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I got to know several master mechanics, but about the most interesting fellow among them was the blacksmith, Dowley. He was a live man and a brisk talker, and had two journeymen and three apprentices, and was doing a raging business. In fact, he was getting rich, hand over fist, and was vastly respected. Marco was very proud of having such a man for a friend.
Brother Dowley, who is it that determines, every spring, what the particular wage of each kind of mechanic, laborer, and servant shall be for that year?" "Sometimes the courts, sometimes the town council; but most of all, the magistrate. Ye may say, in general terms, it is the magistrate that fixes the wages." "Doesn't ask any of those poor devils to help him fix their wages for them, does he?"
He told how he had begun life an orphan lad without money and without friends able to help him; how he had lived as the slaves of the meanest master lived; how his day's work was from sixteen to eighteen hours long, and yielded him only enough black bread to keep him in a half-fed condition; how his faithful endeavors finally attracted the attention of a good blacksmith, who came near knocking him dead with kindness by suddenly offering, when he was totally unprepared, to take him as his bound apprentice for nine years and give him board and clothes and teach him the trade or "mystery" as Dowley called it.
Brother Dowley, who is it that determines, every spring, what the particular wage of each kind of mechanic, laborer, and servant shall be for that year?" "Sometimes the courts, sometimes the town council; but most of all, the magistrate. Ye may say, in general terms, it is the magistrate that fixes the wages." "Doesn't ask any of those poor devils to help him fix their wages for them, does he?"
Moreover, a magistrate won't be able to force a man to work for a master a whole year on a stretch whether the man wants to or not." "Will there be no law or sense in that day?" "Both of them, Dowley. In that day a man will be his own property, not the property of magistrate and master.
He got no new clothing during his apprenticeship, but on his graduation day his master tricked him out in spang-new tow-linens and made him feel unspeakably rich and fine. "I remember me of that day!" the wheelwright sang out, with enthusiasm. "And I likewise!" cried the mason. "I would not believe they were thine own; in faith I could not." "Nor other!" shouted Dowley, with sparkling eyes.
For instance, if I do a thing which ought to deliver me to the stocks, and you know I did it and yet keep still and don't report me, you will get the stocks if anybody informs on you." "Ah, but that would serve you but right," said Dowley, "for you must inform. So saith the law." The others coincided. "Well, all right, let it go, since you vote me down.
Not a man of them could get his breath for upwards of two minutes. Then the coal-burner said prayerfully: "Might I but live to see it!" "It is the income of an earl!" said Smug. "An earl, say ye?" said Dowley; "ye could say more than that and speak no lie; there's no earl in the realm of Bagdemagus that hath an income like to that. Income of an earl mf! it's the income of an angel!"
He looked well, he merely looked dubious, it's the most I can say; so did the others. I waited to let the thing work. Dowley spoke at last and betrayed the fact that he actually hadn't gotten away from his rooted and grounded superstitions yet. He said, with a trifle of hesitancy: "But but ye cannot fail to grant that two mills a day is better than one." Shucks!
Dowley was in fine feather, and I early got him started, and then adroitly worked him around onto his own history for a text and himself for a hero, and then it was good to sit there and hear him hum. Self-made man, you know. They know how to talk. They do deserve more credit than any other breed of men, yes, that is true; and they are among the very first to find it out, too.
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