Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-07-24
srIrci CaIr.

a GOVERNOR TAKEN FROM A CRATE.
benevolent old man of Brooklyn was making
the of the city in pursuit of truants and little
wanderers, one Sabbath morning score of years
ago, when he found little boy asleep in crate
on one of the wharves.
He shook the crate and pair of bright, black
eyes opened and flashed upon him with look of
surprise and tmid bashfulness
Why do you sleep here n inquired the old
man.
Because have no home, said the child.
Where is your father9n
81 don't know, sir. | haint seen him for
long time never since he told mother be wouldn't
come home again.
Where is your mother?
q" She is dead,n
$50 you have no home-no father, no mother
and live from hand to mouth in the street. and
sleep in crate"
Yes, sir ! sell soap and matches, aud sleep
here
"Woud you like to have a home, and go TO
school, and grow up good and brave and useful
man?
Yes, sir"
Come along with me, will take you to my
own house, and feed you and cothe you, and send
you to school, if you prove to be, as think you
are, good faithful boy
As the old man said this, he dashed tear from
his eyes, with his coat sleeve, for the boy the
very image of his own sweet boy, who had died a
few years before Lifting the lad tenderly out Of
the crate he led him to his own pleasant home,
where he was washed and conibed aud then dressed
in a suit of clothes formerly worn by the son of
the phanthropst
To shorten the story which has in it material
enough for a volume, the good old man gave the
lad al the advantages afforded by the common
schools OF the "city OF churches and then gave
him clcrkship in his own store for he was we'll
to-do merchant
After several years of faithful service, the young
man expressed wish to engage in business on his
own account, or in some other way to extend his
usefulness.
81 will start you in business said the old man,
" on certain conditions
''Please state them remarked the young man
with a smile; for he supposed his benelaetor was
about to perpetrate Joke at his expense.
g will start you in business ii you will make
three promises continued the old man.
Pray. what promises do you wish me to
make ?"
" One is, that you will never swear
"Agreed.n
Another is, that you will never drink rum.'
Agreed
The other is, that you will have nothing to do
with politicsn
Agreed"
True 20 his promise as the steel to the star, the
old man furnished his clerk with capital, and start
ed him in business in one Of the Western States.
The Young man was very attentive TO his business,
and his habits were crowned with good fortune,
which generally accompanies virtue, courage, en-
terprise and in eiigenee. A few years ago he
paid visit to his venerable friend in Brook yn--
found him the same kind-hearted aud genial gem
tlenau that he was when he first led him from the
crate on the wharf TO the pleasant cottage on the
avenue
q am delighted to see you, remarked the old
man. MAY ask you if you have kept the pledg
es you gave me, when you suggested TO me ths
idea of starting business on your own account
are you 4 temperance manF
II have not tasted drop of any kind OF lntox
icating liquors since ] promised you would not
aud Won know have no sacrifice 20 make IN keep
ing that promise. for | never was accustomed tt
the use OF such liquors and do not furnish theu
to my guests, nor 10 persons in my employment
p" Good boy-gye me your hand and let M
= shake il again. How about that promise not Il
use proiane speechP
"Men, sir, when | was little wanderer, aa'
| sold soap and matches, | scattered my oaths a
iberaly as colleges do their ID. DIS. but
dropped them in your Sabbath Schools, and nev
or resumed them. / never indulge the silly an,
vulgar habit OF swearing. think it shows a lael
$ OF originality. A man wishes TO way something Il
be emphatic, and owing 70 lack OF ideas an'
y proper use Of language, be fills up the chinks 0
conversation with oaths. He curses his eyes, HI
limbs, his soul, his heart, his horse, his luck, am
thinks he is fluent when he is only profane. Nc
o sir, I do not claim TO be paragon OF perfection