Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1857-03-18

An, that is IorIuCate. 1niS STeat cisy is
bad place for boys without friends"
..Of course, sir" added Mr.. Goodwin
'' and yet hope you will overlook his affairs
! a little"
Certainly, what can. But Of course you
are aware tha. shall gee little of him when
he is out of the store
Mr.. Goodwin said Sc of course" and there
was silence for some moments. The par
ent gazed down upon the floor little while
and finally said
:. There has been nothing said, yet. Mr,
Phelps, about the pay.
Pay!" repeated The merchant
Yes sir. what pay are you wiling to al
low me for his services! %
"Ah,'' said Mr.. Phelps. with a bland
smile, Z" I see you are unacquainted with our
customs. We never pay anything for an ap-
uprentice the first year,"
Not pay? uttered Mr.. Goodwin. some
what surprised. But am to pay Gilbert's
board, myself, and | thought Of course you
would allow him something for pocket money.
''No, we never pay anything the first year.
IF you wore going to send your son to an
academy, or college, you would not expect
the teachers to pay him for studying
{. No, sir"
..Just SO it is here. We look upon an
apprentice here as mercantile scholar. and
for the first year he can be Of little real bene-
fit to US, though he is all the while reaping
valuable knowledge to himself. Why, there
are at this moment fifty youngsters whose
wealthy parents would be glad to get them
into the berth you;have secured for your boy "
9 Then you pay nothing?" said the parent
rather sadly.
Not the first year. This is our rule
We viii teach him all We can, and at the end
of that time shall retain him, if he is faithful
and worthy, aud pay him something"
If that was the custom, of course, Mr..
Goodwin could make 10 objection, though he
was much disappointed Bat he had labor
ed hard to secure the place for his son, and he
would not give it up now.
He had strained his slender means to the
utmost in doing what he had already taken
upon himself, and he could 90 no more
Never mind my son." the parent said,
when he and the child were alone You
have clothes enough to last you through the
year, and you get along withoa. much
more. Here is one dollar-it is all that
have over and above what unjust use to get
home with-that will find you ia spending
money for some time But mind and be hou-
est, my boy. Como home when you please,
cone in rags and filth, if it may be, but come
with your truth aud honor, safe and unfair
nished
The boy wiped tear from his eye as he
gave the promise, and The father felt assured.
It tgas arranged that Gilbert should have two
vacations during the year. ola week each:
Que In the spring and the other at thanksgiv-
ing. and the parent left.
On the following morning Gilbert Good
win entered the store to commence his duties
He gazed around upon the wilderness of cloth
and wondered where the people were who
should bug al! !; but he was disturbed in his
reverie by spruce young clerk, wno showed
hin where the watering pot and broom were,
and then informed him that his first duty in
the morning was to sprinkle the floor. So at
it the boy went, and when this was done he
was-sei at work carrying bundles Of cloth up
stairs, where man was piling them away
Aud so G+lberts mercantile scholarship
was commenced. For while Ee was home
sick, but the men Of the store Only laughed at
him, and ere long he got rid of the feeling
y month passed away, aud at the end of that
time bis dollar was spent He had broken it
could not well do without That took halfof
il Then he had attended scientific lecture,
which he paid half Of what was left and the
without penny Blu. he bore up for while
He saw that the boys in the eighborug
stores had money to spend, but then he
thought they had rich fathers He knew
that his father had nothing to spare He
knew that the generous parent had already
bardened himself so he would not send to him
And yet it was unpleasant to be III that great
city where there was SO much for amusement
and profit, without even penny with which
to purchase moment OF enjoyment, or a drop
of extra comfort. No boy could be--more
faithful than Gilbert was In the store The |
clerks and statesmen all loved him, and Mr.
Phelps often congratulated himself upon hav-
ing obtained so excellent an apprentice. He
worked early and late and he worked hard |
more real physical labor than
any else in the store, if VIC except the |
stout Irish porter.
-Four months passed away, and then Mr. |
GOODWIN canc to the city to see his SON.
Gilbert possessed keen, discriminating mind, /
md he knew that if be made complaint to his /
,enury, his father would be unhappy so he |
aid nothing of it, but only professed to be I
much pleased with his situation; and the faith |
,r shed tears of Joy, when he heard the veal |
by merchant praise his son.
:. Is your dollar gone, Gilbert Z" the father
lsked before he started for home.
.' Yes " said the boy with faint smile.
. Then must give you another, for sup
bose you need a little. Has Mr.. Phelps Civ.
N you anything p
No. sir. And Twill not ask him, for I
,now his rule"
:. That's right my SON. But take this, l |
vish could make it more
And so did Gilbert wish, but not for the
rorld would he have said So He too deeply