little and he drew his breath hard. Just at this critical moment Frank Harris stepped between the two lads : " You sha'n't hurt him, Phil. If you want to fight, take a^boy of your own size. It's WAT ADAMS, mean and cowardly for a big fellow like you to strike such a little chap." " I don't want to fight him/' said Graham, a little ashamed of himself; "but he must take back his words. What business had he to call me a thief, I'd like to know ?" %l didn't call you a thief," said Wat. " I only said I wouldn't be one for the world." " But you meant me, you know you did. Now, what did I ever steal ? Tell me that, will you?" " I meant that you took time that was not your own. You w^aste and misuse the time your father gives you for learning by not improving every moment you have for study. You take Mr. Harvey's time, and God's time too ; for father says time is one of the talents he gives us." " Was there ever such a little old fogy ?" "exclaimed Graham, contemptuously. "Why, you have made quite a sermon out of it. Have you anything more to say, good Master Proverbs?" f THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 37 " Yes," said Wat. " Time is like money ; it is made up of little moments, just as a dollar is made up of pennies. We must take care of the little sums, or else we shall never have large ones. 6 If we lose an hour's time in the morning, we shall have to run after it all day, and not catch up with it, after all/ ' Time once spent never returns.' " " That's so," said Philip, laughing ; " and ' time cuts down all, both great and small ;' so I think I am even with you, Old Proverbs, for that is the end of the whole matter." "Old Proverbs! Old Proverbs!" shouted the smaller boys, glad of the new nickname; for what boy does not delight in fixing on some annoying appellation for his compan- ions, especially if it has "old" prefixed to it ? Why " old fellow," " old fogy " or " old proverbs " should be particularly applicable to a youthful associate is one of the mysteries peculiar to the craft of school-boys. t CHAPTER IV. ALL PLAY AND NO WORK. AT was joined in his walk homeward that afternoon by his indolent school- mate Philip Graham. Their paths led together for a considerable dis- tance, but the larger boy had never before chosen to take any notice of the miller's son, either because he thought he was too young for a companion or his mind was taken up with the scenes and characters of the ficti- tious narratives that so engrossed his atten- tion and excited his imagination. But he seemed to have awakened to the discovery that there was something in Wat not to be despised, after all. He had stood the brunt of his wrath, although older boys than he were afraid of his sledge-hammer fists ; for Graham, when once aroused from his lazy habits, was a lion in temper, and had 38 THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 39 long been the bully of the school, oppress- ing the smaller boys at his pleasure and ready to fight his equals on all occasions. Besides, he had evidently some reason of his own for being on good terms with Wat. " I say/' he remarked as they went along, " that's a nice little mill you have there, Adams." Wat twirled the miniature wheel of the model he was carrying upder his arm with a complacent look and smile that seemed to say, " I think it is." " But, after all, it's not in my line," con- tinued Philip, yawning ; " I wouldn't give a page of this book I have in my pocket for all your models and machines." " Father says it's the way to make a good mechanic, though, to try and make little things for ourselves," spoke up Wat, with spirit. " I was reading the other night about a great man named Newton who made some of the most useful discoveries in science ; and 40 WAT ADAMS, when he was a boy, he was always inventing and contriving. He made a little clock that was moved by water and kept very good time. Afterward he became a celebrated as- tronomer." " What's that ?" asked Philip^ with a stu- pid look. " Why, don't you know ? I'm not near so far on as you are, and yet I know that aster means star, and one who understands the laws that govern the heavenly bodies is called an astronomer." Philip turned a dull, wondering look on his little companion. He felt a growing respect for him, the tribute that matter always pays to mind, " You know heaps, don't you ?" he said after a while. " Oh no," laughed Wat ; " I am only a little boy, and I can't be expected to know much. But I want to learn a great many things, and as I grow older I shall try to study and become wiser. Father tells me a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 41 great deal, and then I gain so much by read- ing ; I love to read dearly." " Why, so do I," cried Philip, brightening. " Let me see ; if you'll come home with me, I'll show you all my books, and lend you some if you like." " Will you ?" said Wat, giving a quick little jump for joy; "that will be nice." But hesitating as he remembered the scene of that afternoon, he inquired, cautiously, " What kind of books have you, Philip ?" " Oh, first-rate ones. Did you ever read Robinson Crusoe?" asked Philip, who was too wary to scare his companion with the titles of some of his more exceptionable volumes. " No, but I'd like to so much. Father told me the story and promised to buy it for me some time. It is about a man who was wrecked on a desert island, and built him- self a house and lived there all alone with his parrots and goats until he got his man Friday for a companion. I should be so 42 WAT ADAMS, much obliged to you if you would let me read it, Philip/' concluded Wat, with spark- ling eyes. " Well, maybe I will, if you will promise me one thing/ 1 said Graham. "What is it? If I can, I will/' said the little boy, eagerly. " Oh, you can do it well enough, and it's such a little thing too," rejoined his com- panion. But he evidently hesitated to make his wishes known. At last, after clearing his throat several times, he went on, slightly turning his face from Wat's keen eyes as he did so, under the pretence of watching a ground-squirrel skip into his hole under the fence : " Well, it's only this, and it's no such mighty matter after all : Just you hold my book open before me the next time my class goes up to recite. As you sit on the lower bench, you can easily enough do it, and no one will be the wiser." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 43 "But it wouldn't be -right/' cried Wat, indignantly ; " it would be wrong for me to do it, and wrong for you to cheat yourself and Mr. Harvey. 6 Two wrongs don't make a right,' anyhow you can fix it." " There you are again with your musty sayings, Old Proverbs," answered Philip, angrily ; " I might have known better than to ask a favor of you. But if you are so dis- obliging, you need not expect to have the loan of my Robinson Crusoe." Poor little Wat was sadly disappointed. He had fully reckoned on his schoolmate keeping his promise, and he had so much wanted to read that particular book, ever since he had listened to the glowing descrip- tions his father had given him of the fasci- nating Crusoe life. His mother's long illness he knew had caused many more expenses in the family, for Grandma Haynes was getting too old to do all the household work, and Keziah, besides the domestic sewing, was re- quired to wait on the invalid a good deal. 44 WAT AD A11S, So for the last few weeks the services of -a maid-of-all-work were considered indispensa- ble, and Wat felt sure that it would be a very inauspicious time to ask for the purchase of a new book. Yet he was determined not to do wrong for the sake even of his favorite indulgence. The two boys walked for a time in silence, each busy with his own reflections. At last Wat ventured to make a proposition to his moody companion : " I'll tell you what I will do, Philip : I'll study harder and try to help you with your lessons. Only won't you promise to do a little yourself? If I look out all the hard words in the dictionary for you, won't you try to learn them ?" " Well, you are a good little soul !" ex- claimed his schoolmate, quite overcome with the little boy's gentleness and persistence in avoiding wrong-doing ; " I'll promise what- ever you like. And I don't mind telling you that I want to turn over a new leaf. I'm THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 45 tfred of being called the dunce of the school and having even the little boys twitting me with being kept in every day. I know I can do better if I try." * Oh how glad I am !" cried Wat. " Yes, I'm sure you can do better, Philip, if you try. You remember what I said to-day : 1 Try never was beat ;' and besides : ' God helps those that help themselves.' " " Well," rejoined the other, laughing, " I'm afraid your nickname of Old Proverbs will have to stick to you, Wat Adams. Where in the world did you ever meet with such a parcel of old sayings ?" " Oh, father tells them to me ; and besides, I have a book at home that is full of them." " Have you many books of your own ?" •went on Philip Graham, who seemed greatly amused with the old-fashioned little boy trudging along by his side. " Oh yes ; but I have read them all so of- ten I almost know them by heart. There's Peter Parley's histories and the Polio books, 46 WAT ADAMS, besides Pilgrim's Progress. Did you ever read that, Philip ?" " No," said his companion, after thinking a while. Indeed, that kind of literature was not likely to be to his taste even if he had chanced to meet with it. " It's a grand old book," went on little Wat, with animation ; " grandma lets me read it on Sundays, and I go out under the big apple tree and have a jolly time. I mean I enjoy it so much, you know," said the lad, checking himself with the feeling that "jolly " was not exactly the word to use about a re- ligious book. " It's all about a man named Christian who fought great ugly giants, and how Giant Despair once shut him up in a dungeon and wanted him to be so wicked as to kill himself." " Whew ! it must be almost as entertain- ing as a fairy-tale," exclaimed Philip. " I don't know what that is," said little Wat, demurely. " Have you never read fairy-tales ?" cried THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 47 the other, in astonishment. " Why, I can lend you lots of them when you're done with Robinson Crusoe." " Do you mean to lend me Robinson Cru- soe?" asked the younger boy, looking up timidly into Philip's face to see if he was in earnest. " Of course I do. I'm not angry with you, now you've promised to help me with my lessons, you know." " Then I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure. But about the fairy-tales I don't know ; I would have to ask father first. Perhaps he wouldn't like me to read them." " Poh ! what nonsense ! I never ask my father what I shall read and what I shall let alone. He gives me money to spend, and I spend it the way I please. But here we are at the turning. Come on, and you shall carry Robinson Crusoe home with you." " I'd like to very much," said Wat, long- ingly, " but I'm afraid I should be late with my evening work if I did. 6 Duty before 48 WA T ADAMS. pleasure/ you know," he added, with a little laugh as he remembered the nickname be- stowed on him by his schoolfellows. " I hate the word work," said Philip ; "my father is rich, and don't want me to do a turn. We have tw T o hired men on the farm, besides a gardener and a coachman." " Then you have nothing to do but sleep and eat and play," rejoined Wat. "Well, my father is poor ; and 6 if we would thrive, we must strive.' " So, running merrily down the road to the mill, the little boy shouted laughingly back to Philip the old couplet, "All play and no work Makes Jack a mere toy." CHAPTER V. ALL WORK AND NO PLAY. ITTLE WAT was a pleased boy the next evening as he hastened home, with Philip Graham's copy of Robin- son Crusoe under his arm. It was embellished with rough wood-cuts, and he stopped to peep into it more than once and wonder what they were about. He first ran into the mill to display his treasure to his father, but was disappointed to find him too busy to attend to him, and still more so to be sent on various errands and set to many little employments, which consumed the twilight hours that he had reckoned so much on for commencing this long-coveted volume. It was his usual custom on returning from school, when he was not wanted in the house, 4 49 50 WAT ADAMS, to shut himself up in the little mill-room and either study his lessons or read his favor- ite books. So he felt quite in an ill-humor when all was over and he followed his father to the house, where supper was waiting for them. It really seemed to him as if every- thing had happened at cross-purposes just to vex him. The days were bright at that season of the year, but the evening had closed in with just enough chilliness to make the open fire on the kitchen hearth look pleasant and inviting as the miller threw the door wide open, then paused to shake the dust from his coat and hat before stepping into the little bedroom to say a few cheering words to his sick wife. Huldah had been slowly declining for some years. Another fair pale blossom had lain on her bosom since the birth of our little Wat, but it soon sickened and died, and then the mother's life seemed to fade out with it. Although there was not much visible ailment, she lost flesh and strength, appeared to have THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 51 no heart in her usual quiet duties, and then gave them up altogether. " Her father died of consumption/' Grand- ma Haynes whispered, mysteriously, on one occasion ; " it runs in the Haynes blood. I alius thought Huldy would outgrow it, but she must come to it sooner or later, I suppose. Ten to one if you raise little Wat, Dan'l ; he's narrer-chisted and a bit round-shoul- dered, like his mother." " God's will be done," groaned the father as he drew his little son into his arms and strained him closely to his loving heart; "let him do what seemeth him good. I only ask that my boy may be a child of grace and an heir of the kingdom of glory." Grandma Haynes was always silenced when her son-in-law " talked religion," as she termed it. She herself "hadn't a gift that w T ay," she was wont to remark, "and somehow she thought it was making sacred things too common to bring them into every- day conversation." She forgot how " they 52 WAT ADAMS, that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." Also that when the two disciples were walking to- gether on the road to Emmaus and talked about Jesus and the resurrection, the Lord himself drew near and opened to them the Scriptures, so that their hearts burned within them by the way. The old lady had changed but very little in disposition during the twelve years that had passed since young Wat was introduced into the family circle, but she had failed considerably in her physical powers. She was no longer the alert, bustling housekeeper she had been. But she was still as rigid a disciplinarian as ever, still as uncompromis- ing and inflexible in her opinions and habits. She was seated in her usual high-backed, cushioned arm-chair on this particular even- ing, peering over her grpat iron-rimmed THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 53 spectacles to see that there should be no mis- management in the preparations for supper. Jemima Berry had a hard time of it with those keen and watchful eyes measuring every speck of butter or drippings she used in her gravies, and calculating to a thimbleful how much flour should go to the making of her bread or pies. It was Grandma Haynes' opinion that the scrapings of the dough- trough made holes in the good man's pocket, even if he were the miller and had the toll as his honest due. Keziah, too, came in for a share of this vigilant oversight, being kept to her " stent," as her grandmother called her task of sew- ing or knitting, until the poor wearied girl, who had scarcely reached her sixteenth year, was often glad when the clock struck early bedtime, so that she could creep away to her little room and lose herself in dreamless slumbers. Her sole enjoyment was when her little brother came home from school in ^e evening. Then the two would seat them- WAT ADAMS, selves iii the furthest corner of the large kitchen, where they could be safe from Grandma Haynes' inspection, Keziah's knit- ting needles flying quick and sharp while Wat recounted to her the adventures of the day or read in subdued tones choice bits from his favorite books. He had reckoned on Keziah's sharing the delightful pages of Robinson Crusoe with him that evening ; but when supper was over and she had helped Jemima to wash and set away the dishes, she whispered to him that this was " ironing-night," Grand- ma Haynes insisting that the clothes were easiest smoothed when they were just fresh from the dew. As this operation was generally performed in an outer kitchen or shed, where the smoothing-irons were heated on a portable furnace, Wat was better pleased than other- wise with this arrangement ; for Jemima being a good-tempered girl, and what the children called funny, he and Keziah had often had THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 55 very good times on ironing-niglit as he read aloud to them while they worked or listened to Jemima's droll and entertaining stories. But the cross-purposes that had begun to annoy poor Wat on his reaching home that evening were destined to trip him up at every turn. He had taken his book up eagerly, and was leaving the room as quietly as possible, when Grandma Haynes called him back and desired that he would learn his lessons in the kitchen, as his mother had a bad headache and must not be disturbed on any account. " But I have learned my lessons for to- morrow, grandma," pleaded Wat ; " I learned them all at noon recess, so that I might have time to read this beautiful book, and I want to read it to Kizzie. Do, grandma, let me ; I won't make the least bit of noise ; you see if I do." The little boy regretted the next moment that he had mentioned the book and ac- 56 WAT ADAMS, knowledged that he was free from lessons; for immediately Grandma Haynes twitched the volume from his hand, and placing it on a high shelf out of his reach brought forth a bushel basket of apples from a corner of the kitchen and told Wat to sit down on his stool and prepare them for drying. His father had left the house after supper and gone back to the mill, and besides there was no appeal from Grandma Haynes' au- thority at any time, so Wat could do noth- ing but obey. But as he slowdy and grudg- ingly performed his task many rebellious thoughts arose in his mind. He remember- ed what Philip Graham had said about his having no w r ork to do, while he, as he thought, had " all work and no play ;" he envied the rich man's son, and w T as tempted to think himself hardly dealt with. Little Wat w r as very wrong in this, for he had many opportunities of leisure, which, to be sure, he imj>roved for the most part in the best manner. And Grandma Haynes THE YOUNG MACHINIST. r>7 did not mean to be unkind, although she was sometimes injudicious in her strict discipline. She had always been used to work herself, and thought young people ought to be trained to habits of industry and thrift. Besides, she could not understand " what on earth people wanted of reading except on a Sunday, when of course they must rest from their labors, according to the commandments, and might as well be poring over a book as doing nothing." For the first time Wat went to his little bed in the kitchen loft without a good-night kiss from his poor sick mother, or the gentle touch of her soft hand on his brow, which always seemed to him like a blessing. For the first time he laid down prayerless and unmindful of the many blessings God had given him. But in the silent hours of the night, as he tossed about restless and un- happy, the still, small voice of conscience made itself heard, and he felt that he had been doing wrong. So the day that had 58 WAT ADAMS. dawned with such bright promises and with such good intentions finished in gloom and repentance. " 111 had ended what well begun ; Into the shadow out of the sun." CHAPTER VI. ONE TO-BAY IS WORTH TWO TO-MORROWS. AT," called his father as the boy gathered up his books the next morning preparatory to starting for school, " I want you to go over to Squire Hoskins' at noon and tell him I have made up my mind to buy that lot of wheat he was talking about to me the other day. I hear that flour is rising in the market, and I'd like to be ready to pack down some dozens of barrels before it falls again." "Won't to-morrow do as well, father?" asked the little boy, in a complaining, listless tone very unlike his usual brisk manner. For although he had been sorry for his ill- temper the night before, that morning's sun had not brought forth the fruits of repent- ance, and he still felt aggrieved and rebel- 59 60 WAT ADAMS, lions, like a dull Jack that has had no play after his work. "By no means/' said the miller, looking curiously at his son, as if he almost doubted his identity with the cheerful, bright-eyed little boy always so ready to do his bidding. " And besides," he continued, " don't you know the old saying, 'If you have any- thing to do to-morrow, do it to-day' ? which to my mind means that instead of putting off things to some future moment we should try to accomplish them at once. So don't fail to do my errand to Squire Hoskins ; and be a good boy, Wat, my son." Ever since the little boy could remember, his father had always dismissed him to school with this exhortation. Perhaps it was a habit or mere words of course, but Wat had always rejoiced in the repetition and inwardly resolved to try with all his might to fulfill his father's wish. But somehow that morning it chafed and angered Wat— he could hardly have told why — to have his father speak to THE YOUNG MACHINIST. him thus, and he turned away sullenly with- out answering. To make matters worse, he was late at school that morning, having lingered in a shady grove to read a few pages of the famous Crusoe book. He found the tale so interesting that the second bell startled him before he was aware, and he was forced to run every step of the way, only to be disap- pointed at last by seeing his class called up to recite and being obliged to take the foot instead of the head, which latter position he had earned by hard study and kept honor- ably during the whole of the term. Flurried and mortified at being thus dis- graced, Wat made several mistakes in his lessons, and was punished by sharing the captivity of the dunces and laggards of the school at the usual noon recess. But as he was generally a punctual scholar and seldom failed in his recitations, Mr. Harvey kindly allowed him to leave the school-room as soon as he had repeated his lessons perfectly, 62 WAT ADAMS, so that, after all, he had plenty of time to do his father's errand to Squire Hoskins. He was crossing the playground with the intention of hurrying past unseen by his schoolfellows — for Wat was a general favorite with them all, not only because he created a fund of amusement for them with his quaint sayings and old-fashioned manners, but on account of the natural courtesy and politeness with which he treated every one, from the teacher, Mr. Harvey, down to the smallest boy in the school — but just as he reached the outer skirt of the grove of ma- ples, Philip Graham, who was seated in the shade of one of the large trees with his books scattered about him, called out in an entreating tone, " Come, Old Proverbs ! I am wanting you here sadly. This is about the hardest lesson I ever tried to learn. I was never more pro- voked than when I saw you kept in this morning, for I thought it would be my turn next. But we've nearly an hour yet, so THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 63 there's plenty of time for you to help me with these troublesome verbs." " But I can't to-day, Philip ; you must ex- cuse me, indeed. I have to go on some busi- ness for my father, and there's only time to do my errand and get back before afternoon school is called." " Where are you going ?" asked his com- panion, in a discontented tone. Wat explained the reason of his haste, and again endeavored to pass his schoolmate. "Oh, you've plenty of time," exclaimed Philip, catching him by the arm ; " Squire Hoskins isn't going to run away. So wheth- er you go now or in the evening will make very little difference either to him or your father." As Wat still refused to comply with Gra- ham's invitation and take a seat by his side, Philip became very angry. Being by no means a generous or manly boy, he threat- ened to take away the book that he had lent to Wat the evening before. 