Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-12-11
Enoo.rnsemen. for Poor Boys.

ne StvtN VI the ldte lCt-l ltSlutil y
early hfe has in II moral that is inval-
liable to the youth of America The
publication oft far aud wide cannot
fail 10 make a most salutary impression
on the minds ot the rising generation.
We presume there is not a boy among
all the readers of the I.feN' genrrr-
even in the most out of the way places
in West Virginia, where the mail only
finds its way once week, who has
had as hard a lot in life as had the late
Vice President nj the outset of his cary
career. Here is the story of his early
years as toldby himself two years age:
IL was born, he said, 'iu 1912; aud
at the age of 10 years was pu, out rs
an apprentice TO u farmer From the
day OF my birth to the day was 2l
years old
INEvER HAD DOLLAR IN MONEY
to spend for anything. During tho.
whole of my apprenticeship my master
never but once gave me penny. On
that OCCASION he allowed me a holiday,
with permission TO attend n mnst,r
seven rifles trom home, aud gave me
three cents TO spend walked TO and
from the MUSTER, and of course spent
no more than that sum.
" "ou the day wis 2l years old,-I
remember it very. well. one SATURDAY,
the 10th of Februay.--in the afternoon
my master gave ms yoke of oxen aad
six sheep. The latter I sold the same
afternoon for 90, but, not being able 10
dispose of tho oxen that day, rcqurs-
ed my master 10 keep them Tor me until
Monday morning, which he did, but
charged me 80 cents for it, paid hni
this and took the oxen away. | sold
them to man for SIS, and took his
note for the amount. So when | be-
came OF age had for eleven years
work U was sent 10 school only four
weeks in each year, SSi had say, d
81 cents, which I had in some way ob-
tanned, but had paid 80 VI this to my
master for keeping my oxen two nights.
i then hired myself to u farmer agreeing
10 work for ...-..t.....t-..
SIX DOLLARS \ MONTH AND BOARD.
used 10 sc: up long before daylight,
feed the stock, get my breakfast, and
just as the east vas beginning To o
streaked with red, start OH Tor the woods
with my team. i tlscd To place my dir
ner pail on the sunny side ota tree, aud
continue drawing saw-logs To the mill
until after dark at hight. Then | went
home, fed the stock, nte my shipper, and
went To bed My father tended tho
saw mill most OF tie time tor many
years for fifty cents a day. 3D.
"ln the spring of the same year,
took my pack upon my back aud started
atoot for the town where | now live,
Natick, Mass, one hundred miles away,
and that Journey COS. me just SI25. 1
worked there at sboemlkipg averaging
fifteen hours n day, aud tho last weeks
work dId at the bench was at bot.
toming shoes for - a week Out of
this paid 90 cents forp pegs and 81
for board, 50 that Ihad lell jist $2.5J.
! have bottomed iliyricur pairs of mems
shoes without sleeping, and that for
little more than 50 cents. Bdi even at
this rate got some money ahead, aud
made up my mind to work my way
through TO college. ~ n,T
The moral Of this story. that every
boy in the !anI should heed, is that th,
conditions Of early life, however uufor.
innate, are not necessarily asbarrier 10
the most exalted success provided boy
has the sort s:uif in him, ani il will
ing to make use OF his energies in the
right direction Frngality, industry anil
honesty will raise any poor boy in the
land to position of independence and
responsibility. Vice. President Wilson
was not great nan by any means. His
native talents were scarcely more than
ordinary. His strength was 10 his char.
acter for industry aud Reliability. Ho
never contracted any had habits, never
associated with disrepatsbe company,
never frittered away his money anI his
health by dissipation, bat made use Of
every opportunity TO improve his mind
ana increase his store of information
Such a boy eoald not b. kept down
by any weight of adversily. All such
boys are bound TO obtain maivnce, it
not prominence, IN society. Therefore
let no poor boy who reads these lines
fail to remember that his destiny in life
Is manly in his own bauds.---Jh,,iing
inteAigtaeer