i 4 4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



dependence unless he is able to put facts together in 

 his mind and make the necessary deductions. How 

 often do we find a keeper whose brain is well stored with 

 facts and experiences, yet it is so stored that each item 

 seems to be pigeon-holed in a separate department in 

 his brain, and not on speaking terms with each other ? 

 Let, therefore, the wise apprentice start in life with the 

 belief that everything is done for a purpose, and that 

 there is some connecting link between cause and effect. 

 Let him always be asking in his own mind the question 

 why ? At first he may have great difficulty in finding 

 an answer, and then the question must be repeated aloud 

 to those who know, whose duty it will be to explain, 

 and to direct the eyes and the brain of the 'prentice to 

 observe facts and reasons which have eluded him. Let 

 him remember this law that everything is done either 

 from reason or from experience, and that the rule-of- 

 thumb gospel is only for the inefficient and incapable 

 workman. There are very few things in this world that 

 should be done merely from routine and habit. The 

 'prentice must therefore get into the practice of using 

 his eyes, his memory, and his power of reason- 

 ing. In saying so much, let us recall what was 

 expressed in the first chapter. On no account 

 should he pretend to know when he is ignorant, or 

 pretend to be ignorant when he knows. The man 

 who is too conceited to admit his ignorance will 

 never learn anything, and the man who is so good- 

 natured as to hide his knowledge for the sake of being 