64 WAT ADAMS, " Oh, please don't do that, Philip," said his young schoolfellow, with a pleading look. "I've just come to such an interesting part, and I want so much to know how Robinson finished his castle and whether he made his boat or not. I'll do anything for you if you'll only let me keep it till I read it through." " Then, if you will do anything for me, you surely can do me this one little favor. Come, Wat ; you wouldn't like to see me kept in to- morrow for not having my lesson perfect, and know it was all your fault ?" "Can't Frank Harris help you, or some one of the other big boys ?" " No ; they are all so mean there's no use in asking them. And then you promised, you know." Wat hesitated and looked undecided. If he could only have said "No"! But he stopped to parley with temptation, and the other, seeing his advantage, followed it up by so many flattering speeches and fair promises THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 65 that the little fellow was finally persuaded to remain and go oyer the tiresome verbs. " I shall have plenty of time after school," he said to himself by way of excuse ; " and I hope it will turn out all right, after all." But it happened to turn out altogether wrong ; for when Wat arrived at Squire Hos- kins' in the evening, he learned, to his dis- may, that the gentleman had left home about the middle of the afternoon, intending to take a long journey which would detain him many weeks. The worthy miller was much disappointed when he heard this, not only because of the loss and inconvenience to him in his business, but on account of his little son's failure to act up to the principles he had taught him. He gave him a long lesson on the subject, the substance of which may benefit other young people also : " We may think we have time enough to spend, but we always find we have little enough, after all. ' Time is the stuff life is 66 WAT ADAMS, made of.' It is the same with time as with money : the first runs away by little mo- ments, the other by pennies and dimes. ' It won't take much to buy this trifle or that/ we say ; but when we come to look for our dollars, where are they ? So when we have the day before us to do our duty in, we are constantly disposed to waste its fractions thinking them of no account. " Look to it also, my son, that you do not put off the great concerns of your soul's welfare with this idle plea : 6 1 shall have time enough to attend to these things after a while.' Thousands have been tempted to think and act thus who are now reaping the sad effects of their folly. The Bible does not exhort us to repent at some more con- venient season, but it says : ' To-day, if ye will hear his voice.' 6 Come, now, let us reason together, saith the Lord.' 'Now is the accepted time ; now is the day of sal- vation.' " It is pleasant to be able to record that THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 67 these and other words of wisdom uttered from time to time by his loving father so wrought upon the susceptible heart of little Wat that by the blessing of God he was enabled in the days of early youth to give himself to the Lord and enter into covenant engagements to be his. Then it was that he became the true moral hero of our story, acting from right prin- ciples and true motives, and striving to ful- fill the royal law — love to God and our neigh- bor. It was with him as with many others who reach the turning-point in life's path- way : " Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side.' , Happily for himself and those who had to do with him, Wat Adams chose the right in- stead of the wrong path. CHAPTER VII. TROUBLE ALWAYS COMES DOUBLE. N the spring of the following yei*r Daniel Adams lost his gentle, unas- suming wife, and Keziah and little Wat a loving mother. It would soon be " little" Wat no longer, for the boy was hard on his thirteenth sum- mer and growing up to be a fine, manly lad. His father had been obliged to take him from school and set him to farming the few acres of land that belonged to the mill prop- erty. He had hitherto been able to hire help for this work, and was indeed looked upon in the neighborhood as a thriving man, as far as money matters went. But something seemed to have gone wrong with the miller. He had met with several heavy losses in buying and selling grain ; 68 THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 69 sickness brought many expenses ; and finally he was compelled to mortgage his house and mill to almost the whole of their value. There were considerable retrenchments made after this in the household. Jemima Berry, whose services had become almost indispensable, was informed that she must seek another situation, and Keziah, who inherited with her personal likeness much of her mother's delicate health and quiet ways, was compelled to exert herself to the utmost to keep everything in sufficient order to please Grandma Haynes, who became more fretful and exacting every day. This was perhaps best for the young, grow- ing girl, as she inclined more to needlework than to household employments, and was spindling up too slender and tall for her age. But it vexed her brother Wat to see the little hands he was so proud of browned and hard- ened with rough work and exposure, while her evenings were so taken up that he had scarcely time to say a word to her in the in- 10 WAT ADAMS, tervals of toiL He built many castles in the air as to what he would do to make her life bright and happy when he became a man, but. what was far more to the purpose, gave her most efficient help both in doors and out whenever he had a moment of leisure. These moments were indeed few and far . rtween. tor "VTa: was too useful to be long without some work to do. He had a knack with tools, and could mend almost anything t needed mending — tinkering door-latches that had a trick of starting open to admit cold draughts of air. soldering leaky tin bucket :ffi-e-pots. and gaining Grandma Haynes' good word for his skillfulness by successfully replacing and securing one of the - - her spectacles, that, as she said, u was for ever dropping out just when she needed her best eyes." She was wont on these occasions to term the young artisan a " Jack of all trades," to which he would pleasantly rejoin, "Yes, grandma, but master of none." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 71 " But you ought to be," slie once replied, sharply. " I don't know what your father can be thinking about to have you wasting your best days between the mill and the few acres, that hardly raise us the bread we eat. A good trade is the best legacy a man can inherit ; for if he hasn't lands, he has hands." This was Wat's opinion too, and he wished very much that his father would bind him apprentice to some useful calling, so that he could help to support the family and make himself an honest living. On some of the rare holidays on Saturday afternoons, when Keziah could be spared by Grandma Haynes long enough to go with him to the berry-patch, or in autumn to gather herbs for drying or sumach berries and oak bark to color her carpet chains and quilt- linings, such excursions being allowable be- cause useful, Wat was accustomed to hold forth to his sister quite eloquently on the subject of his future advancement, while she looked forward to the time when she should 72 WAT ADAMS, be able to earn money by dressmaking, which was the height of her girlish ambition. But while they were thus proposing the circumstances of their lives to suit them- selves, God was disposing events in his own way, and bringing them sooner than they thought to the necessity of relying on their own exertions and choosing their paths in life. The old mill had been wanting repairs for a long time. The foundation was getting rotten and water-soaked, and needed new timbers to prop up the fast-decaying walls. But the work required more outlay than in his present circumstances the good miller thought he could afford. So one day he attempted to do something with it himself, and was busy with crowbar and sledge- hammer when a tremendous crash was heard. Wat, who was driving his team at a short distance from the house, reached the place only to find his father half buried under the ruins of his mill, the outer wall THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 73 having fallen on him in such a way that the lower part of his body was crushed beneath an immense load of mortar and stones. Help was speedily procured, but it took a long time to extricate the poor man from his dreadful situation ; and then the agonizing sensations that followed when the ponderous mass was removed from his limbs caused him to fall into a long and deathlike swoon, al- though while the men were working for his deliverance he had cheered them on in a loud, firm voice and directed their move- ments. Days and nights of intense suffering passed. One of his legs had been am- putated, and for a time the surgeon thought that with the patient's strong constitution and the advantages of his temperate, steady habits he might yet do well. But it was soon evident to all that Daniel Adams had but a short time to live. Before he breathed his last the good man called his son and daughter to his bedside 74 WAT ADAMS, and took a tender farewell of them both. Then he spoke a few words of parting advice : "My children, I have no inheritance to leave you but a good name and the blessing of the Lord with it. I thank my God that he has enabled me to live to his service, to defraud no man, to covet no man's silver or gold or costly apparel. But most I thank him for giving me through Jesus Christ a full hope of immortality and a peace that the world can neither give nor take away. " My daughter, let your adorning be the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Al- ways remember this : 6 Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.' " My son, I have taught you many prov- erbs, but the word of God will teach you other and far better ones, such as are worth their weight in gold. Study well the book of Proverbs. ' Keep thy father's command- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 75 merit, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways ac- knowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. So shalt thou find favor in the sight of God and man/ " CHAPTEE VIII. NO LANDS, SO HELP HANDS. m8 RANDMA HAYNES must certainly ^^H' have taken a peep into " Poor Rich- ard's Almanac " when, in speaking to lier grandson about the propriety of his learning a trade, she uttered the above maxim. But whatever was its origin, Wat Adams was disposed to take it for his motto. After his father's death it was found that nothing remained out of his little property for the support of his family. The mort- gage covered nearly all there was of real es- tate, and the remnant, with a large share of the household goods, went to pay the doctor's bill and other necessary expenses. The young lad, upon whose shoulders the burdens of life had fallen so early, was deter- mined to be honest and true, and not owe re THE YOUNG MACHINIST, 77 any man what was justly due him. So when all the debts were paid and the house and mill had passed into the hands of the new owners, he was obliged to look about him for the means of providing their daily bread. Grandma Haynes owned a small house in the village of Holly, with a little plot of garden ground belonging to it, where they might raise vegetables enough in the summer for their own use. They were very thankful for this; for as Wat remarked, " Rent-day comes on wings," and " Rent is a creditor that can't be put off." When they had moved into the Holly home and their few possessions were neatly arranged in the new dwelling, it began to look quite comfortable and pleasant. Even Grandma Haynes condescended to express her satisfaction as she sat in her old high- backed arm-chair, which had been carefully preserved amidst the general wreck, and sip- ped the nice cup of tea that Keziah made strictly after her grandmother's rule : " A 78 WAT ADAMS, spoonful for each person and an extra one for the tea-pot." It was not until the old lady had retired for the night that the brother and sister en- tered into a free conversation about their prospects and intentions. Keziah took her basket of stockings to darn and sat on one side of the little table, while "Wat occupied his grandmother's chair and whittled at a piece of wood. Wat's whittling at first seemed to be of no manner of use but to litter his sister's cleanly-swept hearth with shavings, but it turned out in the end to be something useful for the house — either a rolling-pin, a dipper for the flour, or perchance a toasting- fork with a long handle, to save her face and hands from being scorched by the fire. Wat was at this time in his seventeenth year, the terrible accident that had left them, fatherless having taken place four years after the loss of their mother. He was tall and strongly made, notwithstanding Grand- ma Haynes' prediction about an early death, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 79 and older in appearance than Keziah, who was fair and delicate, like her mother. She had always been accustomed to look up to some one, and when deprived of the protec- tion of those who were older and wiser felt disposed to rely on her young brother as a helper and adviser. So she waited for him to speak first. " Philip Graham is going to college," re- marked Wat, after a long pause, only broken by some trivial remarks about his work, which had nothing whatever to do with the weighty thoughts that were pressing on their young minds. " Oh, Wat ! and you helped him to be a good scholar, and know more than he does this very day, although you are so much younger ! I wish you were going too." " And I have hired with Mr. Graham as chore-boy," went on her brother, in a dead- level tone, as if finishing the sentence his sister had interrupted. Keziah colored with vexation. She was 80 WAT ADAMS, almost ready to cry at the idea of what seemed to her a degradation, and she bent her head over her work-basket to conceal her emotion. " Why not ?" asked Wat, laughing, as he threw a handful of chips upon the fire, thereby causing it to blaze suddenly with a ruddy glow that lit up the countenance op- posite to him and showed him all the disap- pointment that was written there. Immedi- ately his own face became grave and earnest. Then he leaned forward and touched his sister's hand. " They that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing," he said, in a low voice. Keziah struggled with her feelings for a moment. Pretty soon she rallied and rested her flushed cheek on his shoulder. " You are so much better than I, Wat. T seem to have so little faith ; and then I believe I am proud — proud of and for you, dear Wat." "And which would you be prouder of, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 81 Kizzie, a brother that can use his hands in honest toil, or one who sits with them folded because his tasks are not to his liking ? Now, I think that 1 work is honorable, but pride and idleness abominable.' " " Old Proverbs !" laughed Keziah through her tears. This was all that Wat wanted, to see his sister smile and look bright again. He went on after that discoursing in his usual animated manner : " You see it happened just this way : Mr. Graham was father's principal creditor, the one who held the mortgage on the house and mill. He was very kind too, and offered to let it lie and allow me to try my hand at managing the business. But no, I said to him ; if father couldn't get along, being in debt, how was a mere boy like me to do it ? And besides, 'out of debt, out of danger.' I'd rather begin the world without a cent than have that halter around my neck all my days. I knew, too, that father meant it 82 WAT ADAMS, all to go and have everybody paid off justly and honorably. " Then Mr. Graham asked me what I in- tended to do with myself, and what I could work at. And after a while it came out that he wanted a boy to help about the stables and garden, and he offered me eight dollars a month and my board if I consented to take the place right away. And so I promised rather than lose the chance." " But you are sorry now that you did so." " No, I am not, Kizzie. You see, it don't do for a boy who wants to earn his living to be too choice and particular about what he puts his hand to. Eight dollars a month and one's victuals is better than roaming around looking for odd jobs, and losing time, besides, in the search for them. I've heard father say that shifting about from place to place gets one into idle habits, and often into bad company." " But you could do better, it seems to me," said his sister, with a sigh. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 83 "And I mean to. Don't think, Kizzie, because I begin by being Mr. Graham's chore- boy, that I intend to remain in such a posi- tion all my days. I believe in aiming high, even if I have to stand on the lowest step of the ladder at first. If God prosper and help me; I shall work my way up, never fear. But just now I must earn something to help you and grandma along. You know our little stock of money is almost gone, and we shall have to buy all our provisions until we can get something from the garden." "And can I not do something too ?" asked Keziah, eagerly. "Dear Wat, I shall not consent to have you the only worker and I the idle drone in the hive. Don't you re- member my old ambition about being the village dressmaker? "Well, Mrs. Willits and her sister were actually in here to-day to ask me to help them with their winter sewing, and promised, if I gave satisfaction, to pay me well for all I can do, besides rec- ommending me to their friends. I've been 84 WAT ADAMS. wanting to tell you ever since, and what heaps of things I intend to buy with the money when I get it — a warm soft dress for poor old grandma, books for you, Wat, and oh, I don't know how many more things besides." Wat laughed at his sister's ideas of wealth, but agreed with her that this assistance would be very timely and no doubt lead to some- thing better in the future. He promised, as soon as she gained custom, to have a neat sign affixed to the cottage window with her name and employment duly set forth in the village artist's best style. CHAPTER IX. FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE. ^^J^HIS seems at first a heathenish prov- erb enough, for to the Christian there is no such thing as fortune or luck. He knows that God rules over all and ordains every event in his providence. But that the energetic, the earnest worker may expect his blessing and will rise in spite of difficulties is as true now as it ever was in the history of mankind. Wat and his sister were no exceptions to this rule. The latter gained the position she sought for, and soon had enough on her hands to warrant not only the fulfillment of her brother's promise about the sign, but the added expense of keeping a little girl to do the housework, so as to leave the young dressmaker more time to ply her needle. 85 86 WAT ADAMS, This last arrangement was not at all to Grandma Haynes' liking. She quoted the old proverbs, " Penny wise and pound fool- ish/' and " Save at the little end of the horn to spend at the greater/' prognosticating that in consequence of the inevitable tend- ency of the young and ignorant to squander the goods entrusted to their care there would be " woeful want " as a sequel to the " willful waste." So she was more watchful than ever, and more faultfinding. Had it not been for Keziah's quiet tact in keeping them from collision, poor little Cynthy Crane would have led a harder life of it than ever did her predecessor, Jemima Berry. Little Cynthy had a sad story belonging to her. Her father was that same Jethro Crane whose intemperate habits had caused him to fall so low in the social scale, besides reducing his wife and children to absolute poverty. They lived in a little log cabin just on the outskirts of Holly village — a tene- ment so ruinous that the owner thought it THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 87 not worth while to put it in order and ask rent for it, but allowed the Crane family to dwell there as long as they could make it habitable. Ever since our Lord and Master uttered that true saying, " The poor ye have always with you/' there have been willing hearts and open hands to "do them good." God's poor — those who are rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom — have often their daily wants supplied by some most signal providences. The mother of little Cynthy was a meek and humble Christian. She had striven hard to bring up her young family in the right way, and it was not her fault that her husband was the poor besotted being he was. As long as she had a house, and decent furniture to put in it, she took pride in keeping all in perfect order and making it an inviting home for the industrious, hard-working man on his return at the close of his day's labor. Great was her grief when she found all her little arts unavailing and the evenings that WAT ADAMS. used to be given to her and her little ones, and which were so pleasant and happy, now wasted in the lowest company and the most degrad- ing vices. In these circumstances she could only go to God with her burdens, and trust in Him who cares for the sparrows, that he would give her and her children their daily bread. When work grew scarce in the cold, win- try weather, and food and fuel very difficult to obtain, her faith was sorely tried. How hard, when the last dry crust was divided be- tween four hungry mouths, while she herself went without that the portion for the ehil- :. n fnight be larger, when the last miser- able fagot was laid on the fire to keep life in their freezing limbs, — how hard then to take no thought for the morrow, and believe in the promise, " The Lord will provide " ! But in this extremity God raised them up a friend in the worthy miller, Daniel Adams. One day when the poor woman came to ask for a little Hour, confessing her inability to THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 89 purchase it, the good man, struck by her wretched appearance, made some inquiries into her circumstances, and learned her des- titute condition. He found also by her con- versation that she was a follower of Jesus, and as a disciple of Christ he ministered unto her, doing it for His sake in whose sight the " cup of cold water " is not deemed un- worthy of a reward. From that time affairs brightened in the family of the poor inebriate. Clothing, food and fuel were abundantly furnished by the kind' inhabitants of Holly, whose zeal, stimu- lated by the example of the good miller, could not rest satisfied until every pressing want had been supplied. Nor was this all. As soon as the season permitted, a detachment of neighbors set forth to the ruined cabin and made some needful repairs, while their wives, not to be behindhand in the good work, found that they could spare many useful articles of furniture and cooking utensils to make the place look comfortable. 