The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-18
How q Lad Wheeled Himself into For
tune and influence.

At meeting of the stockholders of a
prominent railway corporation, recent
ly held in this city, there was present
two gentlemen, both well up i'm years,
one, however, considerably the senior
of the other. In talking of old times
gone by, the younger gentleman called
the attention of his friends and told a
pleasant little story which should be
read with profit by every poor, indus
trious and striving lad. We use his
own language:
NEARLY half century ago, gentle
men, was put upon the world to make
my living. | was stout, willing and
able, considering my then tender years,
and secured q place i'm q hardware store
to do all kinds of chores required. I
was paid seventy-five dollars per year
for my boyish services. One day, after
had been at work three months or
more, my friend there, Mr.. b., who
holds his age remarkably well, came
into the store and bought large bill of
shovels and tongs, sad-irons and pans,
buckets, scrapers and seuttles, for he
was to be married next day, and was
supplying his household in advance, as
was the groOm's custom i'm those days.
The articles were packed on the barrow
and made load sufficiently heavy for
young mule. But, more willing than
able, started off, proud that / could
move such mass on the wheelbarrow.
| got on remarkably well till / struck
the mud road, now Seventh avenue,
leading to my friend B. IS house. There
L toiled and tugged, and tugged and
toiled, but could not bulge the load up
the bill, the wheel going its full half
diameter in the mud every time l
would try to propel forward. FINALLY,
a goOd-natured Irishman passing by
with dray took my barrow, self and
all on his vehicle, and in consideration
of my promise to pay him Bit land
ell me at my destination. / counted
the articles carefully as / delivered
them, and with my empty barrow
trudged my way back, whistling with
glee over my triumph over difficulty.
Some weeks after, / paid the Irishman
the Bit and never got it back from
my employers. Mr.. B., j am sure.
would have Temunerated me, but no
never before heard this story, so if be
Is iOclined he can compromise the debt
by sending me bushel of his rare ripe
peaches next fall. But to the moral.
A merchant had witnessed NY strug-
giles, and how jealousy latOred to de-
liver that load of hardwsfe; he even
waite cd me to the hous<, and saw me
count each piece as j handed 1t IN the
doorway. He sert for me next day,
asked nv name, told me he had a r.
warsi for my industry and cieerfulness
under difficulty in the shape of five
hundred-dollar clerkship i'm his exten-
siye establishment. | accepted, and
now. after nearly half century has
passed, look back and say | wheeled
inyself into all own, for that reward
of perseverance was my grand stepping
stone to fortune"
The speaker was a very wealthy
banker, a man of influence and posi-
ton, andsone universally respected for
many good qualities of head and heart.
BOYS, take a moral from this little
story, and be willing and industrious.
You do not know how many eyes are
llpon YOU to discover whether you are
and careless, or industrious
and willing, or how many there are
who. If YOU are moral and worthy, will
give you a stepping stone to wealth ard
position. Pittsburgh Gazette.