The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-10-27
SELECTED NATTER.
A PRACTICAL STORY FOR BOYS.
By a Business Man.

Business men seldom write stories
but New York employer sends us the
following sketch, which has very prac-
tical lesson for a class of boys
1t often happens that lad applies by
letter for a business situation. He is
invited to call by the employer to whom
the application is sent. The employees
shows him that the duties are response
BILE, the opportunities for learning the
business and for being advanced to the
charge of department with liberal COM
pensation are such as rarely occur,
nqmes fair wages at the outset, and re-
serves his decision, that he may COM
pare the boys qualifications with those
O. other applicants and select the best.
In few days the lad is sent for to call
again, the employer intending to give
him the preference for the position.
After several days delay postal card
is receivd from the boy. Meanwhile,
in consequence of the delay, another
young man is engaged for the position.
The postal reads as follows:
DEAR 9aR-Yours received in reply.
| don't feel as if l would like to come
for that; salary unless got advanced
very soon. desire place of this kind,
where, by perseverance, can advance
myself. / am yours, most respectfully,
Now the compensation offered was
fair, and place of great responsibility
in a rapidly-developing business was
standing wide open, waiting for some
one to be trained to fill it. 1t WIS a
chance that would very rarely occur.
Below is the reply of the would-be
employer to the lad. Judge, bo IS, who
read this, whether the Lao we have des-
cribed or the one referred to in this let
ter acted the wiser part:
New YORK. --, 1877.
MASTER Dea, Sir: The place
is filled. For your benefit, as a young
man starting in life, l will repeat the
first experience of friend who related
it to me on his way downtown this fore
noon.
He had engaged himself for fifty dol
lars year, at eighteen years of age, in
a dry goods house. The firm afterward
sent him word that they were not ready
vet to receive him and he must wait if
he wanted the place.
He went to his father and said: ''I
want Place if | work for nothing. /
only ask for place. Go with me to
some good house and tell them that they
must take me. l ask no pay, only a
position.
His father secured him the desired
situation. ----
In a few weeks he had studied out the
private goods marks; he learned from
his father that a certain new style OF
goods was popular and scarce he went
to large house and asked for the senior
partner.
Holding out sample in his hand, he
asked: "Do you want, Mr.. -, any
of these goods?''
"No."
every WE'LL" says the lad, folding up
the sample very deliberately.
elbow much do you ask for them ?"
"Ten shillings."
Chow many bales have you got ?"
"Thirty."
"How many yards to the bale ?"
Gone thousand five hundred"
care you sure you have the price
right p looking with curiosity at boy
selling goods.
eyes, sir, never make a mistake in
prices, whatever else 1 may do," said
the lad, with an expression of confidence.
"Whose house are you from ?"
EMeSSrS. - -"
sI will come down and see you."
The young man begins to fold up hi;
sample and asks:
ferring to a rival house.
"What do you want of them p
81 heard my father say these good:
were becoming very popular, and thai
there were only a few in the market
I'm going down to show them my sam
pie. l have made up my mind to sci
them goods before l go back"
The merchant began to be anxious anC
uneasy.
"Who is your father p
"Mr. -"
"With the house of f--?"
eyes, SIR"
"What house are you with -
81 told you: Messrs. -"
"What price do you say1"
"Ten shillings."