"But a rule of trade is a rule, till it is altered by consent of the parties that made it.

Now, right or wrong, it is the rule of trade here that the small grinders find their own stones, and pay for power; but the saw-grinders are better off, for they have not to find stones, nor power, and their only drawback is that they must hang and race a new stone, which costs the master sixty shillings.

Cheetham is smarting under your rules, and you can't expect him to go against any rule, that saves him a shilling." "What does the grinder think ?" "You might as well ask what the grindstone thinks." "Well, what does the grinder say, then ?" "Says he'd rather run the stone out, than lose a forenoon." "Well, sir, it is his business." "It may be a man's business to hang himself; but it is the bystanders' to hinder him." "You mistake me.

I mean that the grinder is the only man who knows whether a stone is safe." "Well, but this grinder does not pretend his stone is safe.

All he says is, safe or not, he'll run it out.