Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-07-25
Ghildren's department.
TWO WAYS AND TWO ENDS.

TWO WAYS AND TWO ENDS.
Two boys, whom I shall call James and
Charles, occupied the same desk at school,
and recited in the same class. First, they
studied bookkeeping. One day James said
to Charles "Charley, now what's the use Of
this bookkeeping? What good will the ever
lasting debit and credit system do me? I
don't see any use in it. Come, let us play
| tit.tat.to."
"Neither do I see any use in it," answered
Charles. It's dry business, [ own, these debts
and credits and long columns of figures; but
my father wishes me to study bookkeeping,
and if there we're not some use in it know
he would not wish me to pursue it. So wet
or dry I'm going to study bookkeeping"
Another day their lesson was in Naviga-
tion, and James getting tired Of study, began
to mark out a game on his slate, and said :
"Come, Charley, what's the use Of this navi-
cation? I know I shan't ever be a sailor ;
and all this about the chart and compass and
onometer-what good will it ever do me ?
| know can't ever understand it, and if L
could, can't see what use shall ever have
for it. I'd rather play tit-tat-to."
II know it's dry study" Charles replied,
'and I don't see any use it will ever be to me,
for mean to be a landsman and not a sail
or. But my father told1n to study it, and
you may be sure I'll mind him, for he would
not tell me to study it if it we're of no use.
I won't play tit-tat-to till I get my lesson"
After that they we're studying Surveying,
and James began to mark on his slate, say
ing: 90, dear, I'm tired of these links and
chains and squares and triangles. What use
will this ever be to me. And, besides, can't
understand it,"
II know" replied Charles, cit is hard
study, and don't see what use it will ever
be to me. But my father knows more than |
do, and he set me to studying Surveying, and
I am going to study it, whether it will ever be
of any use to me or not. And, as for under
standing it, I never saw any study that l
could not understand if I put my mind to it.
I should be ashamed to be conquered by links
and chains, or anything else I find in Survey
ing. You don't catch me playing tit'tat-to
till my lesson is learned"
Thus sat these two boys side by side. The
one studied and the other played. The one
always had his lesson we'll learned; the other
missed-or, if he could do it, he would de-
ceive his teacher by looking in his book at
recitation. And there they formed their
characters and when they left school, and
went to business, they carried with them the
same habits Charley took for his motto {:
"busness and then pleasure;" and he was
always applying what he had learned at
school to some useful purpose. And james
found his business as tiresome and distasteful
as his studies. He was always intent on
amusing himself, and instead Of making his
employers business his own, he was always
studying how to do as little as he could and
keep his place, and always glad when the store
was shut up, that he might seek amusement.
Charley rose rapidly in the esteem and con-
6dence of his employers, and in due time be-
came head clerk, and then partner, and at
length he became wealthy merchant, own
ing ships and stock in railroads. He was
director in a bank and president of railroad
company.
But James did not please his employers,
and never stayed long at one place. After
awhile his father set him up in business; but
the same habits followed him. He neglected
his business and spent his time in idle amuse-
ments. In little while he failed. Again
his father set him up, and again he failed.
And this was repeated till he had spent his
estate, which fell to him at his fathers death !;
and seeing grim poverty stare him in the
face, he thought of his friend Charley, of
whose prosperity he had heard. He deter
mined to 90 and see if he could not give him
something to do.
Charley was very glad to see his old school
mate, and shook him very cordially by the
hand, not seeming to notice the mean appear
ance of his garments. After friendly chat,
Charles said to him: "Well, James, is there
anything I can do for your James hung
down his head in shame, and told him his
want of success in business, and the straits
into which he had been driven, and said he
should very glad of some employment that
would give him living.
"Well, my good friend" said the merchant,
"I am glad you have come just at the right
time. remember that you and l studied
bookkeeping together Iwant book-keep-
er. The salary is $2000"
Again James hung down his head, and
said: II never understood anything about
bookkeeping when we studied it together,
and I have never been used to it. l can't
keep set of books"
"Well," said Charles, ri recollect that we
studied navigation together. have a ship
that wants captain. The salary is 81 ,9OO."
"Ohw replied James, 81 never could un-
derstand navigation, and I have forgotten
what little I did learn"
"But you have studied surveying. have
situation as civil engineer on railroad at
my disposal. The salary is $1,000.
"Indeed," said James, "that is worse yet.
I never gave my mind to surveying at school,
and I've never thought of it since"
"Well, then," Charles again replied, "you
can carry the chain, and that will pay you a
dollar day."
And the poor man was glad to carry the
chain for a dollar day, for he was not capa-
BILE of doing anything better-while if he had
improved his opportunities at school and
given his attention to business he might have
had his $4,000, $1,000, or $500 salary.
-s
STICK.
have not examined Webster to know
whether or not the word which heads this is a
slang word or not, but don't think it is, and
Il - =. IL, T