90 WAT ADAMS, Cynthy, the oldest girl, was promised a place, as soon as one could be found for lier. But as most of the Holly people did their own work, she remained unprovided for until Keziah Adams required her assistance. Her mother being a nice, notable housekeep- er when she had the means, and not accus- tomed, like many poor people, to " spend to- day and spare to-morrow," feasting one time and starving the next, the child had been brought up to ways of economy and thrift, so that Grandma Haynes' fears were not likely to be realized. But we are losing sight of Wat in his new situation. It was not a very easy nor pleas- ant place, as the lad soon found to his cost. There was Mr. Graham to call him one way and send him on a multitude of errands ; there was Sam the coachman to please ; and having lived nearly all his life in the family, he was inclined to "boss" it over every new comer, looking with the pride of a master on his horses and being as careful THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 91 of them as if they were worth their weight in gold. Every morning they were groomed in the nicest manner, and woe to the new stable-boy if a rough spot were discovered on their satin coats after a due course of brush- ing and oiling had been gone through with. Wat submitted to being ordered about by his two masters with the best grace he could. " Of course he must expect to be taught his duty/' he said to himself; "and if Mr. Gra- ham was a little imperious and exacting sometimes, and Sam unnecessarily churlish and faultfinding, why, perhaps it was best for him — just the discipline he needed to make him tough and a manly, energetic character." So he whistled away his vexa- tion as he went about his usual duties, and comforted himself by the thought that he should not always be Mr. Graham's chore- boy. But there was another circumstance much more galling to our brave young hero. This was the conduct of his former friend and 92 WAT ADAMS, schoolmate, Philip Graham. Although Wat had aided him so much in his studies, and they had stood on such familiar terms with each other, the young man — for he was several years older than Wat — chose to pass him by either without notice or at most with a haughty nod and stare, when he was at home for a visit and they chanced to meet. From all these vexations Wat found a delightful refuge when, on each alternate Saturday night, he was allowed to return to Holly and spend the Sabbath quietly at home, going to church and Sunday- school with Keziah and little Cynthy or reading the Bible aloud to his old grand- mother, who was partially blind and deaf from age, although the spirited old woman never owned her infirmities, but insisted that she could see and hear as well as ever. On these occasions Wat never spoke to his sister of his little troubles, for he would not have her worried on his account. But it seemed very dismal to him when his short THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 93 visit was over and he had to hear Sam's chiding, complaining tones as he mounted the stairs to his little room over the carriage- house' and exchanged his neat Sunday suit for a blue cotton blouse and overalls, so as to be ready to help the coachman with his evening work. This little room was another refuge from his daily vexations. To his great joy, he was not obliged to share it with a companion. He felt quite like a monarch in his kingdom, when all was done for the night and he was free once more to do as he pleased. When he was not too weary with his day's exertions, this doing as he pleased consisted in reading and going over his former studies ; for al- though his father's altered circumstances had caused him to leave school rather premature- ly, he had no mind to give up learning al- together. It was a nice, pleasant little apartment, lighted by a window at the east and another at the west, so that the beams of the sun 94 WAT ADAMS, visited it both at his rising and setting. Besides a bed, chair and table, Wat had a shelf for his books, whilst several rough wood-engravings cut out of newspapers, de- picting battle-scenes and eminent generals, had been pasted on the whitewashed walls by some former tenant of the room. There were many times when the young lad was too tired for anything but sleep, and on these occasions it was not very difficult to believe in the old adage, " Early to bed and early to rise Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." But sometimes he was tempted sorely to forget it, especially when he had some enter- taining book to read or felt unusually wake- ful, although he knew that he should proba- bly oversleep himself in the morning and be growled at by the coachman for his laziness and inattention to duty. One evening, during one of Philip's vaca- tions, he was ordered by that young gentleman THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 95 to have his horse ready for him at a very- early hour, as he had engaged to take a long ride .with a friend, who was to meet him at a certain time and place. The command was delivered in Philip's most unpleasant manner, but Wat, though inwardly chafed and irri- tated by his behavior, wisely forbore to show his vexation either by word or look. Touch- ing his cap slightly — an act of deference which Philip always exacted — he made his way to his own quiet room, for he had taken his supper and was allowed to retire for the night. Once there, and with no eye to observe him, Wat's wounded feelings had full vent for a time, and he could not help shedding tears as he leaned his arms on the table and covered his face with his hands. He had some bitter thoughts, too, about Philip as he sat thus, but presently he remembered what his good father had taught him, and what he had read in his Bible about patience under injuries and for- giveness of those who despitefully use us, 96 WAT ADAMS, and tie resolved not to mind it, and, above all, not to be revengeful nor wish evil to others. After reading his usual portion of Scrip- ture, Wat took a book from his jacket pocket, and was presently deeply absorbed in its con- tents. It was one of Philip's that he had picked up somewhere, and it gave a thrilling account of adventures and perils both by land and sea, probably fabulous, but not the less fascinating to the young reader. "With each succeeding chapter Wat re- solved to lay clown the tempting book, but leaf after leaf was turned and yet he continued to read. At length the stable clock struck the hour of midnight, and with a start Wat recollected that he must be up and about his work at four in the morning. There was no choice for it ; he must give up his absorbing volume and try to get some sleep. Hur- riedly he put out his light and undressed, then, saying a few words of prayer in an equally hasty manner, jumped into bed, only THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 97 to go over again in dreams the adventures that had so charmed his imagination. It seemed but a few minutes before a thun- dering knock was heard at his door, and he awoke to find the east already crimsoned with the coming dawn. Then came the voice of Sam the coachman : " Hallo, Wat ! do wake yourself up. Here's Master Philip almost crazy about his horse. He says he ordered it to be ready nearly an hour ago." Wat rubbed his eyes sleepily. Then he made one bound into the middle of the apartment and dressed himself in a moment. But before he had time to leave the room, Philip himself came up the stairs, calling out, "Where is that lazy fellow? I'll teach him to mind what I tell him next time." But, coward as he was, he had no sooner met Wat's calm, unflinching eye than he evidently cooled down, and contented him- self with striding up and down the apart- 98 WAT ADAMS, inent and switching his boots with his riding- whip. In one of his turns he discovered and recognized the book that Wat had been reading the preceding evening. " Why, this is a pretty go !" he exclaimed, angrily ; " who gave you leave to take my books, youngster? Don't you know better than to meddle with my property ?" " But, Philip, you used to lend them to me," said Wat, with something of his old winning manner. " Don't call me Philip," said the older lad, still more savagely than before ; " remember that I am your master, boy." " No, I don't remember any such thing," replied Wat, steadily. " I hired with your father to do his work, but I am under no obligation to bear your taunts and insults." Philip, aroused to fury by Wat's cool op- position, here uttered such a string of abusive epithets that Wat, if unaided of God, would have been tempted to return railing for rail- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 99 ing. But Wat had lately been studying a more sacred collection of proverbs than those of his early childhood. In them he had read that " a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." And "in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin." So he wisely held his peace, and de- scending to the stables began to groom Philip's horse. But the angry young man would not let the matter rest thus. Finding that he could not provoke the lad sufficiently to quarrel, he became excited, and watching his oppor- tunity struck Wat across the face with his riding-whip a stinging, cruel blow. Imme- diately Wat, who had learned a little of the art of wrestling when playing at school, tripped and threw his antagonist, who had closed with him after striking him and was fighting viciously. But instead of returning the blows the other had bestowed on him, Wat contented himself with holding his hands in a strong, vice-like grasp. 100 WAT ADAMS, " Let me up, let me up ! how dare you ?" cried Philip, when he could recover breath, for he was almost choked with passion. " Not until you ask my pardon and prom- ise to treat me better in future," said Wat, still keeping his hold on the other's wrists. " That I'll never do. And I'll get my father to flog you within an inch of your life for your insolence," sputtered Philip. But just then Mr. Graham, attracted by the noise and confusion, came up and demand- ed an explanation of this extraordinary scene. At his command Wat allowed Philip to scramble to his feet ; but while the young- er boy stood in dignified silence, his assailant began to abuse him with renewed violence. " Come," said Mr. Graham, sternly, after learning from the coachman the true state of the case ; " we have had quite enough of this, Philip. You are evidently too much excited to listen to reason ; you had better go to your own room and cool down a while. Af- terward I will talk with you about this mat- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 101 ter. And you, Wat, when you have bathed your, face and arranged your disordered clothing, may come to me in the library. I have something to say to you." The so-called library was Mr. Graham's private room, where he transacted whatever business came to hand, summed up his ac- counts and paid off his servants and farm- hands. Wat entered it with the calm con- sciousness of innocence, for he could not accuse himself of any wrong-doing in the affair with Philip, save that one error of sit- ting up too late the preceding night, and so failing in being on time in the morning. He expected, however, to find Mr. Graham very angry with him, and was therefore agree- ably surprised when that gentleman address- ed him in a mild and quiet manner. " Wat," he said, very kindly, " I am truly sorry to find that you have been treated thus cruelly by one who has so much cause to be grateful to you as my son Philip. I have never mentioned it to you before, but I know 102 WAT ADAMS, all about your lending him a helping hand at school and losing half your recreation- time for the pleasure of doing a good action. I wonder that Philip forgets it as he does. But I much fear that he has fallen in with improper associates and formed habits that make him irritable." Wat could not help remembering Philip's own confession in his schoolboy days of deceiving his father by his choice of ques- tionable reading, nor the rumors that were current in Holly of the young man's reck- less habits and constant visits to the village tavern. He had often thought that his con- duct was like the half insanity of an intox- icated person, and he had no doubt that morning that such was the case, for in his close proximity to his prostrate antagonist he had inhaled the disgusting fumes of liquor. He said nothing of all this to the evidently harassed and anxious parent, but waited in a respectful attitude until Mr. Graham spoke again : THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 103 " I promised your father, Wat, that I would be a friend to his boy if ever he needed one. I know you think I have been hard with you, and perhaps might have pleased you better if I had helped you at once in the way you liked best — that of learning to be a good mechanic. But I thought you needed discipline before you went out into the world and were forced to mingle with all sorts of people. Nothing makes a person more self-reliant than being thrown upon his own resources and obliged to act for himself. That is the reason I proposed to you so suddenly to become my chore-boy, and told you that you must decide at once whether or not you would accept the situa- tion* That you did so proved you to be prompt and. in earnest to do anything, how- ever humble, to obtain a living. That I have kept you strictly in your place and allowed you few indulgences was also a part of this hardening process. I knew you to be a favorite both at home and in school, and I 104 WAT ADAMS, wanted to see what stuff you were made of and whether you were really fit for the battle of life. You have done well, Wat, my boy. I don't mind telling you that I have no fault to find with you." Wat bowed with his usual graceful court- esy, but was still silent, waiting quietly to know to what all this fine preamble was to lead. Mr. Graham fumbled among the mass of papers that lay on his table, and at last pro- duced an advertising card, which he handed to Wat. It was that of a large machine-shop in the city of . At the same time he pushed a folded paper toward him. " I know you do not expect nor wish to remain longer in my service after what has taken place this morning," resumed his em- ployer. " Mind, I do not blame you in the least, for I have reason to believe that it was not your fault. But it would not be pleasant for either of us to have you stay, so I have made out your account up to the present THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 105 time, and here are your wages. I would have written a letter of recommendation for you to Mr. Hill, the proprietor of the estab- lishment mentioned in that card, but I think it best for you to push yourself in life ; it will make you manly and self-reliant. I hope you will succeed in obtaining a situation with him and give satisfaction in your new place, wherever it may be." Wat thanked Mr. Graham for his good wishes and bade him good -morning. Then he went to take leave of Sam the coachman, who, after all, was very sorry to part with him, cast a rather regretful glance around his pleasant little room, and having gathered up his few possessions was soon on the road to Holly. " It seems a queer way to toughen a fellow," he said to himself as he went along, "this finding fault with him and making him miserable all the time. It's a pity Mr. Gra- ham hadn't tried it on Philip a bit, instead of indulging him in every whim. But ' it 106 WAT ADAMS. takes all sorts of people to make a world/ and 'it don't do to speak ill of the bridge that carries us over the brook.' I'm thank- ful, anyhow, for this card of directions to Mr. Hill's machine-shop, and it won't be my fault if I don't make use of it before I'm many weeks older. So, after all, maybe it's best as it is. I shall be forced to 'paddle my own canoe ' and do the best I can." CHAPTER X. NOTHING VENTURE NOTHING HAVE. OUD and long were Grandma Haynes' remonstrances when she found that it was Wat's intention to leave Holly. She had become so accustomed to his frequent quotations of proverbs as to have many of them at her tongue's end, and on this occasion she turned his own weapons against him. " ' Better let well enough alone.' 6 A roll- ing stone gathers no moss/ " she said, when he had told her and Keziah his plans while Cynthy was washing up the dishes in the outer kitchen. " Yes, grandma," replied Wat, laughing ; " but suppose the moss isn't worth the gath- ering ? ' It's a poor rule that won't work both ways ;' and the rolling stone may see a little 107 108 WAT ADAMS, ) more of the world than if it stood still all its days." " Poor child ! you may see a little too much of the world if that's what you're after/' said the old lady as her tremulous fingers took up a dropped stitch in the blue w r oolen sock she was knitting. " The world is wide enough, but it's dre'ful wicked, Wat, and there's temptations and snares to meet you at every turn. You know what the good book says : ' The devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.' And then, too, he often puts on the guise of an angel of light, so as to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect." " But it is not possible for him to do it, grandma," said Wat, with a bright look ; " you remember what our Lord Jesus said : ' No man is able to pluck them out of my hand.' 6 If God be for us, who can be against us V " " Ay, child," said Grandma Haynes, who was always awed into reverence when Wat THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 109 quoted the Bible in their not infrequent con- tests. "He looks so like his father/' she was wont to observe ; " grand and grave as any minister too." Pretty soon she took another tack, this time with more selfish motives : " And what am I and your sister Kizzie to do without you ? Not a man or boy to drive a nail or do a turn, and the garden will be running to waste for want of some one to attend to it." " I have thought of all that, grandma," said Wat, quietly ; " I called at Mrs. Crane's as I came along this morning, and she has promised that Johnny shall see to the garden and do all the jobs that are too hard for Cyn- thy, such as chopping the wood and going to mill, or the like." " There'll be another mouth to feed, then," grumbled the old woman ; " who's to pay for his hire and keep, I want to know ?" " I will. The money I earned at Mr. Gra- 110 WAT ADAMS, ham's I have never lifted until this morning. Here is my year's wages in the envelope, just as he handed it to me. My stock of cloth- ing is good enough for an apprentice, if I should succeed in getting a place, and I shall need very little money for my journey, for I intend to go on foot." " Oh, Wat !" exclaimed his sister, who had been silently grieving over the necessity of his o;oin2; at all ; " that will be very hard. It will take you three or four days at the least ; and when you get there, you will feel so lost and bewildered and homesick." " Like a cat in a strange garret or a bull in a china- shop, I suppose," returned her brother, quizzically, with the evident in- tention of making her laugh. Having; sue- ceeded in his purpose, Wat rejoined more seriously, " Understand once for all, grandma and Kizzie, that I have fully made up my mind about this matter, and have thought it all over very often. I have intended to be a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. Ill machinist ever since I was a very little boy. It will be necessary for me to venture some time ; for if I do not, I shall never gain the position I aim at. I can't begin younger. I don't intend to handle my tools with mittens on, either. "The cat in gloves catches no mice.' So I'm willing to take it rough and tough, just as it comes." " Well, you're a right Haynes if you do look like your father, Wat Adams," ex- claimed his grandmother, admiringly. " The Hayneses were always an up-and-down, set- in-their-own-way kind of folkses ; and you've got a tongue in your head too, which your father hadn't, poor man ! or he might have left you better off at this day. So I judge you'll get along somehow." Wat, who could never bear to hear the least word spoken disparagingly of the pa- rent whose memory he so loved and cher- ished, was about to answer the old lady rath- er sharply, when Keziah, under pretence of showing him how nicely the garden was 112 WAT ADAMS, coming on, took him with her out of doors, and so put an end to the discussion. There was something also on Keziah's mind to say to her brother ; and while she drew his attention to the forwardness of her early peas, and calculated how many quarts of currants and raspberries she would have to sell to Mrs. Willits for jellies and jams, she was studying the best mode of putting her anxious thoughts into speech. At last, when they had admired everything and were seated on a rustic bench under the weeping willow, the young girl laid her hand affectionately on her brother's shoulder and took courage to give him her little word of loving advice : " Grandma was right, Wat dear, when she told you that the city is a place of tempta- tion. I fear you will find many to lead you astray, and few to help you to do what is right. A great deal depends on what kind of company you keep at first and the associa- tions you form. So I want you to promise THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 113 me three things, Wat — that you will not go to the theatre nor into those dreadful gam- bling and drinking saloons, nor read any bad book, nor frequent any place that you would blush to talk about to your own sister." " I promise with God's help that I never will/' said Wat, solemnly ; " but, Kizzie, let me tell you that more depends on one's self about these things than you have any idea of. I do not want to be conceited and above taking advice, but I have often thought that the reason some young men are so easily ensnared on going to the city is their will- ingness to be led astray. " Our good pastor, Mr. Mason, once spoke to me on this very subject. 6 It is the heart, and not the place, that is in fault,' he observ- ed. 'An unrenewed man is just as much at enmity with God among the works of nature that are made beautiful by the finger of Omnipotence as in the crowded marts of com- merce and trade. He may lack opportunity, but not the will, to drink in iniquity like 114 WAT ADAMS. water. ''Keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. 