"Have you ever had any experience in handling high-class ware?" asked a dealer in bric-à-brac of an applicant for work.
"No, sir," was the reply, "but I think I can do it."
"Suppose," said the dealer, "you accidentally broke a very valuable porcelain vase, what would you do?"
"I should put it carefully together," replied the man, "and set it where a wealthy customer would be sure to knock it over again."
"Consider yourself engaged," said the dealer. "Now, tell me where you learned that trick of the trade."
"A few years ago," answered the other, "I was one of the 'wealthy-customer' class."
Experience is a dead loss if you can't sell it for more than it cost.