Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-11-12
PERSEvERING BOY


l wanted. While there, q little rag.
ged boy, not over twelve years of age
came in and enquired for geogra-
ply.
PLENTY of them," said the sales.
man.
How much do they cost ?"
"One dollar, my lad"
The little fellow drew back In dis.
may; and taking his little hand ou,
of his pocket, he began to count some
pennies and little silver pieces that
he had held until they were all damp
with sweat. Three or four times he
counted them; at last looking up
and saying:
II didn't know they were Sc
much," he turned to go out, and
even opened the door, but closed II
again and came back. ~ have only
got sixty.two cents,n said he; "you
couldn't let me have geography
and wait little while for the rest oI
the money?"
How eagerly his little bright eye.
looked up for tie answer; and how
he seemed to shrink within his rag.
ged clothes, when the man, not very
Kindly, told him that he could moi
do it.
The disappointed little fellow look.
ed up at me with a poor attempt at q
smile, and left the store. / followed
and overlook him.
"And what now," asked kindly
Try another place, sir"
"Shall l go too, and see how you
succeed ?" / asked.
"oh ,yes,if you like" he answered
in surprise.
-Four ditferentstores I entered with
him, though none of them knew tha,
we came together, and each time he
was refused.
"Will you try again :" I asked hlm
as we entered the fourth.
"Yes, sir, shall try them all, OF
shouldn't know whether | could
get one or not"
We entered the fifth store, and tn.
little fellow walked up manfully ,and
told the man just what he wanted
and how much money he had.
"You want the book very much %
asked the proprietor.
Eyes, sir, very much"
"Why do you want it 30 very, YER,
much? ?"
'To study, sir; / can't go to school
but l study when I can at home
All the boys have got one, and-ant
they will get ahead of me. Besides
my father was sailor,sand want
to know about the places where he
used to go.'
"Docs he not go to those places
now ?"
SHE is dead" said the boy, softly
Then lie added, after while, ~ an
going tn he n sailor too"
"Are you, thought" asked the gen
tleman, rising his eyebrows curiously
"Yes, sir, If / live"
Well, my lad, I'll tell you wha
I will do; l will give you a new
geography, and you may pay me the
remainder when you can, or ! will
let you have one that Is not new fol
fifty cents"
"Are the leaves all In 1t. and just
like the other, only not new ?"
"Yes, sir; just like the new ones. u
at will do just as well, then. an !
I'll have twelve cents left toward
buying some other book. I'm glad
they didn't let me have any at the
other places"
The bookseller looked up inquir.
ingly, and 1 told him what / had
seen of the little fellow. He was
much pleased, and when he brought
the book along, 1 saw u new pencil,
and some clean, white paper in it.
"A present, myriad, for your perse.
verance. Always have courage like
that, and you'll make your mark"
"Thank you, sir. You are very
good"
"What Is your name"
William Haverly, sir"
"Do you want any more books ?''
l now asked him.
More than l ever can get," he
replied taking In at one glance the
books that filled the shelves.
j gave him bank note. at will
buy some for you." I said.
Tears of joy came into his eyes
Can buy what 1 want with itw
"Yes, my lad, anything"
"Then I'll buy one book for moth.
err" said he. "I thank you very
much, and some time / hope 1 can
pay you back"
He wanted my name, and / CAV G
1t to him. Then I left him standing
by the counter, so happy that al
most envied him; and many long
years passed before I saw him again.
Last year went to Europe on one
of the finest vessels that ever plowed
the waves of the Atlantic.
We had beautiful weather until
very near the end of our voyge; then
came most terrific storm, that
would have sunk our noble ship,
with all on board, had it not been
for the captain. Every spar was laid
low, the rudder was almost useless,
and a great leak had shown itself,
threatening to sink our ship. The
crew were all strong, willing men,
and the mates were practical seamen
Of the first class but, after pumping
for one whole night, and still the
WaIer was gaming on them, they
gave up in despair, and prepared to
take to the boats, though they might
have known that no small boats
could ride i'm such sea. The cab-
tain, who had been below with his
charts, now came up. He saw how
stood, and, with a voice that
l heard distinctly above the tempest,
he ordered every man back to his
post.
II was surprising to see all those
men bow before the strong will OF
their captain, and hurry back to the
pumps.
The captain then started below to
the leak. AS he passed me