3 It is from the heart, our Saviour says, proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries. How great, then, is our need to cry out, ; Create in me a clean heart. O God. and renew a right spirit within me' ! '* I remember all this so well. Kizzie." went on her brother, modestly. " because it was when I was earnestly seeking to secure an interest in Christ as my Saviour. Mr. Mason used often to invite me to his study, and to encourage me to open my heart to him freely, nor only about religion, but other things, such as what I intended to do in the future and the plans I had formed for life. This was just before our dear father's death, when I had almost set my heart on being a machinist, and somehow, in conversing with Mr. Mason, it slipped out. Then he talked to me so kindly and gave me such good advice. I think I shall never forget it. One thing I know : if I ever do fall into temptation and a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 115 snare, it will be my own fault. For it is an old saying, 6 Forewarned, forearmed/ " "And we must not forget the best armor, either, dear Wat — the word of God and prayer. You will need both to keep you in the right way. Don't you remember how Christian in the Pilgrim's Progress was often led off from the narrow way to the Celestial City because he forgot to read the roll he carried in his bosom, or to call for help on One who is mighty to save ?" " What a wonderful old book that is !" said her brother, musingly. " I used to like it when a little child because it told such curious stories about giants and dragons, and had such queer names, as Mr. Peady-to-halt, Mr. Despondency and Mrs. Much-afraid, his daughter. But now that I am a pilgrim myself I can see the fitness and beauty of the whole allegory." Thus the brother and sister continued to talk on this last evening that they could enjoy each other's society; for Keziah de- # 116 WAT ABA MS. clared that she must now be very busy in get- ting his little stock of clothing in complete order, since he would soon have no one to care for his comfort. In after life Wat often looked back with thankfulness to this little confidential chat under the old willow tree. His sister's advice was that " word fitly spoken " which is liken- ed by the wise man to " apples of gold in pictures of silver." They abode in his mind as " nails fastened in a sure place." CHAPTER XI. A FRIEND IN NEED. the third day after leaving Mr. Graham's, Wat set out on his journey. So soon as he could give proper direc- ^ tions where it was to be left his box was to be sent after him by the lumbering stage that once a week rattled along the Holly turnpike. Like his great progenitor, Adam, " the world was all before him," and he was about to choose for himself " a local habitation and a name." Unlike most of the young people of his age and station, his ideas of city life wore not those glowing colors which fascinate so many, luring them on, like the mirage of the desert, only to cheat and disappoint, their dreams of pleasure, as the fabled apples of Sodom, turning to ashes in their mouths. xir 118 WAT ADAMS, Wat was the child of godly parents ; and besides giving him to the Lord in earnest prayer, they had striven according to their ability to bring him up in the right way. His father's wise counsels, his mother's gentle influence, had not been lost upon him ; as seed sown in good ground, they were springing up to bear fruit in his life. Then, too, like Timothy, he had from a child known the Holy Scriptures, which are as a " lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path " of those who truly seek the Lord. Still, it could not be denied that, while our young traveler's expectations were of a grave and sober character, his sensations in thus beginning life for himself were not without a certain charm from their entire novelty. For the first time he must rely solely on his own exertions, for the first time he must think and act independently, and in the best sense of the word "show himself a man." How happy in such circumstances to say, with King Solomon, " Give thy servant an Wat "Seeking Work. Page ll\ THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 119 understanding heart, that I may discern be- tween good and bad." Besides, there was something exhilarating in the balmy summer air and in the endless variety of scenery as he walked briskly along, with only the slight encumbrance of a small leathern satchel in his hand. For the first twenty miles or so Wat felt that it was a very pleasant thing to be a pedestrian and free to do as he pleased, instead of being cramped up in a crowded stage-coach among people whom he had never met before and might never see again. But at the close of his first day's journey, and especially as the evening set in gray and chill, Wat could not help experiencing some- thing of that friendless, lonesome feeling which for want of a better name is called "homesickness." Not that he wanted to turn back again, but he thought he would have given anything just then for the sight of a familiar face, the tone of a voice that he could recognize as belonging to a friend. 120 WAT ADAMS, This feeling increased to absolute pain when, on arriving at a considerable country- town, his applications for supper and lodging were curtly refused at several houses, al- though he would have been satisfied with the coarsest food and a bed in the fragrant hay- rather than seek for shelter and entertain- ment at the inn, where a noisy company of circus-players had put up for the night. He was obliged at last, however, to turn his steps in that direction, and was reluctant- ly entering the crowded bar-room when he heard his name called by a voice that he rec- ognized as belonging to a young man who had formerly lived in Holly, and to whom he had rendered some trifling services when they were boys together. " Wat Adams ! can this be you ?" he asked in a wondering tone. " Where did you spring from, and to what place are you going alone and on foot? for there is no stage due till the day after to-morrow." " Yes, it is I," replied Wat, half laughing, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 121 half crying, so pleased was he to find an acquaintance in this strange place, " and I never was so glad to see you before, Tom Dickson. 6 A friend in need is a friend indeed.' " It was Tom Dickson's turn to laugh : " I should have known you by that speech if I hadn't seen your face, Wat Adams. Do you recollect how the boys used to call you 6 Old Proverbs ' and laugh at you for your odd sayings ?" " ' Let them laugh that win,' " said Wat, with rising spirit as he felt the friendly grasp of Tom's hard hands ; " ' words break no bones, although, like a constant dropping, they may wear out stones.' " " What a droll chap you are and always were, Wat Adams !" said Tom as he surveyed him from head to foot — "just the very same lad that used to take my part at Holly school. But no, not the same, either. You've grown broader and taller and more manly, as if you knew what you were about and intended to 122 WAT ADAMS, do it. I'll bet a liat you're going to seek your fortune, like the boys in the story- books." " I never bet, Tom, but you have guessed right. I am going to seek my fortune, or rather to make my own way in the world. And now tell me: is there any chance of my getting supper and a bed here to-night ?" " Not in the house, I'm sure ; it's chock full of these player-folk. But I have a snug little room behind the stables, and you shall share that, and my bit of supper too, for the sake of old times, or my name's not Tom Dickson. So come along, and consider your- self my guest for the night. It sha'n't cost you a cent, either, for I'm not a-going to do things by halves. Don't you mind how you used to share your dinners with me at Holly, and give me the biggest half too ?" Wat did remember, and how hungry the poor starved lad always was, so that he often went without himself on purpose to enjoy the luxury of seeing Tom make a hearty meal. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 123 " ' A good action never fails of its re- ward/ " he said to himself as Tom, having ushered him into the little place he called his own, disappeared to procure the prom- ised supper. While he was gone Wat had time to look about the apartment, which did not in the least resemble his late comfortable quarters at Mr. Graham's. It was a mere shed made of rough boards, with a hole for a window covered by a shutter. Its only furniture were a narrow cot and a large chest, which Wat supposed contained feed for the horses rather than the wardrobe of the hostler, as a number of articles of clothing hung on pegs around the sides of the room. Two stools of rude construction completed the accommoda- tions, which were indeed all of the humblest character. But it was a shelter from the rain that now began to beat in gusts around the building, and Wat was thankful for even this poor retreat from the violence of the storm, especially when, after a considerable delay, 124 WAT ADAMS, Tom returned with a lighted stable-lantern, a tin can of hot coffee and a basket contain- ing a supply of eatables, which he proceeded to arrange on the big chest, for want of a table. " Cook is a good friend of mine," said the good-natured fellow, bringing out a cold roast fowl and a piece of beefsteak, with vegetables and bread ; " many's the time IVe turned to and helped her when she'd got in a flurry with her work. So when she found out I had a visitor she did her best. ' One good turn deserves another,' she said as she packed my basket." " So you have an 6 Old Proverbs ' here too," said Wat laughing as, by Tom's invita- tion, he drew up his stool and partook of the tempting repast before him. " Hunger is a good sauce," he remarked, when he had finished his meal ; " I never made a better supper in my life, Tom." Tom was highly gratified with this speech, and showed his appreciation of it by extend- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 125 ing his mouth in a broad grin that made his homely face look very pleasant in spite of tan and freckles. He insisted on Wat's occupying his bed, then, bringing in a great bundle of straw, threw it on the bare earthen floor and covered it with a horse-blanket, declaring that " it was good enough for a king to sleep on, especially if he had a mind at ease and weary limbs to rest, as he had." "Which few of them have, I'll be bound," answered Wat. " There's a line of an old poem I've read somewhere that says, ' Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.' I believe I'd rather be the poor lad I am, seeking for a place to earn my living, with a conscience void of offence toward God and man, than the occupant of a throne, if that throne must be gained by violence and op- pression. But there's another thing I've been thinking about, Tom, since I've been here. You remember the Saviour of the world was born in a stable and cradled in a 126 WAT ADAMS, manger. Yes, and afterward he had no place to lay his head/' concluded Wat, with emotion. Tom thoughtfully drew his fingers through his shock of tawny red hair, looked up and down, then shuffled his feet uneasily. " I'm afraid I don't know as much as I ought to about such things — that's a fact," he said at last. " You see I'm kept drudging here and there all day, and at everybody's beck and call, till at night I'm dead beat out and sleep as sound as a top. But you've got it all at your finger-ends, I take it ; can't you tell a fellow something about it ?" Glad of the opportunity, Wat took his Testament out of the little traveling satchel, and read those inimitable accounts of the wondrous Babe of Bethlehem recorded in the Gospels by Matthew and Luke, telling how the wise men of the East were enabled to find the infant Saviour by the guiding star that " went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was," THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 127 and that midnight watch kept by the shep- herds on the starlit plains of Judea, when " an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them/' bringing them tidings of great joy, the birth of Christ the Lord. "And sud- denly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and say- ing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men." Thus did this young disciple of Christ obey the command, " In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either^ this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." How often, in the providence of God, are these wayside efforts made the means of convicting and converting some precious soul ! Therefore, " cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days." CHAPTER XII. PERSEVERANCE CONQUERS DIFFICULTIES, ^f^HE next morning Wat's kind friend awoke him at an early hour with the information that he was ordered to J convey a party in a covered wagon to a town nearly thirty miles distant, and as it was the very road our young traveler was to take he was welcome to a " lift." This was very agreeable news to Wat ; for although the storm of the preceding night had cleared away and the air was delight- fully fresh, the roads were heavy with mud, so that a journey on foot would be neither very pleasant nor speedy. He lost no time, therefore, in making his few preparations. While Tom changed his stable rig for more suitable clothing, he pressed his guest to partake of the eatables he had brought 128 THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 129 with him after taking his own breakfast in the kitchen. When Wat had satisfied his appetite, the remnants of the meal were carefully gathered up and placed in the basket again, Tom ob- serving that they would make a very toler- able lunch, and Wat and himself would probably need it before arriving at their journey's end. It was a pleasant drive, and Wat, who occupied a seat with the driver, had a fine opportunity of seeing the country and be- coming better acquainted with Tom, who told him many incidents of his own struggles to get on in the world that were very touch- ing. He had an aged mother to support with his earnings, and he was saving up his wages, so as to be able to purchase her a home of her own where she could pass the remainder of her days in comfort. In such conversation the time passed rapidly, so that Wat was surprised to find it late in the after- noon when the wagon stopped. He parted 9 130 WAT ADAMS, from his companion with many exchanges of good wishes on each side. The " lift " that Tom had given him, and several other rides offered by good-natured wagoners who were returning to the city with almost empty vehicles, so greatly assisted Wat in his journey that by the dawn of the third day after leaving Holly he found him- self on the outskirts of the city. The second night had been passed in the shelter of a large wagon, the lad sleeping soundly under the tow-cloth cover while the team plodded leisurely on its way. As the kind driver insisted on sharing his meals with him, as well as furnishing him with lodging, Wat found his traveling expenses much less than he had anticipated. After he had brushed his clothes and taken breakfast at an inn, Wat set out to look about him and become a little better ac- quainted with the place in which he hoped to find his future home. Thinking it too early to go to Mr. Hill's THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 131 shop, he amused himself for an hour or two in walking through the principal streets and gazing at the various objects that were dis- played in the store windows, or admiring the spacious public buildings and conjecturing their uses. After a while he turned into the street where the great machine-shop was situated, and knew by the sounds that issued from its open doors and windows that he was in the right locality. As he ventured a step within, undecided in what direction to move or to whom he should apply for information, Wat's heart began to fail him for the first time since he left Holly. The place was so large and so crowded, there were so many men at work and the din and confusion were so overpow- ering, that he felt quite bewildered. If he had not been very much in earnest, he would have turned and gone out without attending to the business that brought him there. Just then, however, an elderly man at the door who was filing at the wheels of an 132 WAT ADAMS, engine stopped his rasping noise and asked him what he wanted. " I should like to see the master, if you could tell me where to find him." "Well, I can't just at present, for he's here one minute and gone the next. But just you stand still, and he'll be sure to come round by and by. Mr. Hill's a man who likes to keep a sharp eye on his workmen." Wat was very glad to do as he was told — stand still and look about him. He observed that some of the men had very fine work to do, and were obliged to be very close and at- tentive to the different parts they were fit- ting together, while others were evidently just learning the trade, and therefore only set to do the rougher and coarser work of the shop. Among this last class Wat noticed a youth about his own age, with a very pleasant countenance and a mouth that seemed ready to smile whenever any one spoke to him or he chanced to meet the eyes of his compan- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 133 ions. He looked up so often from the piece of steel lie was polishing to gaze at Wat as quite to take the latter's attention, and he could not help wishing that he would come and speak to him, for he was sure he could talk to him much more freely than to the grave-looking man who had first accosted him. He had his wish before long ; for under pretence of needing some assistance in his work, the young man walked over to where Wat was standing, and after receiving direc- tions about the article he was shaping signed to him to follow him to his work-bench by one of the windows, where he proceeded to make him acquainted with what was passing around them and give him some information about the various pieces of machinery. Then he began to point out one and another of his fellow-workmen and relate the peculiari- ties of each. " That is Seth Watkins over there in the engine-room. B We call him deaf Watkins, 134 WAT ADAMS, because he is always so intent on "his work that he never seems to hear anything short of a thunderbolt. But he knows quick enough when we are talking or neglecting our work if he chances to lift those sharp eyes of his and look this way. So we must be careful." " Is it against the rules to talk ?" asked Wat. "Not if we keep straight on working. See, I have almost finished this job since you came here, if I have talked. I hope it will please old Regis." " Old Eegis ! Who is he ?" " The man by the door who spoke to you when you first came in. He is an English- man, and his name is Reginald." " Then he is your king, I suppose ?" said Wat, laughing. " Our king ! What do you mean ? Oh, I know now — rex, regis, regi. Confess, con- fess !" he cried, suddenly taking Wat by both shoulders and giving him a hearty shake — THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 135 " confess that you said that just to let me know you understood Latin." "And you the same/' said Wat, freeing himself from the other's grasp, and not a lit- tle amused at being taken up so quickly. "Well, I won't deny a slight smattering of it. And now I will tell you who I am. My name is Raymond or Ray Colton — you may call me Ray if you like — and I am the youngest workman in Mr. Hill's shop, hav- ing to drudge for the whole of them. I sup- pose you will take my place now. You mean to stay, don't you ?" " I can't tell." " But you came here to get a place ?" " Yes." " Don't you think you should like it ?" " Very much." " Do you know Mr. Hill ?" " I have never seen him." " Does he know anything about you ?" " Nothing." Ray fixed his bright eyes for a moment on 136 WAT ADAMS, Wat's face, then burst into a laugh, which was fortunately smothered by the loud "whir, whir " of the machinery. "Well," he said, when his merriment was over, "you are non-committal with a ven- geance. Here have I been chattering away to you like a magpie, and you answer all my questions with monosyllables." " Because I have heard that ' a wise head keeps a close mouth/ " replied Wat, who could not help thinking his new acquaintance rather inquisitive. He had scarcely uttered these words when a hand was laid on his shoulder and a fa- miliar voice exclaimed, " Old Proverbs, as I live !" Wat colored up and for a moment felt annoyed, for he had not expected his boyish nickname to follow him here. But he con- quered his vexation quickly and turned to greet his former schoolmate Frank Harris, who with a party of ladies and gentlemen, escorted by the proprietor, Mr. Hill, was THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 137 viewing the machinery, which the master of the shop explained to them as they went along. "You see father and I came down on a visit to my uncle, and we are out sight- seeing," said the young man. " Father and Mr. Hill are old acquaintances; besides, he takes a great interest in machinery of all kinds, and we heard they were building a famous large engine here. You want to be a machinist, don't you ? Your old idea, I remember." " I do, indeed. Is that Mr. Hill talking with your father ? I should like to get a chance to speak to him." "Should you? Then I'll introduce you right away, and speak a good word for you besides. ' Strike while the iron's hot ' — isn't that one of your sayings, Wat? Mr. Hill, here's a friend of mine who wants a place in your shop. He's quite a genius in his way — a born mechanic, in fact. Old Proverbs, this is Mr. Hill." 138 WAT ADAMS, " Who did you say ?" asked the master of the shop in some surprise and looking curiously at Wat. " I beg his pardon, and yours too/' said the flippant youth ; "we used to call him so at school because he was always coming out with some wise saying or other." " What is your name ?" said Mr. Hill, turning to young Adams, who looked ashamed both for himself and his old school- mate, for he thought he was speaking too glibly and showing a want of proper respect for those who were older than he. " Walter Franklin Adams," replied the lad, at the same time making a polite bow to Mr. Hill. "Well, Walter Franklin Adams, you want a place in my machine-shop, do you?" " Yes, sir," said Wat, in a low voice. " Are you aware that I am in the habit of requiring some testimonial of good cha- racter — a letter of recommendation from your former employer or the like ?" THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 139 " I never was employed by any person but one, and he said it would make me more manly and self-reliant if I applied for the place without any one to speak a good word for me/' answered Wat, modestly but . firmly. " There he was mistaken," said Mr. Hill. "It is against my rules to employ about my establishment either men or boys of whom I know nothing whatever. But I will not deny that I like your looks, my lad, and your straightforward manner of speaking. So I will talk with my good friend here, as both he and his son seem to be well acquainted with you ; and if his account of you is favor- able, I may be induced to take you into my shop, after all — at least on trial." Wat's eyes sparkled with pleasure : " When may I come to you for an answer, sir?" " To-morrow — no, not to-morrow, either, for I am going out of town and shall be absent for several days. And that reminds 1-40 WAT ADAMS, me. Seth ! Seth Watkins !" shouting to the deaf man in the engine-room ; " number five must be in good working trim by the time I come back, for I expect a party of engi- neers to examine it with a view of purchas- ing. So look out, my man, and be sharp." "Ay, ay, sir," answered the overseer, who was standing with his hand formed into an ear-trumpet in order to catch the sound of his employer's voice. Full of business cares, the latter was about to turn in another direction without giving a final answer to Wat, but the lad ventured to follow him and touch him on the arm : " You have not told me, sir, when I shall call again." " Who are you ?" said the preoccupied man, looking at the youth with momentary forgetfulness. " Oh yes ; I remember now. Well, Walter What's-your-name, you must be here precisely at ten o'clock this day week, and I will see what I can do for you." How carelessly the words were uttered, yet THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 141 how heavily they fell on Wat's ears ! It was easy for the rich manufacturer, who lived in abundance and had a comfortable home, to put him off thus, but to the poor youth with a single dollar note in his pocket, and a stranger in a large city, without a place to go to, it seemed a long time to wait. He put a brave face on the matter, how- ever, and even endured without