The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-05-14
A STORY FOR BOYS.

''When l was six years old, said vel
known merchant, "my father dicd, leaving
nothing to my mother but the charge of my
self aud two younger sisters. After selling
the greater part Of the household furniture
she owned, she took two small upper rooms
and there, by her needle contrived in some
way-ho~ L cannot conceive, when recol
lect the bare p;ttancc for which she worked
to support us in comfort. Frequently,
no ever, | remember having set down to a
supper that consisted simply Of a tlico Of
bread seasoned by hunger, and rendered in.
yiting by the neat manner in which our re.
past was served, our table being always spread
with cloth, which like my mothers heart
seemed ever TO preserve a snow white purity"
Wiping his eyes, the merchant continued
"Speaking Of those days remind, me of the
time when we sat down 10 the table one eve
ming, and my mother had asked the blessing
Of our Heavenly Father on her defenceless
ones, in tones Of tender pathos which re
member yet, and which if possible, must have
made the angels weep, she divided the littl.
remnant Of her loaf into three pieces, one on
each OF our plates, but reserved none for her.
self. stole aronnd to her and was about to
tell her was not hungry, when food oi
tears burst from her eyes, and she clasp me
to her bosom. Our meal was left untouched
We sat up late that night and what we said
l cannot tell. know that my mother talk.
ed TO me more as companion than a child
and that when we kLelt down to pray con
secrated myself to be the Lords and serve
mother.
"But," said he, "this is not telling how
neatness made my fortune. 1t was sometime
after this that my mother found an advertise
meut in the newspaper for an errsnd boy 10 a
con mission store in b, street. With
out being neccssitated to wait to have my
clothes mended, for my mother always kept
them in perfect order, anG although on min
ute inspection they bore the traces Of moro
than one patch, yet, upon the whole had a
very respectable air; without being obliged
even to wait to polish my shoes, for my
mother kept box Of backing with which
ny cowhidcs must be set off before | took
my breakfast; without waiting to auange nv
hair, for had been obliged to observe from
my earliest youth the most perfect neatncss
IN every respect-my mother sent me off 10
ooO ~ SVuiu thc WIN n
light step started for had for long time
wished my mother to allow me to do some.
thiGg to assist her.
My heart beat fast, assure you, as turn
ed out Of W, into B, street,
and made my way along to the number my
mother bad given me. summoned all the
courage l could muster, and stepped briskly
into the store and made known the reason Of
my calling. The merchant smiled aud told
me there was another boy who had come in
little before me, that he thought be should
hire. However, he asked me some question 8
and then we't and conversed with the other
boy who stood in the back part Of the office.
The result was that the lad who first applied
was dismissed and / entered the merchant's 8
employment frs as an GRAND boy, then as
clerk, afterwards as partner, until his death,
when be left me the whole business, stocks,
dc. After had been in bis service some
years he told me the reason why lie chose
me In preference to the other boy, was be
cause OF the general neatncss Of my person,
wbiie IN references to the other lad he noticed
that he had neglected to tuck down bis vest.
10 this circumstance has probably been ow.
ing the greater part Of my success 10 business
N. Ii. Statesman.