Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-03-22

WI OCEJdn1u OOUuWlu CUUh III CluCS
son to the great city, and had obtained, he
thought, an excellent place for his boy. I
was a situation in the store of Mr.. Andrew
Phelps. Mr.. Phelps was one of the heayi
est merchants Of the city dealer in cloths
of all kinds, description, qualities and guam
titles. He was one of those exact nervous
men, who want no second say in the way
1t was near noon when Mr.. Goodwin en-
tered the Merchants c~ounting-room, leading
bis boy by the hand.
II have brought my son, Mr.. Phelps, as
we have arranged, and I am sure you will
find him punctual and faithful"
"Ah, Master Gilbert; ahem-yes, ]
like bis looks. Hope he will prove all you
wish
AS the merchant spoke in a matter 0.
1-~--:l~l L;nalu nnnn the
boy, and then turning to the parent, he re
sumed
"Have you found a boarding-place 70,
him p
Eyes sir he will board with his uncle
my wife's brother"
"Ah, that is fortunate. This great city
is a bad place for hoys without friends"
stOf course. sir.n added Mr.. Goodwin,
land | hope you will overlook his affairs a
little"
"Certainly, what I can. But Of course
you are aware that | should see little Of him
when out Of the store
Mr.. Goodwin said 'of course and there
was a silence Of a few moments. The pa
rent gazed down upon the floor for a little
while, and finally said
''There has nothing been said yet, Mr..
Phelp s, about the pay"
"Pay 2" repeated the merchant.
"Yes, sir; what are you willing to allow
my son for his services p
"Ah," said Mr.. Phelps with a blan.
smile. 81 see you are unacquainted witt
our customs. We never pay anything the
first year."
'No pay 2" uttered Mr.. Goodwin some.
what surprised. But l am to pay Gil
bert's board myself, and I thought of course
you would allow him something for pocket
money"
"No, We never pay anything the frs
year. If you were gong to send your sor
to an academy or college, you would no
expect the teachers to pay him for thi'
studying"
"No, sir"
"Just so it is here. We look upon oul
apprentice as a mercantile scholar, and fo
the first year he can be of little real benef
to us, though all the while be is reapine
valuable knowledge to himself. Why ther'
are at this moment fifty youngsters, who's
wealthy parents would be glad to get then
into the berth you have secured for you
boy"
''Then you pay nothing" said the paren
rather sadly.
mot the first year. This is our rule
We will teach him all we can. and at the
end Of that time we shall retain him if b.
is faithful and worthy, and pay him some
thing"
"Never mind, my son." said the parent
when he and his child were alone. "Yo,
have clothes enough to last you through thu
year, and you can get along without mucl
more. Here is one dollar, 1t is all [ hav
over and above what [ must use to 60 home
that will keep you in spending money 70
sometime. But mind and be honest, n.
boy, come home to me when you please
come in rags and filth, if it may be, bu
come with your truth and honor unfair
| nished."
The boy wiped 3 tear from his eye as he CAV
the promise, and the father felt assured.
was arranged that Gilbert should have tw
vacations of a week each, one in the sprinI
and at Christmas, and then the parent left
On the following morning Gilbert Good
win entered the store to his du
ties. He gazed around upon the wilderness
Of cloth, and wondered where the peopl
were who should buy all this /; bu
he was disturbed in his reverie by
spruce young clerk, showed him where tn
watering pot and broom were, and informe
him that his first duty was in the mornin;
to sprinkle the floor. So at it the DO
went, and when this was done he was set {
work carrying bundles Of cloth up stairs
where a man was piling them away. =.
And so Gilbert's mercantile SCHOLARSHIP
was commenced. For a while be was home
sick, but the men at the store only laughe
at him. and ere long he got rid OF the fee
ing. 4 month passed, and at the end
chat time his dollar was spent. He ha
broken it at first to purchase a pocket-knlf
which he could not do without. That too
half of it. Then he had attended a scle1
tifc lecture, for which he had paid half
what was left and the rest had dwindle
away until now be was without a penny
81 he 1e kcc..e up ec: g while He saw III
the boys in the n%eighboring stores be
money tospepd, but then he thought they hz
rich fathers. He knew that the genero'
parent had already burdened himself WI