Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-03-14
A Governor taken from a Crate.

... n GQhGu d O1dIGI
A benevolent old man Of Brooklyn was
making the tour OF the city, IN pursuit of
truants and little wanderers, one Sabbath
morning some years ago, when he found
little boy asleep in a crate on one of
the wharves.
He shook the crate aud paii'of brigl
eyes opened and flashed upon him, with
a look of surprise and timld bashtulness.
"Why do you sleep here?" inquired
the old man.
"Bccause have no home," said the
child. ...'.-. 2"
"Where is your father?"
81 don't know, sir. haint seen him
for long time, never since he told moth
er he wouldn't come home again"
"Where is your mother !'' s-l- .r
,"She is dead" elE-.a
$50 you have no home-no father, no
mothcr-and live from hand 10 mouth i'll
the street and sleep in a crate"
"Ies sir. l sell soap and matches, and
sleep here"
"Would you like to to have home,
and 60 to school and grow up to be a
good and brave and useful man?'' az
''Yes sir" tt ..f. 20 .'..
"Come along with me, will take you
to my own house, and feed you and clothe
you, and send you to school if you prove
to be as L think you are, a good and
faithful boy"
As the old man said this, he dashed
tear from his eyes, with his coat sleeves,
for tie boy was the very image of his
own sweet child, who had died but few
years before. Lifting the lad tenderly
out of the crate. he led him to his own
pleasant home, where he was washed and
combed and then dressed in suit OF
clothes formerly worn by a son of the
philanthl opist.
To shorten the story, which has i'll it
material enough for Il volume-the good
old man gave the lad ali the advantages
afforded by the schools of the ''city Of
churches" and then gave him clerkship
in his store, tor he was a well-to-do mcr-
chant. .--. ....".
After several years Of faithful service,
the young man expressed a wish to ell
gage in business OH his own account, or
in some other way extend his usefulness.
81 will start you in BUSINESS" said the
man, "on certain conditions.
'Please state them," remarked the
young man, with smile for he suppos-
ell his bencfactcr was about to perpe-
trate joke at his expense.
81 will start you in business, if you
make three promises" continued the old
man.
"Pray what promises do you wish me
to make ?"
"One is that you will never swear"
"Agreed."
"Another is that you will never drink
liquor.
agreed"
The other is, that you will have moth
ing to do with politics"
Agreed"
True to his promise as steel to the star,
the old man furnished his clerk with cap
ital and started him in business i'll one OF
the Western States. The young mer-
chant was very attentive to his business,
and his habits of industry and sobriety
were crowned with good fortune which
eClGldllN hlLluS,
enterprise and Intelligence. 4 few years
ago, he paid a visit to his venerable
friend in Brooklyn-found him in the
same kind-hcarted and genial gentleman
that he was when he first led him from
the crate Oh the wharf to the pleasant
cottage on the avenue. sf --.- aaT
81 am delighted to see you" remarked
the old man. "May l ask you if you
have kept the pledges you gaveme when
you suggested to me the idea Of starting
business on your own account are you
a Temperance MANI"
81 have not tasted drop of any kind
of Intoxicating liquors since promised
you | would not, and you know shad
10 sacrifice to make i'll keeping that pro-
misc, for | never was accustomed to the
use of such liqnors and l do not fur
nh b them to my guests, or to persons IN
my employment"
"Good boy, give me your hand and
let me shake it again. How about that
promise not to use profane speech"
"Well, sir, when l was little wander
er, and sold soap and matches, | scatter
ed my oaths as literally as colleges do
their ID. Ds. but dropped them i'll your
Sabbath School, and have never resumed
them. ! never indulge the silly and vul-
gar habit of swearing. think it shows
lack of originality A man wishes to
say something emphatic-and owing to
a lack of ideas and a proper use of Ian
guage, he fills up the chinks of conversa-
ton with oaths. He curses his eyes-his
limbs-his soul-his heart-his horse
his luck-and thinks he is fluent when
he is only profane. No sir, l do not
claim to be paragon of perfection, but
| should be ashamed of my speech, if |
sPiced it with profanity.