MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 37 



too, had made it a practice to take advantage of his spare moments 

 to make up and thus provide himself and sometimes other members 

 of his family with their necessary footwear. As a conseipience, he 

 was somewhat more i)roficient at shoemaking than was S at tailor- 

 ing. By chance these parties, who had been boyhood friends, met 

 one evening on a down-town street. After the usual friendly greet- 

 ings, S, calling attention to a package he was carrying under his 

 arm, remarked : 



'•You will be surprised to learn Avhat I have in this bundle;'' and 

 without waiting for a rei)ly, continued: ''If is the cloth and trim- 

 mings for a pair of everyday trousers, which I shall make up for 

 t)i\ own wear after my day's work in the shoj) has ended." 



Then, somewhat apologetically, he continued: "You see 1 have a 

 pretty good job at the shoe factory with t^mith, at three dollars per 

 day, and as tlii.s is the busy season I don't like to ask him for a 

 day off. 



While S was talking, a broad smile had gathered on his listener's 

 face, and aw he finished, T directed attention to the package he 

 was carrying, and remarked : 



"We both seem to be in the same boat. I have here the leather and 

 findings for a pair of shoes that I intend to finish up after hours 

 for my own wear, I, too, have a good job that I cannot afford to 

 lose, and what is more, I should gain nothing by taking a day off 

 to nudie them, as I am far more proficient as a tailor than as a shoe- 

 maker. My only gain from engaging in that task comes from the 

 fact that I can make them up after hours." Continuing, he said: 

 ''While I had no opportunity to familiarize myself with the shoe- 

 maker's craft in my early childhood, as did you in your father's 

 shop, I did serve a short ap])renticeshii) at that trade before taking 

 up my lifework as a tailor." 



Then, after a moment's reflection, he continued : 



"It strikes me, here is an excellent op])ortunity for mutual ad- 

 vantage, or profit, for both of us. While as a result of my short 

 apprenticeship I can do a fairly good job at shoemaking, I am free 

 to admit that my lack of practice, if nothing else, makes me a com- 

 paratively slow w(n"kman, and as a consequence of this handicap it 

 costs me more, both in time and fatigue, than it would if I were as 

 proficient in i)roducing the products of your trade as I am in pro- 

 ducing the jiroducts of my own. I presume this must be in line with 

 your ex])erience, is it not?" 



S nodded his assent, and after some further discussion they re- 

 paired to the office of a mutual friend nearby, where each took the 

 measurements necess^ary for the work he had undertaken ; and 



