Lost Art Press

     You never should attack a foe
Until his arms and strength you know:
     And this we’ll clearly shew in
The tale that we shall here relate,
Of the catastrophe and fate
     Of Mistress Bridgit Bruin.

One day, a saw-mill she came near,
Just at the time the sawyer’s cheer
     Was brought him for his dinner;
It smells right sweetly, quoth the beast,
I’m hungry, and I’ll have a feast,
     As sure as I’m a sinner.

Sawyer, do you be off, said she.
And leave your saw-mill here to me,
     To learn the art of sawing;
And do you lay that dinner down
Upon the log there, or, you clown,
     Your carcase I’ll be pawing.
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The saying “A workman is known by his tools” is probably as old as “A workman is known by his chips,” and, while generally speaking it is true, there are exceptions to it. I have seen many excellent workmen who carried very complete sets of tools kept in excellent condition, and I have seen other men with sets just as complete and in as good condition who were not able to do a fairly good piece of turning in an engine lathe.

I have had in my employ men who hadn’t as much as a scale or a monkey-wrench, yet who could work all around some of the boys who had a chest full of the most modern tools. That is, they could for about three weeks out of the month; the other week they were either drunk or getting over it. They had sense enough to keep away from the shop, and the evening before they were ready to come to work they would come sneaking around to the house to see if they could “come in to-morrow morning.” promising all sorts of things if they were given just one more chance, and up to a limit this class generally succeed in getting the chance.
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