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NO BLUNDERER WANTED

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 9, 1876

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 47, No. 10.

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NO BLUNDERER WANTED.

A FIRST-RATE story is told of a prominent man who lived in Detroit forty years ago, and who at that time owned more steamboat stock than any other man in the western country, besides owning wealth to a larger amount.
Like many of the pioneers who acquired great riches, he was very ignorant in regard to what books taught, but his learning was more like wisdom, and in common with many who have lived and passed away, he has left his mark behind him. He knew what tree would make shingles by looking at it.
He had, at the time of our story, completed a splendid warehouse at Detroit, and wanted a suitable clerk to take charge of it. He advertised for one in the papers. The next morning, early, a candidate for the position presented himself, a rather flashy young man in appearance, but the following conversation occurred:—
“Young man, when you make a mistake in any of your books how do you correct it?”
The young man explained, in a very diffuse manner, how he should proceed to make it all right.
“A good way no doubt to do it,” replied the old man, “but I shan’t want you.”
Very soon another aspirant put in an appearance. A similar question was asked of him, and in a long and eloquent manner he pointed out the remedy in all such cases.
All the reply was: “Young man, I shan’t want you.”
Some two or three others dropped in during the day, and to each one the same question was put, and they all had some smart way of covering up their errors in their books.
The old gentleman was entirely ignorant himself of the art of book-keeping, but he had wisdom in all things, which is more than a match for learning.
Just at the close of day, a plainly dressed man with a black eye and a quick wit, called for the situation.
“Take a seat, sir,” said the old gentleman. “I want to ask you just one question. When you make a false entry on the books, how do you go to work to correct it?”
Turning upon his questioner a cold, steady look, the young man replied: “I don't make that kind of mistakes, sir.”
“Ah! my dear sir, you are just the man I have been looking for all day,” and a few moments after, the man who corrected his blunders by not making them was installed in the office.—Sel.