flinching the raillery of his new acquaintance, Ray Colton, as he passed his bench. " Didn't Mr. Hill hit the right nail on the head that time ?" said the lively young man, after making several witty speeches. "How so?" asked Wat. " Why he said What's-your-name, and so it is." " I don't understand you." " Ain't your name Wat? I heard that flashy young gent call you so. How dull you are, don't you see ?" " Yes, I see," said Wat, smiling and mov- ing to the door. 142 WAT ADAMS, " Hallo ! don't be in such a hurry/' called Ray after him. " One would think you had some great business on hand. Come back here ; I want to talk to you. Now tell me honestly, what are you going to do for board and lodging during the week you have to wait for Mr. Hill's answer ?" Wat stretched out both his hands with a comical look. His spirits were rising with the emergency. " I have ten good servants to wait on me, you see/' he answered, with no little pride. " For the rest, I intend to say, like the unjust steward in the parable, only with this differ- ence, 'I cannot beg, but to dig I am not ashamed.'" "I don't know anything about stewards and parables," said Ray, " but I do know this, that you have the right metal in you, and I'm sure you will succeed. But I have just thought of a plan. What do you say to sharing my room at nights until you can get better quarters ? It is not wise nor safe for THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 143 you to go wandering about the streets in search of chance lodgings. You may meet with those who will not scruple to strip you to the skin for the sake of the clothes you wear, or at least fleece you of all your money. Though I must say you do not seem to be remarkably verdant or, like 'a young bird, easily caught with chaff.' I should think you have 'an old head on young shoulders.' " Wat laughed as he thought to himself that his new friend seemed to be very well ac- quainted with proverbs too. But he w r as very grateful for his kind offer.. He knew there was danger of his falling into bad com- pany by seeking for lodgings in obscure neighborhoods, and in the present state of his finances a respectable hotel was out of the question. So he thanked Ray heartily for his invitation, and promised to be at the door of the machine-shop at six o'clock that evening, which was the hour for leaving off work all the year round. CHAPTER XIII. NO PAINS, NO GAINS. UNCTUAL to the minute, Wat, for the second time that day, turned in the direction of Mr. Hill's establish- ment. The workmen were pouring out of the great doors of the shop in a steady stream, and among them he saw his new friend, plainly to be distinguished by the jaunty air with which his cap was set on one side of his curly head and the smile that seemed habitual to his pleasant face. "Well," said Ray as he tossed his working- jacket over one shoulder and slung his tin dinner-pail over the other, "you look as bright as if you had found a gold-mine." " Not quite," answered Wat, laughing, "but I have found some work to do, and 144 THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 145 that pleases me in my present circumstances quite as well." " You foolish fellow !" exclaimed Ray ; " don't you know if you had the gold you would have no need to work like a slave for your living ? But come, tell me all about it as we go along." " Well," said Wat, " you know I had no great encouragement to begin with. After what Mr. Hill said this morning about my needing a letter of recommendation before I could hope to get a situation anywhere, I thought it best to keep away from all the large stores and public places lest I should meet with another disappointment. But when I left home, I determined on two things. One was never to despair under any circumstances, for ' it is always the darkest just before day- break.' Another was to be willing to do any kind of work, no matter how mean or poor it is, if it enable me to earn an honest liv- ing. "That's right; stick to those principles 10 146 WAT ADAMS, and you're a made man, "Wat. May I call you Wat ?" added Ray, stretching out his hand to the lad to whom he had taken such a fancy. " That you may/' said the other, returning the hearty grasp. " I shall never forget your kindness when I was a perfect stranger to you. If I had not wanted the place so much, I really think I should have given up and left the shop had you not noticed me as you did." " And old Regis — you forgot him ; he spoke to you first. Besides, let me tell you, Mr. Hill treated you first rate for him. He must have been pleased with you, or he would never have told you to come again. ' Be off/ and * I want no loafers about here/ are his gruff replies, in general, to those who are seeking for work on their own hook." " If I am ever a rich man and have an establishment of my own," began Wat, in an excited tone, " I will never treat a poor boy in that heartless manner. No one can feel THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 147 for those who are struggling to make a liv- ing like one who has experienced the hard- ships and bitter trials of poverty. How did Mr. Hill know whether or not I had a cent in my pocket to buy bread with, or a place to sleep in at night ?" " Very little he cared, I presume ; or if he thought at all on the subject, he saw by the blink of your eye that you wasn't the chap to sit down and starve if you could find a job to put your hand to. And now, to begin where we left off, what did you do ?" " Went down to the wharf and waited for the steamboats to come in. There were lots of porters and hackmen watching for the passengers' baggage, and almost snatching it up without their leave. But one pleasant- looking old gentleman stood guard over his, and would not let any one touch it, for he was waiting for his own carriage. Seeing by my looks, I suppose, that I wanted a job, he beckoned me to him and told me to take his place while he went into a. neighboring shop. 148 WAT ADAMS, Afterward I helped his man to put all the parcels into the carriage and buckle the large leathern trunk on behind ; for which service the gentleman rewarded me with a quarter of a dollar." "And that just paid for your dinner, so it goes for nothing," remarked Ray. " No, indeed. I had eaten a hearty break- fast and could do very well without dinner. I went along a street or two farther, and saw a man dumping a load of coal on to the pavement of a large handsome house. The gentleman was standing at the door, and I asked him if he would hire me to shovel the coal into his cellar. He looked me over from head to foot, and then asked me ever so many questions, until before I knew I had told him everything about myself. But I needed to look no farther after that, for he not only gave me the job I wanted and paid me well for it, but when I was going away he handed me a business card and told me I should come to his store to-morrow, and he THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 149 would give me employment as long as I needed it." "And I suppose, if he hadn't done so, you would have turned shoeblack or street- sweeper, or something of the kind ?" laughed Eay. " There is not the least doubt of it," said Wat, joining in the laugh ; " anything to turn an honest penny, you know." " Yes," returned Ray ; " and I must not forget, either, that after shoveling coal all the afternoon you'll be likely to have a mon- strous appetite. So just wait a minute — that's a good fellow — while I step into this shop and buy a few extras for our supper." Wat stopped his companion and would have forced a part of his day's earnings on him to pay his share of the expenses. But Ray refused to take the money, insisting that Wat was at present his guest and it was his place to act the part of entertainer. If they continued to live together, as he hoped and expected they would, Wat should be allowed 150 WAT ADAMS, to contribute his part of the necessary out- lay. A short walk further brought them to Ray's lodgings, which were in the garret of a large tenement-house, built, as such houses are, for the accommodation of many families, having a stairway common to all and a land- ing-place at each story. But it was in a healthy, respectable neighborhood, and its open windows, looking to the west, com- manded a fair prospect of a range of purple hills on the distant horizon, besides affording them a purer and cooler air than was enjoyed by their neighbors below. Wat w r as well satisfied with his friend's apartment. It was scrupulously neat, the few articles of furniture arranged in most order- ly manner, and even a touch of refinement shown by the presence of a pot or two of tea-roses and geraniums that were placed on one of the window T -sills. " So you like those things, do you ?" asked Kay as Wat bent over the beautiful flowers, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 151 inhaling tlieir peculiar fragrance and think- ing of home and friends. Why is it that the odor of some particular plant or blossom brings back scenes that have faded from our minds like a troubled dream ? " Indeed I do/' said Wat ; " and I am glad to see that you are fond of them too. 6 A man is known by the company he keeps.' " " Why do you say that?" asked Ray, who was rummaging the closet for plates and glasses, which he proceeded to arrange on the table with less awkwardness than might have been expected. " I have read somewhere that the love of flowers shows a pure and simple taste, and a depraved mind seldom takes pleasure in any- thing so innocent and lovely." " See here/' said Ray, pausing in the act of cutting huge slices of bread and butter and piling them in a sort of pyramid on a large plate ; " I don't want you to think me any better than I really am. I know that I 152 WAT ADAMS, am a sad wild fellow, and perhaps you won't like me so well when you come to be better acquainted with me. But I do love those Howers as if they were a part of myself. They belonged to my dear Paul, and he left them to me." " Who was Paul ?" asked Wat, in a low, reverent tone, for he knew he was speaking of the dead. "A friend of mine who came with me from the country. He was, like myself, an orphan and obliged to make his own way in the world. But he was ill fitted for its hard- ships. Slender, pale and delicately formed, he seemed too good for earth. If there is any redeeming trait in my character, I owe it to his precepts and example, though I often chafed sorely under his well-merited rebukes. " Well, he found a place, but not in the business that I chose. He was fond of books, and wanted to be a printer. I believe he was getting along very well in his trade, and THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 153 was in high favor with his employer, when in crossing the street one dark winter's morn- ing on his wav to the office he was knocked down by a team, and the wagon passed right over his body. The first thing I knew about it was when he sent me a message from the hospital, where they carried him after the accident, to come and see him before he died." " Did he die very soon ?" asked Wat, with much interest. " No, not for several weeks, and he suffered a great deal of pain. But he was so patient and so resigned to what he said was his heavenly Father's will that it was good to be with him. His employer and many other kind friends visited him constantly. A lady brought him these two pots of flowers and placed them on a stand close by his bed, so that he might have something fresh and green to look at. I shall never forget how his eyes brightened at the sight of them. He stretched out his w r asted hands to touch 154 WAT ADAMS, thein, and afterward in his sleep I heard him saying very softly something about ' happy bowers 9 and £ Eden.' " " I know that/' said Wat, eagerly. And he went on to repeat the verse : " ' There happier bowers than Eden's bloom, Nor sin nor sorrow know ; Blest seats ! through rude and stormy scenes I onward press to you.' " " Yes, that was it," continued Ray. " He was always going over such things — hymns and verses of Scripture he had learnt in the Sunday-school at home. If ever there was a Christian, I believe he w T as one. Indeed, his earnest words and prayers for me on that dying bed almost made me resolve to be a Christian too." " Almost, Ray ! and why not really and truly a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ ?" asked his friend, solemnly, as he looked into Ray's exjxressive countenance and saw through all its seeming lightness and frivol- ity indications of more serious feelings. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 155 " Oh," cried Ray, trying to laugh off the question, but succeeding very poorly in his effort to do so, " how was I to make myself good, I'd like to know? Some people are picked out for vessels of wrath, the preachers say, and maybe I am one." " Don't, Ray," said Wat, with a shocked face ; " please don't jest on such an awful subject. Think what it must be to bear the wrath of an offended God !" " But God certainly made us as he pleased ; we can't change our own hearts, can we ?" said Ray, using the commonplace argument of the skeptic. " No, but God leaves us free to choose whether we will accept his invitations or not. The Scriptures are full of gracious calls: 6 Come, now, let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' Have you a Bible, Ray ?" " No," said his companion, looking round at 156 WAT ADAMS, the few books that were piled on the mantel- shelf ; " I'm ashamed to say I haven't." Wat took out his little Testament, the one from which he had read two nights before to Tom in the stable, and found several marked passages : " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Come, for all things are now ready." "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." " And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." " You see," continued Wat, " we must come to Jesus before we can receive the blessings of rest and peace and the waters of salvation, although they are given freely and fully, without money and without price." Ray nodded a little uneasily, but made no other reply. His friend went on : " It seems to me just this way, Ray : Even if w T e don't much feel our need, we must THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 157 knock and ask, and the Bible says we must do so. Now, to bring it down to com- mon things, if we want to get employment, we don't wait till a man comes along and hires us, do we ? We are very earnest about that ; but when it comes to seeking the sal- vation of our souls, we think we have nothing to do with it. Yet there are no gains without pains." Wat's eyes had grown very luminous during this little talk, that had followed so naturally the account of young Paul's happy deathbed, and his heart glowed with the thought that perhaps his added testimony to the truths of the gospel might have some influence on his companion. How great was his disappointment, then, when Ray suddenly broke into a mocking laugh and exclaimed, " Well, Wat Adams, you had better give up learning to be a machinist and study for a preacher. I haven't heard a finer sermon this long time. And now come, let us have our supper. It's well all the eatables are 158 WAT ADAMS. cold, for you have said so long a grace that if they had been hot they would have been quite spoiled." Wat felt aggrieved and hurt, for he had been drawn on by Ray's serious manner to unbosom himself freely on a subject that he seldom talked about before strangers. Not that he was ashamed of his religion nor of Jesus his Master, but he disliked to hear the name he so much loved and honored treated with so little reverence. If he had known more of human nature and the workings of conviction in the heart, he might have seen that Ray's light and friv- olous manner was put on to conceal the striv- ings of an awakened conscience. The death of his young friend had alarmed and warned him, but he struggled to be free from his convictions, and was vainly trying, by per- sisting in a course of sin and folly, to get rid of them altogether. CHAPTER XIV. PUNCTUALITY IS THE SOUL OF BUSINESS. HE week of Wat's probation passed away much more quickly than he had at first thought possible. The clock was just striking ten on the day of his appointment with Mr. Hill when he stood before that gentleman in his private office, where he was busy with his books and papers. The great manufacturer pushed up his spectacles on his forehead, glanced at the timepiece over the mantel, then at Wat, and looked pleased. " You are very punctual to your engage- ments," he observed. . " That is right ; I like that — seems like business. Few are apt to be so, though." Mr. Hill was a little, thin, wiry man, sharp 159 160 WAT ADAMS, and quick in his movements, and bringing out his words with a kind of jerk. " I once lost a large sum of money by being a few minutes too late/' he continued. " The steamboat went without me, the con- tract was given to some one else, and I learned a lesson. I suppose you know that sixty minutes make an hour, young man ?" Wat controlled his inclination to smile with some difficulty, and answered soberly in the affirmative. "Well, then, never forget it; that's all I've got to say to you about that. And now what have you been doing with yourself since you were here last week ? Getting into all sorts of scrapes, I suppose, and spending your money in sight-seeing ?" " I hadn't much to spend, sir," said Wat, quietly, " and so I set myself to earn some." " Ah, indeed ! and who employed you ?" "Mr. Thatcher, sir, at No. — South Wharves. I swept out his office and went on errands for him." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 161 "And he liked you, I presume? Why didn't you stay with him, then ?" " I liked Mr. Thatcher very much indeed. He is the kindest and best gentleman I have seen in a long while," answered Wat, his voice quivering a little, for he felt instinct- ively that Mr. Hill was amusing himself with him. " Well," continued the man of business, " then you didn't suit him ?" " He said I did, sir ; he was very good. But you had promised me, and I had prom- ised you, so it was a kind of a bargain. And I want so much to be a machinist." " Hey ! you do, do you ? Well, if I take you into my shop, you must be very indus- trious and stick close to business ; I want no shirkers about me." " I will try my very best, sir. I don't intend to be idle if I can help it." "And I don't intend you shall if I can help it, either," rejoined Mr. Hill. "And now let us settle about your wages. You'll spoil 11 162 WAT ADAMS, enough brass and steel to begin with — learners always do — so you can't expect me to give you much until you can make yourself useful. When you do, you may look to have your wages raised, but not before." Wat had not expected anything else, so that he was not disappointed. His friend Mr. Thatcher had suggested to him the probabil- ity that for some time his wages would be low, and offered to give him some writing to do in the evenings to help him along until he learned his trade. He was not ill pleased, either, to find that he was to occupy a place by Reginald, the Englishman, and take instructions from him in the mysteries of his craft. Ray was too giddy and talkative to be a proper companion for a new beginner, and Wat had no mind to get into disgrace with his employer by not minding his business. So he went to the old machinist and delivered Mr. Hill's message, which was to allow him to look on and see how the work was done, and give him some THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 163 easy job whenever there was an opportunity, "just to get his hand in." " Humph !" said the old man, looking up from the complicated mass of wheels and springs which he was endeavoring to get into running order ; " another youngster to train ! They are harder to put in gear than a first-class engine. But," giving Wat the benefit of a searching pair of eyes, "you look another sort of chap from Master Rattle- pate yonder. Did you ever try your hand, at such work as this ?" "Wat modestly replied that he had con- structed two or three little wooden machines in his younger days, but had never wrought in iron, nor even seen such a specimen of beautiful workmanship as that displayed before him. Old Regis seemed pleased with the lad's appreciation of his skill. He stepped back- ward to look at the effect of his work, then bent to tighten a screw or rub with oil and chamois-leather some part of the ma- 164 WAT ADAMS. chine that still had too much friction to move along smoothly in its appointed groove. Finally, he called two or three of the work- men and had the completed model carried to the engine-room, where it was to be examined by the overseer. Then he patiently set himself to the task of constructing another machine, choosing out the various pieces he wanted, measuring them accurately, and laying them according to a plan marked out for him. This was Wat's opportunity, and he dwelt on every movement w 7 ith a keen, watchful eye. He was able, too, to help a little after a while, and received some well-earned praise from oil Reginald for his skill in handling the tools and his readiness to spring when he was wanted, and not before. At the close of his first day in the shop Wat walked home with his friend Ray, tired and yet happy, for he had taken his first lesson as a machinist and fairly begun life for himself. CHAPTER XV. HABIT IS THE SECOND NATURE. AT'S next movement was to collect all his little possessions about him and avail himself permanently of Ray Colton's invitation to share his lodg- ings. The lodgings were in a quiet part of the city, healthy and free from the offensive odors and sights that often make a residence in the poorer parts of a city unbearable to one who has been used to the fresh air and green fields of the country. He liked Ray, too. There was a frankness and friendliness about him that was very attractive, and a flow of spirits and quiet humor irresistible to one who was of a calm and reserved disposition, and in general little moved by sudden impulses. He had felt himself drawn to Ray from the very 165 166 WAT ADAMS, first, and ardently wished that they might be united by a still closer tie than the com- mon brotherhood of humanity. He thought that, like the amiable young man in the Scriptures whom Jesus loved, his friend lacked but one thing, and that was to be a disciple of Christ. Wat's box had been sent to him from Holly, and he was busy the same evening arranging his books and clothes when Ray came in, having been detained longer than usual about some errands. His hands were filled with small parcels, which he proceeded to untie hastily, breaking the strings of some and throwing paper and twine in a heap on the floor. Without speaking Wat stooped and gathered up the wrappings, picked the knots out of the cord and wound it up into a tight little ball, then deposited both carefully in a drawer of the table. " What did you do that for ?" asked Eay, opening his bright hazel eyes a little wider than usual. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 167 "It's a habit of mine/' said Wat, smiling. " ■ Habit is second nature/ you know. I used to get so many lectures from my old grandmother on the subject of wasting little things that I have learned to be careful. We never know how soon we may want." " 6 Waste not, want not ;' is not that one of your wise sayings?" laughed Ray as he threw himself carelessly into a chair. " There is such a proverb," answered his friend ; " and another has just now come into my head : 6 Keep a thing seven years, and you will find use for it.' But I can scarcely think it will be necessary to lay away your wrappings for that length of time, for it was only last night I heard you wishing you had a piece of paper and a string, and declaring there was never any on hand when you wanted them." " Well, I shall have a plenty for the next time, it seems," said Ray, in perfect good humor, as he produced a quantity of cigars and prepared one for smoking. 