Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1889 — The Story of a Knife. [ARTICLE]

The Story of a Knife.

Before us are an old pocket knife and a neat business circular. The first was bought iu the summer of 1881 in a little shanty-like shop next to the Broad Street Bridge in Atlanta, Ga. It did excellent service for years until its owner carelessly broke it while uaing it for a purpose for which it was not intended. Its handlo is of bjnekhorn; its blade was of i the finest - tempered steel. Constant use never harmed it. Every rivet is. in tact; the spring joint of the blade has the same elasticity as at first. I That knife was 1 made in honor by an honest man. It came out of his stock. Every other knife thero was warranted by the maker. That man knew his trade well. That knowledge and perfect integrity were his capital. His shop was too small to attract notice. At the start he was only a cutter and grinder. He despised not the day of small things, but was ready to do any work in liis Kne. He would grind knives, hone and concave ..razors, anything, in fact, to earn an Honest penny. Schoolboys stood in his door to see th® sparks fly from his emory wheels. They looked longingly at the tempting though small display of sliining-bladed jack-knives. The grimmy hands and oil-smeared aprons of the cutter and hi# few assistants in that shanty fascinated them because of the beautiful results that were shown in tho one showcase on the plain counter. Some of those boys got ideas of the dignity of work that they will never forget. They learned lessons of honefsty, frugality, and diligence. They saw that from tliese wera obtained excellent results. They were adults who also appreciated *lio object lessons daily taught in that little shop. In several years tho owner of that little shop has become an extensive manufacturer. His cutlery is sold in the best hardware stores of the country. His name on the blade is a guarantee of excellence. His knives have a reputation equal to any and surpassed by none. It is his circular that lies before us. He sells by the gross or dozen now, and oommands his own prices. His variety extends from the daintiest pearl-handled knife a lady can procure to the heaviest blades used by huntsmen and baekwoodi&hon. But he is not ashamed of the humbler sources of earning of his former little shanty. In his large factory is a department for sharpening and concaving razors. Barbers and men who shave themselves are his regular customers. They send fiGwrtppla to him from all parts of the tentiofffcrcm* attention. His VV hat it amounts to m a year we nave u u means of knowing, but of this we\re sure, that when a man from small beginnings builds up a large and prosperous industry by honesty, skill, and frugality, his future is sure to be continually prosperous if he adheres to all those various humbler lines of ■'work that helped him to rise from the shanty to the large, oompletely-equipped factory. We have told this simple but true story for those of jour many young friends who wish to climb to the top ot the business ladder without going step by step over the intermediate rounds. The South has as many bright, aspiring boys in proportion to its population as any other part of the country. —Manur facturers ’ Record.