The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-03-28

social scale.
These scions Of prosperity looked down
upon the son Of tho poor widow, and stood
apart from him; and they seemed to won
der how one so low had dared to aspire to
/ the position they held in view. Thomas
felt uncomfortable but the sueering glanees
Of the beticr.dressed youths aroused his
self.cspect, and ho was determined, come
what may, to stand bis ground.
[ By and, by Mr.. Gray entered, He was
p small, viry pleasant. faced man, with an
eye which, as one who once merited his
lrcproofaftervards remarked, could look
| FIRE Or look daggers" There were one and
twenty applicants in all. Eight Of these
we're dismissed upon sight. OF the thlr-
teen remaining the merchant selected sew.
en for examination that day, bidding the
other six 10 present themselves Of tho samo
hour on tho morrow,
Thomas Atherton was one OF the last
named; but since he had not been peremp.
torily discharged, as some had been who
had appeared in far more tidy aud fashion,
able guise than he could afford, he rcsolv-
ed to bear up to the end; and be went away
to call again on the morrow.
The FIRST boy selected from tho re-.
taiued seven was the son ofparcnts we'll to
do in the world, Mr.. Gray examined him
iu those branches Of education most in use
in general business affairs, and when this
had been done he took him into room
where there was q table with pen and ink
and paper upon il and gave him q short
bill oflading to copy. He went out clos.
ed the door behind him, leaving tho lad to
perform his task by himself.
Halt an hour aiterward the applicant
was recalled, and he presented his copy.
The merchant ran bis eye over the freshly
written page, and told the lad he might
depart. e
If | want you again." be said u will
send for you
And after that the other six we're exam
incd in tue same manner, and were, in like
manner dismissed
On Tie following day thc six deferred
applicants presented themselves, aud as
Thomas Atherton had been the last to ap-
| ply, be was the last on the list for examin-
alton. His Eve companions had been dis.
posed Of, lie knew not how-for they did
not come back through the private Office
when be was summoned.
Thomas had been dilligent and studi.
Gus boy at school, and 10 geography, bis.
tory grammar and mathematics be proved
himself efficient. After this the merchant
took him into an adjoining room, where
was the table, with pen, ink and paper,
and gaveto him an invoice to copy, and
left him, remarking, as he turned away,
that lie had business to attend to, and that
he-.he boy-must make himself comfort
able until called for.
The voice to copy was shor. one, and
Thomas was not long in cOpyingit. After
be had done this ho leaned back 10 his
chair, and looked around The apartment
was small one with bare floor, and
scautily furnished; and, furthermore, 1t
seemed to have been poorly cared for. The
two or three wooden chairs were covered
with dust, and in one corner was a pile OF
old books which appeared. from the dngor
marks upon their dusty covers, to have
been recently overbaulcd Close BY where
be sat broom stood against the wall, and
where it rested upon the floor was a pile
Of dirt aud rubbish swept up into q pile
and left. AS Thomas regarded the un-
slightly gathering bis eye caught the glitter
ola bright substance projecting from the
dirt, DE reached over and picked it up,
and found tito be silver halfcrowu. He
took il up and wiped the dust from Its
bright surface, and then laid it upon the
table, placing it upon the invoice which be
had received to copy. Theproceeding had
been very simple one. lie had picked
up the money as he would have picked up
bit Of iron which he supposed might be
Of value to its proper owner, but could
not be of no value to him.
Very shortly after this Mr.. Gray re.en
tered the room, and Thomas gave him the
,o,r ho hoa ,r,do Tho merchant reoard.