168 WAT ADAMS, " Take one/' he added, pushing the parcel toward his companion. " I never smoke/' said Wat, decidedly, and with a slight gesture of repugnance. " What are your objections ?" " I might say that I do not like the smell nor taste of tobacco ; it is indeed extremely disagreeable to me. But besides, I object to its use on principle. It is a filthy habit, as the floors of our street conveyances and public buildings bear witness. It must be an unwholesome one, for tobacco is a deadly poison in its concentrated state, and even in the forms in which it is used, it weakens the nerves and impairs the digestion. Such, I have read, is the opinion of some of the best physicians of the day." " And yet most of them use it in some form or other," observed Ray. " That certainly weakens their argument, then, for ' example is better than precept/ But there is another objection to tobacco : it is an expensive habit." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 169 " Why, a cigar costs but a trifle," said his companion, lightly. " Just count up how many of these trifles you consume in a day, in a week, in a month. Comes to a pretty good sum in the course of a year, don't it ? My old friend 6 Poor Richard 9 says, 6 A penny saved is twopence earned/ and ' Many a little makes a mickle.' Now, how long is it since you began to smoke, Ray?" " Oh, ever since I was a little shaver — ten years, anyhow. You see the men at the tavern and store in our country place all used pipes or cigars, and we little chaps thought we couldn't be manly if we didn't smoke. At first we rolled up leaves and aped the loungers, and were laughed at for our monkey tricks. But by and by we tried the real stuff, and after the first fit of deadly nausea and heart-sickness was over we liked it, and after a while we felt as if we couldn't do without it." " Just like the drunkard with his drams. 170 WAT ADAMS, And this is my fourth objection to tobacco : it brings on a dryness of the mouth and a craving for liquor of some sort, and often — I don't say in every instance, mind you — there is a desire for intoxicating drink which is not always resisted." " Well, you have made out a pretty strong case, that's a fact," said Ray ; " I sha'n't dare to smoke a cigar to-night, so that will be something saved." " I wish I could persuade you to give it up altogether," said Wat, laying his hand on his friend's shoulder. " How can I, when you say i habit is second nature ' ?" " But bad habits may be broken. Reso- lution and perseverance can accomplish won- ders. You and I are too young, Ray, to be the slaves of ill habits." "Pray, what bad habit have you, Wat?" said his friend, still in a bantering mood. " Oh, many, as you will find out to your sorrow 7 some day. One is that I am always THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 171 troubling everybody with repeating old prov- erbs to them." " You don't trouble me/' said Ray ; " and now, see, I am going to be Master Good-boy for the rest of the evening. I shall not smoke nor whistle, nor even stir if you bid me be quiet." Here the lively young man assumed a gro- tesque attitude, joining his hands together by the tips of the fingers and drawing his mobile features into such a ludicrous expression of extreme gravity as to make Wat laugh heartily. Wat, turning away, went on with the ar- rangement of his books, which seemed to give him no little trouble to place in proper order. " Ray," he said, after puzzling over them a while, " do you think there would be any objection to my putting up a shelf here be- tween the windows for my books ? I want to have them so that I can lay my hand on any particular volume when I need it. If I keep 172 WAT ADAMS, them in my trunk, I would have to displace everything else to find the one I wanted." " Am I permitted to speak ?" asked Ray, in a mocking tone. " To be sure ; how ridiculous you are, Ray ! Come, what do you think of it ?" " Could you do it?" " Yes, if I can get the proper tools. I have done such things before." " Then I see no reason why you should not have one if you choose ; I suppose the owner of the house would not object. But it will take time, you know. You must buy a board and plane it, and make fixtures to set it on. In the mean time, I will move my books up closer and let you pile yours on one end of the mantel-shelf. How will that do?" Wat thought it would do very well for the present; and with his usual zeal to oblige, Ray began hastily to pull down his own books to make room for his friend's. As Wat was helping hirn a small volume fell THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 173 from his hands to the floor. He picked it up, opened and read a few words, then color- ed violently. " This is a bad book, Ray," he exclaimed, looking sorrowfully at his companion ; " I hope you are not in the habit of reading such things ?" To do him justice, Ray's expressive coun- tenance was also suffused with a blush of honest shame. " I am not, indeed," he answered ; and his frank, open look convinced Wat at once that his friend was speaking the truth. "A strange man gave it to me the other day in the street. He seemed to shrink from being noticed, I thought, and soon after slunk away down a by-lane. I have only read a page or two, but I wish I had never seen a line of it." " That is the danger of such books," re- marked Wat, letting go his hold of the volume as if the very touch stung him ; "the impure thought, the unchaste word, 174 WAT ADAMS, leave a scar that can never be effaced. Noth- ing but the blood of Christ can cleanse us from such stains. I met with a story the other day of a gentleman who hired a mason to make some repairs in his private room. A sort of wash was used which left no marks on anything until it dried. The next day the gentleman observed white stains like the impression of fingers on the drawers of his desk, traced them inside to his money-bag and pocket-book, and so discovered the dis- honesty of his workman. The moral was that our sins may be hidden from all eyes, but the marks remain and the light of eter- nity will bring them to notice." Ray was sober enough now. "What shall I do with it?" he asked, looking at Wat helplessly. " Let us burn it," said his companion, energetically ; and forthwith the hateful thing was torn into strips, twisted and held in the flame of the lamp, every fragment being reduced to cinders on their little THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 175 hearth before they could satisfy themselves that they were free from the contamination of its presence. " I shouldn't wonder if you didn't approve of some of the rest of my books ; I don't believe they are a bit like yours," observed Ray as they stood leaning on the mantel- shelf. " May I look at them ? ; ' said Wat, gently. Ray assented, and Wat opened one and another curiously. They were few in number, for Ray was no great reader — one or two volumes of the adventures of noted pirates and highwaymen, several collections of pop- ular songs and ballads ; the rest were play- books. " Do you go much to the theatre ?" asked Wat as he turned over the leaves of the latter. "Yes; almost every week. What is a fellow to do with his evenings if he don't find some place of amusement ? I have been intending to ask you to go with me ever 176 WAT ADAMS, since you came, but something always seemed to come up instead. Are you en- gaged for to-morrow night ?" " To-morrow night and every night. In short, Ray, I cannot go with you to the theatre ; I promised I would not." " Your mother, I suppose ? All the good boys in stories promise their mothers they will not go to the theatre." "My mother is in heaven," said Wat, solemnly, " but I know r what she would like me to do if she were here now and could listen to our talk. It was my sister I pledged myself to. Besides, Ray, I have a still better rule to go by. It is this : 6 Whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.' " Ray looked uneasy, and to turn the conver- sation began to examine some of his com- panion's books. " What is this," he asked, " with so many lines and curves, besides A's and B's and X's without number ?" THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 177 " That ? Oh, that's Euclid. Eegis told me to-day, I ought to learn mathematics to be a good machinist, so much depends on accuracy in measurement. So I bought this as I came along. I think, by using system in the management of my time, that I can do Mr. Thatcher's writing and study some besides." " What! every night?" said Ray, in aston- ishment; "you'll be moped to death." " Oh no, I shall not. It is quite a brisk walk from the shop to our lodgings here, and I shall take one evening for church. Besides, Mr. Thatcher gave me a ticket to a course of scientific lectures which are given once a week, so that will leave me only four nights for study. I must therefore rise very early if I want to accomplish anything." " I like to be up betimes too," said Ray, " only on Sunday mornings I indulge myself with a little longer nap, because I don't know what to do with the day, anyhow." " What do you do with it, Ray ?" " Oh, go walking or riding in the coun- 12 178 WAT ADAMS, try. Then sometimes I take a sail down the river." " Do you never go to church ?" " I go to the cathedral now and then to hear the music. It's splendid, the best in the city/' " Do you never hear a sermon ?" " I hear yours ; you're as good a preacher as I know of/' returned Ray, who had by this time thrown off his seriousness and re- sumed his teasing mood. Wat crossed the room and came back with a little package which he took from the pocket of his working-jacket. " Ray," he said as he untied it, " I bought another book this evening. It is for you. You said you had no Bible, and I want you to accept this one from me as a present," His companion took it silently, sat down at the table and examined the volume closely, running his hand over the smooth, cream- tinted paper inside and scanning the gilded lettering on the back. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 179 " It's very pretty," he said at last ; " what am I to do with it ?" " Read it, I hope. You will promise me, won't you, Ray, to read a few verses every night?" "Promises are often broken, so I sha'n't make any. I might forget or something happen to prevent me. But I'll read a chapter now if you will tell me where." Wat turned to the fifteenth of Luke and gave the book back to his friend. Then, not to seem to watch him, he brought out his writing materials and began the copying that Mr. Thatcher had entrusted him with. A few minutes only had passed in this way when Ray suddenly broke forth with the remark : " How like you are, Wat, to my dear little friend Paul ! — the same sweet look about the mouth, the same mingling of fire and gentleness in the eyes. I thought there was a likeness when I first saw you." Wat looked up and smiled, then dropped 180 WAT ADAMS, his eyes again on his papers. Once more Ray interrupted him : " I say, Wat, is that sister you were talk- ing about just now as handsome as you are ?" " ' Handsome is that handsome does,' " said Wat, laughing, yet a little provoked be- sides. " One thing I know — she is a dear, good sister, and I am very proud of her." " I suppose she wouldn't speak to such a fellow as I am?" went on the incorrigible Ray; "she would disdain me with my hard hands, grimy face and leather apron at my work-bench." " I don't think she would do any such thing, especially as her brother is obliged to present the same appearance sometimes," re- sponded Wat. " But oh, Ray, will you never be serious and settle down to some employ- ment for the evening ?" "I annoy you, I suppose? Well, you looked so sober that I couldn't resist the temptation of making you laugh. But it's dreadful dull here. If you won't talk, and THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 181 I can't smoke or sing, I'll take myself off somewhere else." Which he did soon after with a half- offended air that troubled his room-mate not a little. He did not want Ray to be vexed with him ; he would like to oblige him if he knew how. He remembered that Ray had the best right to the room, and had been kind enough to share it with him when he was in sore need of a shelter. But if Ray spent his evenings in idle, profitless talk like that which had engaged them the last few minutes, how was he to fulfill his obligations to Mr. Thatcher or carry out his plans for study ? Wat thought perhaps it would have been better if he had taken a room to himself, as then he would interfere with no one's pleasure, but he had a dislike to living en- tirely alone ; it might make him selfish, and in time a decided misanthrope. One ought to have somebody to love. His Bible prov- 182 WAT ADAMS. erbs told him : " A man, to have friends, must show himself friendly/' Wat mused long and deeply that night as to the best mode of dealing with Ray, and prayed to God to guide him and help him to influence his room-mate for good. CHAPTER XVI. INDUSTRY AND FRUGALITY LEAD TO SUCCESS. HEN Wat had been six months at the machine-shop, Mr. Hill raised his wages and made them equal to Ray Colton's. Old Reginald had found him such a capable and willing assistant that he strongly recommended their em- ployer to secure the young man's services ; for as more and better machinery was want- ed, other establishments of the same kind were springing up in the neighborhood, and so good a workman would not be long with- out finding employment. Mr. Hill did not intend to part with Wat, but at the same time he wished to keep him in ignorance of his real value and to make the most of him. So he merely paid him a higher sum than he had agreed on when he 183 184 WAT ADAMS, took him into the shop, and thought himself lucky in making so good a bargain. Wat was quite satisfied with his wages. His wants were few, and to one of his fru- gal and temperate habits the weekly sum of money he received was ample. He had de- termined from his first setting out in life to follow the example of the great man whose name he bore and be careful about indulging his appetite. So while Ray, who was fond of good eating and seldom denied himself anything he fancied, supped luxuriously, Wat contented himself with a slice or two of bread and butter, a glass of milk and a little fruit, which he considered wholesome as well as palatable. For dinner he allowed himself meat, and always as many vegetables as could be readily prepared at the cook-shop where they filled their dinner-cans as they went to work in the morning. Wat had made this arrangement with his friend Ray at the very beginning of their partnership in lodgings, foreseeing, from the THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 185 very expensive style in which his companion lived, that he should be drawn into an un- necessary outlay of money if he allowed Ray to be the purveyor for both. So, while they used the same table and observed the same hours for taking their meals, each bought his own provisions, except at certain times when Ray insisted on sharing some particular dainty with Wat, which courtesy the latter returned on another occasion by picking out the juiciest peach or ripest apple as a present for Ray. Wat was getting along finely with his room- mate now. They were becoming better ac- quainted with each other's peculiarities, and willing to make concessions on each side. Wat had not forgotten Mr. Hill's exhorta- tion to remember that " sixty minutes make an hour," and he was conscientious in im- proving his time to the utmost. But he had come to the conclusion that a fair portion of the evening given to harmless recreation and friendly conversation with his companion 186 WAT ADAMS, would be a gain rather than a loss to both. Finding that Ray was an expert chess-player, he put himself under his tuition, and learned the game sufficiently to be a tolerable antag- onist. % m Ray on his part was willing, when their amusement was over, to take up one of Wat's books and employ himself in a more useful course of reading than he had hitherto been accustomed to. He seldom went abroad in the evening now, and when he showed an inclination to do so was sometimes persuaded by Wat to accompany him to a lecture, or they would make a visit to the library to look at the books and engravings. To make up for the time thus devoted to Ray, Wat was obliged to sit up later than his friend and rise in the morning before daybreak. It had become a noted fact in the neighborhood that the glimmer of the young mechanic's lamp was sure to be seen late and early by those who frequented the streets at such untimely hours. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 187 w Since his wages had been raised at the shop, he could have got along without the copying for Mr. Thatcher. But that gentle- man seemed so well pleased with his accuracy and despatch, and paid him so liberally for his work, that he felt it to be his duty to continue it He had been enabled by his earnings in this way to make several remit- tances to Holly, but lately Keziah had writ- ten to beg that he would do so no longer, as her business had become so profitable that his aid was not necessary. After this Wat indulged himself in the purchase of several valuable books which were indispensable in the course of study he had marked out, and by Mr. Thatcher's advice placed the surplus of his wages in the savings bank. This good merchant was a true friend to Wat. He was not content with furthering his worldly interests, but took pains to see that he attended to his religious duties. He invited the young mechanic to the church to which he himself belonged, and whenever he 188 WAT ADAMS, encountered him tliere or at the weekly prayer-meeting gave him a warm greeting and a friendly shake of the hand. Mr. Thatcher, too, had a Bible class of young men, and Wat, who had always been used to attending the Sunday-school, and did not think himself too far advanced in years or attainments for instruction, took pleasure in going to it. How well it would be if all professors of religion would act thus, especially those who employ and have the oversight of young men and women in their different trades and professions ! Many of them are strangers in the great cities, far from home and friends and exposed to temptation. Without the guiding hand, the watchful eye, the loving, sympathizing word, they may be lost for ever to themselves and society. Alas ! how often has the bitter cry been raised by some in the depths of despair, "No man cared for my soul "! But besides Mr. Thatcher and the Bible THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 189 class, Wat was very happy in finding a Christian friend in old Regis. It came out quite by accident one day, when they had left off work and were enjoying their dinner together. And "as iron sharpeneth iron," so in this instance did the older and more experienced Christian give countenance and support to the younger. It was very sweet, this companionship in the things of Christ and his kingdom. There was a quaintness and simplicity in the observations made by the old man as to the analogy of their every-day employments with the truths of the Bible that were new to Wat and helped to fix them in his mind. Thus, if they were obliged to deal hard blows on their bars of heated iron, old Regis would remark on the insensibility and stub- bornness of the human heart, and how often in the very furnace of affliction and by fiery trials the Lord tries his people until they are refined as silver. " It takes stroke upon stroke many's the 190 WAT ADAMS, time," said the old workman ; " but the Lord knows best. It isn't for us short- sighted mortals to know just why we must suffer these things, but we shall know here- after. There isn't a bit of brass or steel in yon beautiful engine but had to be melted and beaten into shape before it was fit for use ; but do ye suppose — if so be it had feel- ings like we have — it would regret the hard usage it had passed through, now that it is fashioned, as one may say, into a vessel of honor? Ay, lad, and the very stones of Solomon's temple were hewn into shape be- fore they were ready for the building ; how much more the living stones of God's spirit- ual temple !" Wat learned by subsequent conversation with his old friend that he spoke from pain- ful experience, having had his full share of affliction, first in the death of his wife and children by a contagious disease, and after- ward by a fire that in one night swept away all his earthly possessions. