The Advance

DIDN'T SAY WHAT HE MEANT

To say what you mean and mean what you say is a good rule to follow always. An amusing story which illustrates the value of this course was told some years ago of an old gentleman who was visiting a rolling-mill for the first time. He had heard wonderful stories of the machinery in the mill, and he was desirous of putting some of them to test.

"I have been told," said he to the hammerman, as he watched the great steam-hammer rising and falling, "that a good hammerman can break the crystal of a watch with that thirty-ton hammer."

"Yes, sir," said the hammerman, "it can be done."

"I should like to see it," said the old gentleman, eagerly feeling in his watch-pocket.

"I can do it, sir."

"And will you?" said the visitor, drawing out his watch. "Come, I am anxious to see it tried."

He laid his watch on the great anvil plate, the hammer rose to its full height, and the next instant all its ponderous weight, with a crushing force that shook the ground for an acre round, came down on the watch.

"There, sir," said the hammerman, quietly: "if you don't believe that crystal is broken, just stoop down and you can see it sticking to the hammer."

The curious old gentleman swallowed a whole procession of lumps and gasps before he could speak.

"But I forgot to say," he exclaimed, "that it was to break the crystal without injuring the watch."

"Oh, yes," said the hammerman—"yes, I know; I have heard that rubbish myself, but it's all gammon. I don't believe it. But you can break the crystal every time."

If the visitor had said what he meant he would undoubtedly have saved his watch, but it must be confessed that if the hammerman had not been one of the meanest men in the world he would have saved it anyhow.