house which has a specially disagreeable partner, or a leading subordinate who enjoys the confidence of his principals because he is deceitful enough to succeed in his object of getting a high salary for prominent services, and has sufficient acrimony to make himself hated by every one else, be as cautious of him as you would be of a robber. If he should come to think or fancy that your ability may soon or late be in antagonism with his, you are likely to be ruined, and would do well to leave at once. He will turn to your disadvantage, in the minds of your employer, every act you do, no matter how well it is done. If he finds he can not oust you in any other way, he will personally insult you, relying upon your inferior position and his superior strength to attain his ends. If you still remain, he will increase his hostile efforts until he will destroy, by untold and manifold annoyances, your taste for business and your desire to please.

Better leave at once: there are gentlemen enough whom you can serve. Such boors and oppressors are usually the ignorant and low-bred, the originally obscure who have managed to rise to the surface and float for a time in the sunshine. But such base natures after a time become known in their true character, and the refiner's skimmer consigns them to another and fitter sphere. Yet they may have lived long enough to do you harm. Be on your guard against such obstacles in the way of success, and let

no considerations tempt you to entrust your fortunes and the formation of your mercantile character to such a deformity of manhood. Look well, indeed, to the character of those with whom you are to associate yourself, and do not be over-anxious to take a place, if you can not do it among honorable merchants and high-minded gentlemen. Fortunately, examples such as we have cited are few, while there are many which include everything to be desired.

If the young

The student apprentice, like the others, is laboring for skill and knowledge in his chosen profession. What has been said of other youth in this chapter will in most respects apply equally well to his case and to his prospects in business life. Every day brings to the seeker golden opportunities for the acquirement of knowledge; and when the day is gone that opportunity has likewise gone. could now and then be placed at the standpoint of experience in future life, and look back from it to the period now under treatment, how differently they would estimate and improve their opportunities! All are striving for a living, and something over; and while they begin their career with competition and strife, and very likely end it similarly, the object for which all labor in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred is caught in one hand only to be cast away by the other. Is it not, then, well worth while for the young apprentice, among all his gettings, to get some knowl

edge how he can do as well in the world as does one in a hundred? He studies everything to learn how to get money in other words, how to get the knowledge by which he can get money. But has he ever studied how to get the most with the knowledge he acquires, as well as the nature of the thing itself the reasons why it will not stay with him, and why, after doing all that intelligence and perseverance could do, he is left still on the down-hill side of life, with just these in full action, and can not point to a single day's labor accumulated as the evidence of what he has done?

CHAPTER XII.

THE WORKINGMAN.

I am brother to the worker,
And I love his manly look,
As I love a thought of beauty
Living, star-like, in a book.
I am brother to the humblest

In the world's red-handed strife,-
Those who wield the sword of labor

In the battle-ranks of life.

ANONYMOUS.

ANUAL labor underlies the whole active structure of society, is the bone and sinew of the nation, and the chief source of its wealth. It feeds and clothes all; it builds our houses, works our lands, digs our canals, threads our railways, launches our ships, moves our factories, machine-shops, and commerce. What steam is to the engine, is this great motor to society. But, like other kinds of labor, its value depends upon its quality, and that upon knowledge and skill. No matter upon what he may be employed, the worker has the way open to money-making in two linesfirst, by his labor, without reference to its quality ; second, by increasing the value of his labor in the ap

plication of knowledge and skill, and by making himself more useful and acceptable to his employer.

Two mechanics worked upon the same machinery, both receiving the same pay. One was faithful, obliging, polite, agreeable, labored for his employer's interest, was careful of material and of his time, and did his work well. The other did his work as well when it was done; but he was an "eye-servant," was disobliging, uncivil, snappish, cut and slashed material to loss, took his ease about all his work, and was careful concerning only one thing - to put in his time. Both received the same sum at pay-day. The general impression among their fellows was that both were earning money equally fast, and so they would have been as long as both received the same wages. But in the end it turned out that one had been accumulating friends, influence, character, and personal interest ; while the other had stood still, if he had not, indeed, lost what the first had gained. The one probably never gave a thought to results, but simply did his duty in common honesty and fidelity: the other had but the thought of putting in his time and getting his wages. Neither of them, then, labored with the idea of making the most he could by his services, for if he had he probably would have worked better; and had he been advised of the means, he would have put himself in the way of receiving extra compensation by advancement. The result was, however, that when his employer was asked to recommend a foreman for