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 191 " I was hard and rebellious enough, before that, lad," said old Regis, " but I was ten times harder and more rebellious when God added stroke upon stroke and left me, like Job, stripped of all I held dear in this world. But it pleased God at last to open my blind eyes and melt down my stubborn heart, and now I can see that the Lord does not will- ingly afflict nor grieve the children of men ; but whom he loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." It was a lovely Sabbath afternoon in the close of summer when this conversation took place. Regis had asked his young friend to go with him to a neat little church built on the extreme outskirts of the city, where he was in the habit of worshiping. It was almost surrounded by trees, with a prospect of wood-crowned hills in the distance, and quite removed from the noise and bustle of crowded streets. Wat enjoyed the calm and quiet very much. It reminded him of the little village 192 WAT ADAMS, church at Holly. The simple style of sing- ing, the fervent, heart-breathed prayers, the clear, impressive exposition of God's word and the devout and attentive faces of the humble listeners gave him more of a home-feeling than he had experienced any- where else, and he determined, if the old Englishman were willing, that he would often be his companion. But it was their last walk to the house of God in company. The next morning, to the surprise of all, old Reginald was not in his usual place. He was so punctual and at- tentive to his duties that he was almost considered one of the fixtures of the es- tablishment, and his failure to be at his post excited no little remark from the workmen. Then it was whispered about that something more than common had happened, and soon Mr. Hill came among them and with a se- rious face told them that Regis had been found dead in his bed that morning, and that the coroner's inquest had rendered the THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 193 solemn verdict, "Died by the visitation of God." It was indeed true. God had visited and taken him to himself in the silent hours of the night, and now it was all clear as the noonday to him about the mysteries of his providence and the wonders of his grace. Wat missed his old fellow r -workman very much. And he regretted him the more when he found that by Mr. Hill's directions he was to take a place in the engine-room and be under instructions from Seth Watkins, although he knew that Seth was the best mechanic in the shop, and their employer paid him a compliment in promoting him to a superior post, while many older hands were passed by as incompetent. But poor Seth Watkins was afflicted with a very crabbed, ill-grained temper, which his infirmity in hearing did not tend to sweeten. Besides, Wat had often heard him use very profane and intemperate language in the shop, and he was right in concluding that 13 194 WAT ADAMS. he would make but a poor companion after good old Regis. " 6 Yet what can't be cured must be en- dured/ " he said to himself as he gathered up his tools from his old work-bench and carried them into the engine-room. Subse- quent events proved this change to be the best thing that could have happened to him, and led to the great success of his life. In the Machine Shop. Page 194. CHAPTER XVII. HAMMERING IN AND HAMMERING OUT. HAT are you driving at now ?" said Ray Colton to his friend as tliey sat together one winter's evening, each busy with his own peculiar employment. Wat looked up with a preoccupied air from the paper on which he w T as tracing lines and figures, but seemed still too much ab- sorbed to answer his room-mate's question. "Because I have been watching you for the last half hour, and I don't see that you are making the least progress with that dia- gram, as you call it. Besides, you have been poring over the same one every night this week. I've quite learned it by heart, and know all the marks and corners about it." " Angles, you mean," said Wat, smiling, 195 196 WAT ADAMS, and at the same time arousing himself to pay attention to what his companion was saying, " but I don't think I shall have to study it much longer. I believe I have the whole idea planned out now, and can go ahead with it." " What is it you are contriving, if one may ask?" " Something that will set you and me up in business for ourselves, Ray, if I can get a patent for my invention. Seth Watkins says it is just the thing that is wanted, and he thinks it will soon be considered indispen- sable in the works." Here the young machinist began to explain to Ray such parts of the drawing before them as he could readily comprehend, and enlarged with much enthusiasm on the ad- vantages to be derived from his new-fashion- ed gauge in the building of steam-engines. " Seth has been grumbling over this diffi- culty ever since I have been with him," went on the young inventor, " and says he would give a thousand dollars, if he had it, to see THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 197 the defect remedied. I thought over the matter many an hour when you were in bed and asleep, Ray, and have worked in the shop every leisure moment I had to make my little model complete." " Was that what you were doing while the rest of us were lounging about and talking ? I heard your hammer and file going, and thought you were over-industrious, and a little foolish, maybe, to be working after hours for Mr. Hill, who never pays us a cent for extra time, you know." " I am aware of that, but you see I was working for myself and you, Ray," said Wat, with an affectionate look at his friend. "Why do you say that?" asked Ray, a little uneasily ; " this is the second time you have promised me a share in your good fortune, though I have no right nor claim upon you." " Have you not, when you were the first one here who took an interest in me, and gave me a home just when I was sorely in 198 WAT ADAMS, need of one? I hope I shall never be so ungrateful as to forget your kindness in taking up with such a queer unsocial fel- low as I am." " Oh, nonsense ! that won't do, you know/' said Ray, laughing ; " you must acknowledge that I have the best right to be grateful. What a poor giddy scamp I was when we first became acquainted, Wat, just like a straw drifting down the stream to ruin, and twisted about this way and that by every wind that blew! I owe it to you and your friendly counsels and example that I am not the wreck I was in danger of becom- ing, having neither guide nor compass to direct me." " But now you have both," replied his friend, w 7 ith a meaning look at the Bible that lay close to his companion's elbow. " 6 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day and for ever.' He is our heavenly Pilot, and will steer us safe not only through the storms and hidden reefs of life's tempestuous sea, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 199 but guide us to a haven of eternal rest and peace/' It will be seen by the foregoing conversa- tion that Ray Colton and Wat Adams were now, indeed, more than friends ; they were brothers beloved in that tie which unites believers together and makes them one in Christ Jesus. Our narrative, leaving minor details, has advanced a few years and taken up its thread again when our young mechanic has attained his majority and become a fin- ished workman. Ray's convictions of sin had been deep and pungent ; and when aroused to see him- self a guilty creature in the sight of a pur:> and holy God, he at first almost despaired of mercy and could not be persuaded of the precious truth that Jesus died for just such sinners as he. His w r arm and impulsive temperament caused these feelings to become so intense and violent that his bodily health suffered and he w T as unable for a time to attend to his usual employments. 200 WAT ADAMS, His friend, whose unwearied efforts to bring him within the influence of those means of grace that, by the right use of them and through the blessed operations of the Holy Spirit, are made effectual to sal- vation, tried in vain to bring before his mind those comforting promises and tender assu- rances that are scattered like bright jewels through the pages of the gospel, and seem intended to meet every case and silence every doubt. " This man receiveth sinners," " Whoso- ever belie veth on him shall not perish, but have eternal life," " He is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him," — these and other inviting passages were read again and again in Ray's hearing, but seemingly without any effect. At last, when in the very depths of despair, light broke in on his darkened mind, and he was enabled fully and unreservedly to trust in the Saviour, the Friend of sinners. Having never had the advantages of a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 201 religious education, the young convert had much to learn, and it required the prudent care and more evenly-balanced mind of his friend Wat to restrain within proper bounds the feelings that would otherwise have been " zeal without knowledge." The example of the two young men began to work some changes among their com- panions in the shop. But while Wat won more by his consistent conduct than by wordy argument, Ray was ready at all times to combat the opinions of others, and fre- quently had to acknowledge himself defeated when he was, in fact, only talked down because he had not measured the strength of his opponent nor properly chosen the grounds of his defence. Yet he was sometimes almost ready to quarrel with his friend for his seem- ing lukewarmness. " I wonder how you can bear old Watkins' horrible profanity," he observed to Wat the evening on which they were discussing the fetter's new project ; " it seems like hanging 202 WAT ADAMS, over the very brink of the pit to be in the same room with him. Such oaths and curses on every trifling occasion ! I should tell him once for all that I would not work a turn for him while he swears so." " Have you noticed whether he uses such language now as much as he formerly did ?" asked Wat, reflectively. " I cannot tell. You know I have been working in another part of the shop for a w^eek or two. Why do } r ou ask ?" " Because I think — I believe — that poor old Seth is trying to break off this vile and offensive habit. One thing I am sure of — that he can hear sometimes better than we suppose." "I thought so," said Ray, impatiently. " So his deafness was assumed to listen to what was said about him ? Mean and con- temptible, isn't it?" " Don't misunderstand me, Ray," said his friend, calmly ; " I only meant that Seth can hear some persons better than others. You THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 203 know I speak very slowly and distinctly, and that kind of voice is heard by deaf peo- ple much better than a loud, high tone. There was, besides, a lull in the machinery when Bill Jones and I were talking, and we were standing very close to Watkins. I was telling Bill of something I had read about a good man's argument with a profane swearer. He said that all men worked for something, but the man who swears does the devil's work without receiving any wages for it. There is no profit in swearing — nothing to be gained by curses. And I told him of a person who was struck dead in the very act of swearing, winding up with those lines, ' You would not swear upon a bed of death ? Reflect ! your Maker now might stop your breath/ I happened to look up just then at Seth Watkins. He was gazing at us as if he were spellbound, and seemed struck with a new idea. It was some time before he resumed work, and I thought he looked pale and 204 WAT ADAMS, bewildered for a long time after. I have noticed ever since that when he is about to make use of a profane expression he checks himself and looks over at me with a peculiar expression. I hope and pray that this ref- ormation may be genuine." " You are right and I am wrong, Wat." said Ray. " We are both workmen ; but while I hammer out, you hammer in." " What do you mean by that ?" said his friend. "Have you never noticed that there are two ways of driving a nail ? Giving furious blows this side and that, as I do, loosens it and makes it of no use. But you go to work and give it steady thumps right on the head, and then it stays, firm and sure." "Well," said Wat, laughing, and at the same time trying to change the subject, "I shall hammer in and out both now, for I am going to hammer away at this new invention of mine until I make it perfect. It will be a proud day for me when I take out the THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 205 patent-right and think I have won it by my own exertions." " Don't be too proud, Wat," said Ray. " Thank you for that," replied his com- panion, after a moment's thoughtful pause ; " I believe I needed just such a word of advice to set me right." " Then you are not vexed with me ?" " No, indeed. ' Faithful are the wounds of a friend,' the wise man says, and I know that you mean it for my good. Pride is a very insidious enemy. He steals into our hearts and heads by some loophole that we have not been careful to guard from sur- prise." " But if any one has a right to be proud of his work, you have, Wat," said Ray, " for you have hammered out your own road to honor." " Come, Ray, don't blow hot and cold with the same breath," said his friend, laughing ; " you first warn me against pride and then try to feed my vanity by praising me. But 206 WAT ADAMS, seriously, I do not see why any man should be proud of his talents or abilities, when they are bestowed on him by the great Giver and are not of his own making/' " He may be very thankful for them, though. You would not like to exchange place with Tony or Matt, the porters, who have scarcely more brains or intelligence than the iron they load on their trucks." " No, I would not. But they have souls to be saved as well as you and I, Ray ; and God often reveals himself to such as are of limited understanding, like little babes, and chooses them for his own, when he passes by the rich and mighty of the world. Did you know that these men are both followers of Christ? I did not until I went with Regis that Sunday afternoon to his little church in the suburbs. The sacrament was admin- istered there that day, and among the communicants were our two poor fellow- workmen." " You make me ashamed of my thought- THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 207 less speech about them," said Ray, ingen- uously. "And now I think we are quits, for the reprover has merited and received a reproof in his turn. But tell me what you are going to do with Mr. Hill about your model? You will surely keep it a secret from him ?" " Why should I r " He is a very selfish man, and has a keen eye to his own interests. I'm pretty sure he will want to take the advantage of you and profit by your invention himself. But I don't think we either of us owe him any gratitude. Your wages, and mine too, are very inferior to what the workmen receive in other machine-shops." "You forget that we have had the oppor- tunity of learning our trade, and that I at least was taken without any certificate of good character." " As if it wasn't written in your face !" exclaimed Ray, a little scornfully. " Mr. Hill is a true man of the world, let me tell you 208 WAT ADAMS. again. You are not in debt to him. He knew that you had ability and he should lose nothing by you." " Nor do I intend that he shall/' said Wat, decidedly. " If he is a man of the world, I am a disciple of Christ, whose maxims and rules of conduct were not altogether of this world. Whatever I do in the matter I trust I shall be enabled to do aright." Which speech settled all further discussion of the subject between the two friends. CHAPTER XVIII. RIGHT MAKES MIGHT. 'HIS is a much better axiom than the one which held sway in the dark ages tep" of the world when every man's hand was against his fellow. Then the strong ruled over the weak, the rich oppressed the poor, the sword and lance were deemed the best and most powerful arguments, and men took for their motto, as it suited their own interests, " Might makes right." But since the pure and enlightened pre- cepts of the gospel have become so widely diffused, our Saviour's beautiful rule is the one for us to go by : " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Unless this Golden Rule is practiced in our daily life, its spirit carried out in our 14 209 210 WAT ADAMS, dealings with our fellow-men, we cannot hope for true success. As a Christian, Wat Adams was deter- mined to walk by this " royal law." What- ever came of it, he had made up his mind to acquaint his employer, Mr. Hill, with his invention and offer him the advantage of it. One or two days more of close application after the regular work was over brought his model into such a finished state that it was ready for trial ; and notwithstanding Ray's friendly bit of advice, Wat could not help being highly elated when he saw how well it worked, and heard Watkins' exclamations of pleasure at having so great a want in the machinery supplied. With a beating heart the young man waited for Mr. Hill to enter the engine-room. It was his usual hour for doing so, and Seth had managed that none but he and Wat should be present while they tried the work- ing of the new machine. The beautiful little model, glittering with THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 211 polished brass and steel, was running smoothly along on a miniature railroad that Wat had contrived for its exhibition. It was perfect, with its tiny boiler and furnace, and the young machinist glanced from it to his em- ployer's face with something of the same feeling of complacency that had stirred within him in the old days at Holly school when he set his little water-wheel going, to the wonder of his companions. He was, therefore, not a little disappointed and vexed when Mr. Hill asked, with a con- temptuous look, " What baby's plaything is that ? I want no such trash in my shop. Who has been spending his time, I wonder, in contriving such a piece of nonsense ?" "Trash!" exclaimed old Watkins, indig- nantly; "let me tell you, Mr. Hill, that piece of nonsense, as you call it, will put a few more thousands in your pocket if you ain't too proud to profit by it. Look at this, and this," shewing the works of the little 212 WAT ADAMS, machine; "just the very thing we've wanted this long time." Mr. Hill looked composedly on while the old workman exhibited all the capabilities of the new invention and showed what an advantage it would be in their business. Then he said coolly, although he well knew that the credit of it belonged to Wat, " So you made it, Watkins, did you? I thought at first it was some boy's plaything, but I ask your pardon if it is yours." " It is not mine," said Old Seth ; " I wish it was; I'd be proud of it, I know. I shouldn't need to work much, if I owned it. So, if you ask anybody's pardon, sir, it must be Wat Adams', for the whole thing, from beginning to end, is of his contriving." Mr. Hill turned and surveyed his young workman from head to foot with the air of a master : " I thought you engaged to do my work ? I pay you for all your time, don't I ?" " I made this after the regular hours, sir. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 213 I have never neglected your work for a moment." " The tools are mine, so are the materials you used." Seth Watkins, though usually so hard of hearing, had not lost a word of this conver- sation. He now thought it was time to re- sume his part in it. " No, Mr. Hill," he exclaimed, with spirit ; " Wat Adams has a set of tools of his own, bought, as well as every bit of metal he has worked up in this model, from the scanty wages you allow him." The master-mechanic turned pale with anger. He knew he had taken an unfair advantage in his dealings with his young workman, but thought to keep him in igno- rance of it. He now changed his argument for another : " At least you will acknowledge that you acquired all you know in my shop ? I gave you employment when you came to me with- out a recommendation." 214 WAT ADAMS, " You did, sir ; and I intend to show my gratitude for past favors by giving you the first use of my invention and helping in the application of it to your machinery." " So you intend to apply for a patent for that thing, do you ?" asked Mr. Hill, with a contemptuous twirl of his thumb toward the little model, which had now ceased to move its tiny wheels and throw off its thin column of steam. " I do, sir, if you will be so kind as to put me in the way of going about such business. Of course I am ignorant to whom and where to apply." " Oh, of course !" said the master, de- risively ; " and how if I refuse to help you?" " Then I must ask some one else, sir," said Wat, soberly, as he proceeded to take his model to pieces and pack it away carefully in a box. Mr. Hill moved to the side of the young machinist and lowered his voice, so that Seth THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 215 Watkins could not possibly hear the propo- sition he was about to make. " There is no use of you getting a patent for this/' he whispered. " Let the whole affair be a secret between us three, Adams, and promise me not to let any other manu- facturer have the use of the invention. In that case your fortune will be made, for I shall double your wages from this very hour, or, perhaps, in time give you a share in the business. What clo you say to that ?" " I cannot do it, Mr. Hill," said Wat, very gravely ; "if I have found out something that will be generally useful, it is but right that the public should have the benefit of it. Nor would it be just to myself to be bound to you by such a promise. The increase of wages you offer would be but a trifle com- pared to the profit I expect to make by the sale of my invention." " What will you take, then, for the sole use of it ?" persisted the manufacturer. "Nothing, sir, for I want to do what is 216 WAT ADAMS. right. But at the same time, Mr. Hill, I am willing that you should have a just share in my profits. After that I must look a little to my own interest." Mr. Hill muttered something very like an oath as he turned on his heel and left the engine-room. But although several days passed, and he came as usual through the works and often stood near Wat in the course of his examinations into the progress of the machinery, he took no notice what- ever of the young inventor, nor by word or sign showed that he remembered the affair about the model. CHAPTER XIX. CHARACTER IS POWER. R. THATCHER was a. very good friend to our young mechanic. He had given him a helping hand when he stood very much in need of advice and assistance, and continued still to take a warm interest in his welfare, inviting him to make use of his books. Many a pleasant hour did Wat spend in the good merchant's well-furnished library, where he had access to valuable scientific works which he could not have afforded to purchase with his limited wages. He often met there, also, gentlemen of high attainments, and liked to hear them con- verse with Mr. Thatcher on different subjects of art and science. One was a traveler who had visited almost every corner of the 217 218 WAT ADAMS, globe and brought home a rare collection of specimens, some of which he had presented to his friend Mr. Thatcher, who considered them the chief attractions of his library. Another of these persons was a great en- gineer who had spent much time and money in bringing the art of steam as a motive power as near to perfection as possible. He also had been a sojourner in many lands, testing the different machines in use and fill- ing orders for their establishment in places where mechanics had not attained such a high grade as in his native land. And a third of Mr. Thatcher's intimate friends was a celebrated naturalist. He was writing a book about some new discoveries he had made, and was busily examining various works of science, noting down such facts as he met with to assist him in his undertaking and comparing them with those in his own experience. Wat used to sit in some quiet corner, and while he was apparently engaged with a THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 219 book he was intently listening to the con- versation that went on around him. Even the literary man would sometimes lay aside his pen and join in the theme that was under discussion, adding bits of information and stories of his own adventures that were of great interest. On these occasions our young mechanic modestly supposed himself to be entirely un- noticed. He was thankful for the opportuni- ties afforded him by Mr. Thatcher of con- sulting his rare and valuable collection of books, and had no wish nor expectation of being considered in the light of an acquaint- ance or on a familiar footing with his bene- factor's visitors. Mr. Thatcher's two elder sons often sat with him at his little table to pursue their studies. They had established quite an intimacy with Wat, who many a time helped them over some hard places in their Latin lessons or assisted in unraveling a knotty problem in mathematics. When they left the room at the close of the even- 220 WAT ADAMS, ing, he generally contrived to slip out in their company, unspoken to and, as he sup- posed, unobserved by Mr. Thatcher's guests. But this was not exactly the case. They had not only noticed the young man, but learned such particulars of his history and aims in life as the merchant was himself ac- quainted with. So it happened that when Mr. Thatcher, who knew all about Wat's invention, asked him to bring his model on a certain evening to exhibit it to his boys, the three gentlemen, who were, each in his way, lovers of science and art, were among the spectators. Wat thought this was a very different thing from showing his model to Mr. Hill and the overseer, Seth Watkins. He felt very anxious as he watched the counte- nance of the great engineer, and saw how closely he examined every movement and calculated every stroke and turn of the wheels. It expressed approbation, however ; and when the little machine had run itself THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 221 down many times, until even the boys were satisfied with its performances, the gentleman turned to the young mechanic and warmly congratulated him on his successful inven- tion, offering him his assistance in securing a patent-right to it and promising to aid him in using it to advantage. One incident that evening amused Wat very much. He was standing apart from the rest, examining a large book of choice en- gravings, when he felt his hand pulled smartly, and looking down saw that Oscar, Mr. Thatcher's youngest son, a boy of eight or nine years of age, was standing beside him. " See here : I read about you in a book at our