St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-04-21

seemed to be stern bit yet there was
nothing unpleasant in his look, and
when he spoke, his voice was very
kind and considerate in it's tones.
When it came bedtime, Mark found
that he was to sleep in a room with
the other two apprentices. Their
names were James Prout and Thomas
Wilson. They seemed to be good nat.
ured boys and our hero thought he
should like them very well. But he
could not talk much that night. for he
thought of his mother-he had never
been away from her night before,
and he could think of nothing else.
Before he slept, however, he remem-
bered all the instructions he had re-
ceived, and lie pledged himself that
he would live up to them-he would
be good man if he lived
Mr.. llammond's shop was a very
large one, and quite a number of hands
worked in it. He was the only house
carpenter of any consequence in the
place, and he had as much business
as he could attend to. Mark soon
learned to use the common tools, and
at the end of a week he had the salts
faction of hearing his master praise
him for his application and good be-
havior AS soon as he got over his
homesickncss, he became very happy
in his new home. Mrs. Hammond
treated him as though he were child
of her own, and Caddy was not long
in loving him as he had hoped she
would. He did not then realize how
much of this was owing to his own
gentleuess and faithfulness, though he
did know that he had resolved from
the first to be all that a faithful boy
should be.
At length there came a holiday.
There was nothing in particular going
on in that village, but then it was a
holiday, and the apprentices were al
lowed to have it to themselves to
spend as they pleased, and their en-
ployer gave them half dollar each
to use as they might think proper
"Well, Mark" said James Prout
as soon as they had done breakfast,
"what We goin' to do to-day 2"
Why" returned Mark, " l thought
| should take a walk down the river
this morning, and then come home
and go to work.
"What !" cried Tom Wilson, in
surprise, Work on Lection Day .
Didn't the old man give ye any money!
"Ycs."
"And aren't ye going to spend it ?"
Not now" replied Mark. It's
the first money he has given mc-the
first have earned at my trade--and
I'll keep it for some good purpose
"Pooh What dye mean by that?r
asked James. YOU'RE going to COM
mcnce early to be miser'
"No, no--not that, James. | do
not mean to save this for the mere
qualification of having money, but for
the purpose of having something on
hand III case | may need it. In fact,
Jim, you and l, both of us, hope to be
men one Of these days, and we may
want to go into business, and have a
good home of our own, and we must
have money to do this with. Now we
have got to begin to save at some
time, | know of no place So good to
begin at as the very beginning Of het
opportunity ...
" That's all very well to talk, but it
won't go down" said Thomas. "Come
we'll so to the tavern, and see whats
up there, and then 60 over to the bowl
/ ing saloon Wen have a good time.
Come
No. returned Mark. al have no
desire to go to either of the places,
for | am sure it would do me no good,
and should take no pleasure
The other apprentices both laughed,
and James told him he ought to have
been minister instead of a carpcn-
I ter
"A carpenter ought to be good,
upright, virtuous man, and as far as
manhood is concerned, minister can
be no more" said Mark, rather prompt
ly.
The boys laughed again, but not
quite so forcibly this time, and then
went away.
Now it so happened that this con-
versation had taken place in the sink
room, and as Mrs. Hammond was in
the adjoining pantry at work washing
! the breakfast dishes, she overheard
the whole of it, and it was perfectly
natural that she should so and tell her
husband Of it.
In the meantime Mark walked away
down by the river, where the spring
! flowers grew in wild uxuriance, and
here he sat down by the waters edge,
and reflected upon the occurrences Of
the morning He threw chip into
the river, and as he saw it sail away,
| lesson was suggested to his mind.
How like human being was that
tiny chip, and how like human life the
water. The current was fortune, and
it must bear man down to the great
ocean if he once gives up to the tide.
Was it well to go to the ocean? If
not, don't venture upon the river If
it would be well, then take the current,
and sail away.
Mark was perfectly satisfied with
the course he had pursued, and by-and-
by he arose from his seat, and plucked
lot of the sweet flowers that grew
about him, which he made in two bo-
quets, and then he went home. One
of the boquets he gave to Mrs. Ham
mond, and the other to Caddy. They
thanked him very kindly. Caddy gave
him kiss, and he thought that his
mistress regarded him with more ten
derness than usual. With light,
happy heart he went to the shop, where
he found his master
What-at work to-day? ~ asked
Mr.. Hammond.
eyes, sir" replied Mark II would
rather work here than spend my time
doing nothing"
"Well, well,' rejoined the carpen.
ter, with a look and tone Of gratiti-
cation, 81 am glad you feel 50, for