James Parton said to David Maydole, inventor of the modern hammer and manufacturer of the best hammers in the world, "By this time you ought to be able to make a pretty good hammer." Maydole replied, "No, I can't. I can't make a pretty good hammer, I make the best that's made." Once a party applied for several hammers, to whom Maydole was indebted for some favor, and the party said to him, "You ought to make my hammer a little better than the others." Maydole responded, "I can't make any better ones. When I make a thing, I make it as well as I can, no matter whom it is for." Doing his best every time led him on to fortune. He never pushed his business. He never advertised. Making the best hammer in the market created all the business he wanted.
XXI.
GETTING ON.
"Your press is rather dilapidated, I see," remarked Benjamin to Mr.
Keimer, after he had looked it over. "Second-hand, I conclude?"
"Yes, I had to buy what I could get cheap, as I had little money to begin with. I guess it can be fixed up to answer my purpose."
"That is so; it can be improved very much with little expense," replied Benjamin.
"Do you understand a printing press well enough to repair it?"
"I can repair that one well enough; I see what is wanted. You can't do good work with it as it is," Benjamin answered.
"Then I can employ you at once, and you may go right about putting it in order if you please."
"I will do it," Benjamin replied in his emphatic way. "It is not a long job, by any means."