Owen As A Shoddy-maker

The debasement of quality which under the pressure of competition, has gradually extended oí late jears to almost evety article used by man, is notorioua. Yet as few persons, except the initiuted, realize the immense loss to society trom this source, an illustrative experience of my own may be here welcome. When my tather left me managar of the New Lanark cotton-mills, in the winter of 18:24-25, a cortain Mr. Bartbolomew, who had long been a customer of ours to the extent of $25,000 or $30,000 a yoar, came to me oiie day, asking if 1 could ranke hira a lot of yarn suitablo for ordinary shirting at such a price, caming it. " We have but one price," I said, "and y ou know well that we sell such yarn 20 per cent. above the rate you propose." I know that," ho replied, " but you could make it so as to be sold at my price " "Yes, by using waste and mixing in weak, short-stapled ootton." " And it would look almost as well r1" " Perhaps." " Then I'll risk it." " My father's instriictions," I replied, ' are uot to lower the quality cf our joods. I'm sorry, but can't HU y our order" He went off in a hufl1, but returned ïwo days later. " See here," said he, " don't be Quixotic. I can have the yarn [ asked you about spun elsewhere. What's the use of driving a good customer trom you ? I shall get the stuff I want, and use it all the same. I hesitated ; and flnally - not much to my credit - agreed to make the yarn for him. I had it marked with a large B. ' It will stand either for Bartholomew or for bad," I said to him when he carne to look at it. " I'm ashamed to turn such an article out of our mili." But three weeks later he came again, " Just the thing !" he said ; atid he gave me a seoond order, thrice as large as the firet. The B yarn becanie a popular article in the inarket ; the shirting that w.s made f rom it looking sniuoth, and being sold at some ten per cent. less than that made from our usual quality. Yet, to my certain knowledge - for I tried it - it did not last half so long as the other. - Atlantic Monthly.