school," said the little fellow, with spark- ling eyes. " I guess not," returned Wat, laughing ; " no one knows or cares enough about me to put me in a book." " Oh, but I'm sure it must be you. I heard father call you Wat, and you invented 222 WAT ADAMS. tliat beautiful little steam-engine over there. The book tells how your grandmother scolded you for lifting up the lid of her saucepan so often to see what made the drops on the in- side of it, And all the time you w T ere think- ing about the steam ; wasn't you ?" Wat thought it was very probable that his grandmother would have scolded him severely for any experiments of the kind, especially if they interfered with her affairs, but he hastened to assure little Oscar that he and the great man* who first found out the important purposes to which steam could be applied were very different persons indeed, both in name and fame. He was yet to know, however, that a good character is a powerful stepping-stone to success in life, and a better inheritance than riches. * James Watt ? of Glasgow, Scotland. CHAPTER XX. THE TONGUE OUTRUNS THE WIT. N all these years the village of Holly had not been standing still amid the general march of American improve- ment. New buildings were springing up and a large cotton-factory had been erected on the bank of the little stream that had once supplied Daniel Adams' grist-mill, and a dense population of industrious and enterprising people was the result of this undertaking. Then it was noised abroad that indications of iron ore had been discovered in the soil, and forthwith land increased in value and passed into the hands of new owners, who had sufficient capital to carry on the various processes of digging out the ore and prepar- ing it for market. These new industries also 223 224 WAT ADAMS, gave employment to many workmen, so that the once quiet village soon became a busy and thriving place. Especially was this the case when a party of engineers exploring a route for a new railroad fixed on the beautiful valley that ran along at the foot of the Holly hills as an eligible site for their operations. Hence- forth, with more convenient accommodations and speedier rates of travel, the lumbering stage-coach became a relic of antiquity only to be had in remembrance by " the oldest inhabitant." Still another enterprise was set on foot about the time Wat Adams patented his great improvement in engine-building. The gentleman who had promised to give him assistance in securing his right to this in- vention not only kept his word with him, but being himself an important official of the company that owned the new railroad, he interested himself in establishing a large machine-shop at Holly station, where iron THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 225 was plenty and cheap, and placed our friend Wat Adams at the head of it. The building was already completed, the machinery in good working order and the hands only waiting for their new master to begin operations. Wat and his friend Ray, who was to act as his foreman, were expected to arrive by the next train. Great preparations were going on for their recep- tion at one particular house in the village ; for the new " boss " intended to inaugurate the event by giving an entertainment to all his operatives and their families. It was not Grandma Haynes' little cottage that was to be the scene of these festivities. A handsome house had been erected on a rising ground opposite to the machine-shop and in a more thickly-settled neighborhood. Thither had the voun°; mechanic caused to be removed those articles of the old furniture that had become endeared by time and asso- ciation, together with such a supply of house- hold stuff in more modern and fashionable 226 WAT ADAMS, style as to cause quite a sensation in the village of Holly. Many were the visits made to see the new house and its appoint- ments ; and when Keziah and Cynthy were fairly installed as its inmates, they were scarcely free for a moment from the friendly calls of their neighbors. To give the good people of Holly their just due, they were no idle visitors. Each came to offer a helping hand ; and when all the rooms were put in perfect order, and the new furniture properly arranged and duly admired, their services were placed in requi- sition for the coming feast. Not a house- wife in the village but claimed a right to have a finger in the making of every pie, and there was no end to the mixing of cake and whipping of eggs for custards and pud- dings. Each, too, had a favorite recipe which she insisted on trying ; and as they brought their own materials with them, the inevitable failure of some of these prepara- tions did not involve the young mistress of THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 227 the establishment in any unnecessary ex- pense. Besides, they carried in for the men's sup- per lots of pickles and whole jars of pre- serves, with rolls of butter and cheese of their own making, while their glowing ovens turned out enough loaves of bread, both white and brown, to feed a multitude of hungry people. On the afternoon preceding the arrival of the two friends came Jemima Berry to take a share in the proceedings. She lived at some distance from Holly now, but having many acquaintances in the village, often made prolonged visits to see her old neigh- bors and hear all that had taken place in her absence. Two years had passed away since her last visit ; she had therefore much to talk about and many inquiries to make. To do honor to the occasion, she had ar- rayed herself in her very best suit, a violet silk gown, a shawl striped with all the col- ors of the rainbow, and a bonnet which the 228 WAT ADAMS, Holly boys called " stunning," so loaded was it with bows of bright-hued ribbons and red and blue artificial flowers. Keziah presented quite a contrast to her visitor as she stood in the centre of the large kitchen with a white apron tied over her dark calico dress and her sleeves rolled back to the elbows, cutting dough into shapes ready to be fried in the pan of hot lard that Cynthy had placed on the cook-stove. Miss Berry's first proceeding was to toss her fine bonnet on the nearest chair, pin up her gown and scramble on one of Cynthy's tow aprons to protect her attire from any possible injury. " My !" she exclaimed, throwing up both her hands in astonishment ; " you don't mean, Keziah Adams, to fry them doughnuts as soon as you mould them out ? Sure as you do they'll be as heavy as lead. Cynthy, you take off that pan of fat and let it stand till I'm ready for it. I'll show you how to have them crisp and light as a feather." THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 229 "Takes me to have good doughnuts," went on the voluble damsel as she took Keziah's place at the board and proceeded to fashion the mass into diamonds, twists and other fantastic shapes. " I always cal- kilate on their rising a spell like bread, and then when I'm all ready I've nothing to do but fry them as brown as my own name, which is Berry." Here the good-natured Jemima laughed at what she considered a witty speech, then turned to look at Keziah, who had quietly taken a seat in a large rocking-chair and was adjusting the wristbands of her dress. " You ben't affronted, be you ?" she asked, a little apprehensively. " But you needn't mind me, child. Many's the time I've rocked you in your cradle long before I came to live with your grandma, though, to be sure, I was but a slip of a girl then my- self." Keziah hastened to assure Jemima that she was not at all offended with her well-meant 230 WAT ADAMS, offers of assistance, but confessed to being u just a little tired " with her efforts to have everything in order against her brother's arrival. Worried out, and no wonder, poor dear !" said Jemima, in sympathizing tones ; " and you never was over and above strong either, Keziah. I used to think your grandma real sharp with you in the old times afore your mother died, and that you would go off in a consumption or atrophy, or something of the kind. Do ye calkilate to keep on at the dressmaking business now your brother's doing so well, Keziah ?" asked the visitor, a little irrelevantly. Being duly informed on this subject, Jemima went off into a description of two new dresses which she had just bought and intended having made up in the latest fashion. By the time she had discussed the various modes of trimming and what style would be most becoming to her figure and complexion the doughnuts were declared to be ready for THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 231 the pan ; and arming herself with a large fork, Miss Berry took the brunt of the fire. Bat her employment admitting of tongue as well as hand exercise, she went on with her talking, although rather in a random fashion : " My ! but this is another sort of a place from your grandma Haynes' old house. I peeped into the parlor before I came in here, and saw such a lot of elegant things. And that's a splendid set of china of yours, Keziah — -just as white as the snow, though, for my part, I always fancied dark blue. But ' every one to his liking,' you know. I wonder what your grandma would say about Wat now if she had lived to see this day ? Poor soul ! she never had a bit of faith in his getting along. He was too much for poring over a book, she used to say." " But," said Keziah, " if Wat had not had good learning and studied as hard as he did, he could not have been so successful, Jemima." " All moonshine, dear. It's faculty as gets 232 WAT ADAMS. a man along in the world, or. for that matter, a woman either. Some folks is born with it, and some hasn't the least grain. I've seen people as hadn't a mite of contrivance or system about anything they did. They do their work in a heedless, higgledy-piggledy sort of fashion, hindering more than thev help. If there's a right and a wrong of doing a thing, they're sure to do the wrong and 2:0 fluttering around like a chicken with its head cut off.'' Keziah could not help laughing at Jemima's droll way of expressing herself. Miss Berry certainly had faculty of some kind, and her °*ift of the tongue was not the least of her acquirements. Xeither was she sparing of it on this occasion. The next time she spoke, however, it was rather more soberly : " Then there's those as has fortunes left 'em. and thev think the earth is hardly °;ood 'ml w O enough for 'em to tread on. But sometimes 'twould have been better if they'd had to put THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 233 their own hands to and helped themselves a bit. 6 Riches takes to themselves wings/ the good book tells us. I dare say Mr. Graham thinks so too by this time. Poor man ! I saw him to-day, and he looks old and care- worn. They say that wretched son of his has ruined him, with his fast horses and gambling and tavern bills. I hear there was an execution in their house last week. Bet- ter the young man had never had a cent to spend than turn out such a sot and a wreck in the very prime of life, as one may say. Your grandma used to talk a heap about your uncle Walter, Keziah, and how she ex- pected him to come home some day with a great big purse of money to make you all rich." " Poor grandma! She never saw her son again, Jemima. Uncle Walter was lost in a great storm at sea— at least the vessel he sailed in was never heard of after leaving South America. But whether he was bringing any money home with him or not we never knew ; 234 WAT ADAMS, and as far as Wat and I are concerned, it makes very little difference, for a good name is the best inheritance we can have." " Well, you have that," said Jemima, ap- provingly ; " all the neighbors speaks well of you. Why, the whole town is a'most ready to eat your brother up when he comes." " I hope not," said Keziah, laughing ; " there's plenty of other food for hungry mouths." " Pshaw ! you know well enough what I mean, Keziah. They'll be so glad to see him and remember that he was raised here — one of the Holly boys, you know. That's what they're so proud of. And he is a real smart, fine-looking man too. I saw him the last time I was here, he and that good-look- ing chap that comes with him. You needn't color up so, Keziah ; don't I know you'll have another house to keep some of these days? Mrs. Smith told me to ask all about it when I saw you. So, now, what shall I tell her when I go back again ?" THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 235 " Tell lier that you don't know anything about it yourself, Jemima/' said Keziah, quietly. " O — h ! that means it's none of my busi- ness, I s'pose ? Well, perhaps it ain't. Any- how, here is a nicer dish of doughnuts ready for them when they do come than ever they saw in their born days afore, I'll be bound. And now where's the table to be set for the men's supper? This kitchen ain't big enough, is it ?" " No ; in the large room over the machine- shop. The carpenter has laid boards on trestles for tables, and the cloth and dishes are already in order. Several of our kind neighbors are there now getting ready for the evening." " You don't say ?" cried Jemima, hurriedly divesting herself of Cynthy's big apron and putting her dress in proper order for going out ; " then I must lose no more time in dawdling, for I wouldn't miss seeing the table set for a dollar. If there's anything I 236 WAT ADAMS. have a taste for, it's setting out a supper in nice order." So saying, Miss Berry hastily took her de- parture, leaving Keziah much relieved and glad to be alone again with her little hand- maiden Cynthy, for her visitor's talk had been like " a continual dropping in a very rainy day." CHAPTER XXI. HE RULES BEST WHO HAS SERVED BEST. T had been arranged that the two young men should have a quiet little sup- per to themselves in the new house before going over to meet with the workmen and their families at the machine- shop. So soon, therefore, as Cynthy had tidied up the kitchen and set out the round tea- table with its nice white china and glass dishes that glinted in the sun like burnished silver, she was sent off to change her work- ing dress for a neat print, and afterward despatched to offer her services to the good ladies who were presiding over the prepara- tions for the workmen's supper. Keziah then, having arrayed herself in a certain blue dress that her brother always 237 238 WAT ADAMS, liked to see her wear and twisted some flowers of the same hue in her golden braids, took a seat at the west window to watch for the coming train. It was not long before the rush and tremble of the ground became perceptible even at that distance; then the piercing shriek of the steam-whistle was heard, and soon the long line of cars came gracefully round a curve in the road, first slackening speed and throwing off steam, till finally it made a full stop at Holly station. Her post of observation commanding a full view of this latter point, Keziah could see that a larger crowd than usual was collect- ed to await the expected arrival, and she noticed with no little pride that two persons who alighted from the cars were surrounded on all sides and friendly hand-shakes and greetings exchanged with more warmth than ceremony. She knew these could be no other than Wat and his friend Ray; and while she turned for a minute to see that THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 239 everything was in order on her neat little table and assure herself that the tea-kettle was actually singing, they were already at the door and calling to her to join in their welcome to Holly. What a delightful little supper that was ! The fragrant cup of tea, the golden butter and light, fresh rolls of bread, delicious honey in the comb, and last, though not least, Jemima Berry's crisp, brown dough- nuts, were all duly partaken of and admired. Then the brother and sister talked together over the wonderful way by which God had led them and prospered them until this happy day when they were about to enjoy a home of their own. They promised each other mutual assistance in the new duties upon which they were to enter, and ex- pressed their desire to be useful to those who should be placed under their care and to do them good in the best sense of the word — that is, to further their spiritual as well as their temporal interests. 240 WAT ADAMS, " By the bye, Kizzy," said Wat, smiling at his sister, "I shall have to ask your pardon almost the very minute I come home for something I have done without getting your consent. Do you know I have given away Grandma Haynes' old cottage ?" " Well, surely you had the best right to it, dear Wat. Have you not built this beautiful house and made me its mistress, besides — " " Promising you another one some of these days when you are tired of presiding over mine ? Nay, don't be vexed with me, dear * Kizzy ; I know that was not what you were going to say. And you needn't mind Ray's laughing, either ; he is my second self, you know." " Have you given the old cottage to him ?" said Keziah, demurely. " Certainly not. The friend who gave me a shelter when I was homeless is welcome to the best room in my house now that God has prospered me so greatly. No, Kizzy, it THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 241 is to an older acquaintance and one in a low- lier station in life that I have parted with our old home. You remember my telling you of Tom Dickson, with whom I passed my first night after leaving Holly ? He told me that he was trying to earn money enough to give his old mother a house of her own, and I made the resolution that if ever I had the means, I would help him carry out his proj- ect. So, with your permission, I intend pla- cing the deed of the little property in his hands this evening and giving him a pleas- ant surprise." " Is he to be one of your workmen ?" asked Keziah. "I have always understood that Tom Dickson was not over and above smart; I should think he had not ability enough to be a good machinist." " He will be a capital hand to have charge of the horses. At any rate, I have promised him constant employment and good wages. And now I think it is time we were going over to my new quarters. The men may 16 242 WAT ADAMS, become impatient, and those who are prepar- ing the supper will be afraid of the old adage coming true, 6 There's many a slip between the cup and the lip.' " It needed but this to verify Mr. "Walter Franklin Adams, master of the new machine- shop, with the " Old Proverbs " of former days. But in either capacity he seemed at home with all the good people of Holly as, with Keziah on his arm, he ascended the stairs and entered the scene of festivity. He was just in time, too, for the long tables were already spread with the materials for a bountiful repast, and the workmen and their wives standing in a double row around the room, waiting for the new master to make his appearance. Foremost among those who had volunteered to wait on the guests was Jemima Berry. She had perched her fine bonnet high up on the wall, among the fes- toons of trailing ground-pine and bunches of flossy hollv leaves which some of the young people had gathered for the occasion, THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 243 so that it appeared to be one of the orna- ments of the scene. Then she flew around and offered to help every one at once, for she was perfectly in her element now. Not a dish but her prac- ticed hands moved a trifle to suit her own ideas of propriety, not an eatable but she had helped to prepare or given her advice as to the proper mode and time for it to make its appearance on the board. Indeed, she gave such valuable assistance, and seemed so eager to demonstrate in her own person the difficult problem, " How can one be in two places at the same time?" that her coadjutors won- dered to themselves and each other what they would have done without her. When all were at last seated and the noise and bustle had subsided, Wat made a short but pithy speech, followed by a still shorter one from the new overseer, Ray Col ton, who professed to be better able to handle his tools than use his tongue. But his smiling countenance and frank, lively manners spoke 244 WAT ADAMS, volumes for liim and made him a favorite with the men at first sight. Tom Dickson and his mother were the last to arrive. They had only reached Holly about an hour before, a good farmer from their former neighborhood having offered them a conveyance in his covered cart, and as usual they had met with the numerous detentions and disasters which attend such a mode of traveling. As they stood in rather a forlorn manner near the door, too timid to make further advances, Wat's quick eye saw and recognized them. He at once led Keziah to speak to the good old woman, who, with silvery hair smoothed back under *her close frilled cap and the whitest of white ker- chiefs pinned across the bosom of her new black gown, looked the very picture of serene and contented old age. Keziah took a fancy to her at once, and finding seats for her and Tom at the table heaped their plates and pressed them to partake. As for Wat, it was a luxury to him to see THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 245 Tom eat. He remembered the supper that the good-natured lad had set for him in the little room back of the stable, and how he had told him it was the best meal he had ever tasted and that " hunger is a good sauce." He laughingly repeated the proverb to Tom as, his appetite fully satisfied, the lat- ter arose from the table to make room for others. " So ye hain't forgot that, Mister Adams ? for I s'pose I mustn't call ye Wat any more now ye're become such a rich man," said Tom, much pleased and yet not a little em- barrassed on what footing to stand with his employer. "I haven't forgotten anything, Tom. I recollect perfectly all that passed that night, and our talk the next day during our long drive. You told me then you were saving up your wages to get a home for your mother, but I believe you did not succeed in your undertaking ?" "Indeed I did not, Mister Adams. I 246 WAT ADAMS, was so unlucky as to get a bad kick from one of my horses soon after you were along, and was laid up till winter. Then mother took the rheumatic fever, and there was the doctor and nurse to pay, besides medicines to buy. At the last, too, my employer cheated me out of a cool hundred, so I came away almost as poor as when I began." " Well, Tom, you did me a good turn once, so now I am going to return both principal and interest." Here Wat exhibited to his astonished listener the title-deed of the little property, which he had already prepared and made over to Tom, at the same time assuring him that whatever articles of furniture remained in the cottage were at the new owner's service. He told him, also, that he had caused a good supply of flour and other provisions to be taken there, so that until they were settled and Tom's wages coming in they should not be in want of the com- forts and necessaries of life. THE YOUNG MACHINIST. 247 It would not be possible to tell how de- lighted were both Tom and his mother. They overwhelmed their benefactor with thanks and blessings, though none could feel more truly happy in conferring a favor than our young machinist, who knew what it was to be poor, homeless and in need of a friend. And now we may take our leave of Wat Adams. We have seen how manfully he struggled to resist temptation, how earnestly he resolved to do what was right, and how he made his way in life through many diffi- culties and trials, steadily looking upward and onward. The secret of his success was his early determination to act out the whole duty of man in fearing God and keeping his commandments. And he re- alized even in this life the truth of that golden sentence of the king of proverbs : " The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."