Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-05-30
Our Selected St01.u.
A TRUE STORY FOR BOYS,


what we would all like to reacll-hone
and success.
. In the earlier years Of my experience :
J. a printer in Chicago, more than twcnt
. years ago, our firm did good deal ,
: printing for the Chicago, Burlington
Quincy Railroad, and. because of all thi
l came to know Il young man who is IL
4. subject of my story. He came from Ma
sachusctts; he was poor, and had no inf,
ential friend to even give him a letter c
g recommendation. He sought cmploymer
on the Chicago, Burlington q Quincy raj
road. and, after waiting time at last st
!. cured position as brakeman on a freiyI
train-salary about thirty dollars Il month
lie was faithful in this position. aid bcin
both intelligent and Industrious. he wa
soon made con luctor of the train. witt
wages nearly doubled. He socn attracte,
the attention Of his superior officers. VIII,
saw in him an honest, faithful aid consci
entious conductor, one hot seeking his owl
ease Or pleast;re, but constantly devoted t,
the Interests OF the company that enploye,
him. so that not many months elapsed be
fore he was made conductor of Il passenge
train-a more comfortable position. ant
one yielding a somewhat higher salary
Here first knew him. and saw in him
modest, quiet. unassuming young man
free from the popular vices, and who triet
to be just as faithful and true and devoted
to his work as a conductor as though the
position had been that of General Supcrin
tendent. He did not apparently have .
high opinion Of his own abilities; there
was a total absence of that swa"ger and
strut so often seen in those who come to
similar subaltern positions. Il seemed as
though he thought that 70 properly con.
duct his tran-to secure the comfort of his
passengers and rightly serve the interests
of his company-reIuired the full exercise
of all the powers God had given him.
One of the sternest and most cXacting.
and yet one of the nobest. ablest and most
conscientious men who ever filled similar
position, was then General Superintendent
of the road. This man, Col. {. G.. Ham
mond, watched every employe OF the road
4
man. knew the ability of each. and seemed
intuitively to know which were the faithful
workers and which the lazy shirks. Our
young conductor did not escape the keen
eye. When he least thought Of it his Chief
was measuring and sounding him, and
finding out What kind of metal lie was
made of: but none ever knew whether he
was approved or not, for the chiefs look
was always stern and cold rs ice.
One Saturday morning train No. 4 moved
slowly out of Chicago under the care of
my friend, WHO, only intent on doing his
work as well as he knew how, seemed to
have no higher ambition than to be a good
conductor-salary 5000 year. At noon.
when he stopped at a station, he found a
telegram from the head office, ordering
him to leave the train in care Of and
take the first train for Chicago"
This was an Unusual thing. Wondering
what could be the matter; conscious that
he had tried to do exactly right, and yet
remembering how exacting was the Cen
cral Superintendent, he feared that unin-
tcntionally he had fallen under his displeas-
tire. Reaching Chicago late Saturday even
ing. lie found Col. Hammond had gone
home, and knowing how strict he was in
his observance of the Sabbath, the con-
ductor waited impatiently for the coming
of Monday morning, when, with a power
full heart, he presented himself at the Office
of the Superintendent.
'sGood morning, Mr.. Hammond; have
received your telegram and come to see
what il means
GOOD morning." growled the chief. 81
see you have, sir; have concluded to take
your train away from you."
The conductors heart sank lower than
ever. What before was only fearful fore
boding, was now painful truth. lie had
served the company to the best of his abil
ity. He had kept the affairs Of his train in
complete order. his reports had been care
fully and correctly made; and yet, after all,
he had lost his position; he knew not why.
and he felt that his case was sad indeed. He
inwardly resolved that, having missed his
calling, he would quit railroading and try
some other service, where faithful work
would be appreciated. He dared not hope
to reverse the decision of the all-powerful
official. yet in as calm voice as he could
command, he politely asked the reason tor
his summary dismissal.
Col. Hammond waited a while before he
answered. Then the m,tscles of his face
relaxed little, and he said: 81 want an
Assistant Superintendent in my Office, and
l have called you to take the place."
True worth is always modest, and our
thunderstruck conductor could only stam
mer, 'But am not competent, sir, to fill
the position"
"You can do what 1 tell you; you can
obey orders, can't you? That's all you
have to do, sir. You will begin work this
morning. That is your DESK
The new duties were not as difficult as
he expected. At first he had only to obey
orders, and carry out the details of work
laid out by the chief, and to these duties
he brought the same faithfulness and thor
oughness that had made him noticeable as
a conductor. His elevation did not spoil
him or make him vain. He was as plain
and modest, and hard-working as before
the salary at first was 81, 800.
After a few years service under Colonel
Hammond, and an advance of salary to
50 500, the plain young man was invited
to take the office of General Superintendent
OF younger road at salary OF $4,000.
his own ability, he determined
to do his best, he accepted the call. and
succeeded. until the c. b. & O.. realizing
how much they had lost in parting with
him. invited him to resume his old posi-
ton. and secured his services by the tempt
Ing offer of $4,000 year.
Z In the meantime Col. Hammond had be-