The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-03-14
FIDELITY REWARDED.
a TRUE STORY FOR BOYS TO READ.


want to tell the boys about a friend of
mine whose faithful performance Of present
duty led him into higher positions than he
ever dreamed Of filling, aud gave BIN what
we would like all TO reach-bonor and sue
cess.
In the earlier years OF my experience as
a printer in Chicago, more than twenty
years ago, our firm did good deal Of
printing for the Chicago, Burlington s.
Quincy Railroad, and because Of this
came to know young man who is the sub
ject of my story.
He came from Massachusetts, he was
poor, and had no influential friend even to
give him letter of recommendation. He
sought employment on the Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy Railroad and after wait
ing time at last secured a position as
brakeman on a freight train-salary thirty
dollars month. He was faithful in his
position, and being both intelligeut,and in
dustriOus, he was seon made a conductor
on the train with wages nearly doubled. -
He soon after attracted the attention of his
I
faithful, conscientious conductor, one not
seeking his own ease OF pleasure, but con
stantly devoted to The interests Of the com
pany that employed him, 50 that not many
months elapsed before be was made con
ductor of a passenger train-a more com
Portable position and one yielding some
what higher salary. Here [ fist knew
him, and I saw in him a modest, quiet, un-
assuming young man, free from the popu-
lar vices, and one who tried 20 be just as
faithful and true and devoted to his work
as a conductor as though the position had
been that Of general superintendent.
He did not apparently have high opin
ion of his own abilities there was total
absence of that swagger aud strut So often
seen in those who come TO similar su ubaltern
positions. It seems as though he thought
that to properly conduct his train-to Sc
cure the comfort of his passengers, aud
rightly serve the interest Of his company
required the full exercise Of all the pow
ers God had given him.
One of the sterneSt and most exaciiug,
and yet one of the nobest, ablest aud most
conscientious men who ever filed a similar
position, was then General Superintendent
of the road This man Colonel G. G.
Hammond) watched every employe Of the
road with an eagles eye. He measured
every man, knew the ability Of each, and
seemed intuitively to know which were the
faithful workers aud which the lazy shirks.
Our young conductor did not escape his
keen eve When he least thought of II, bis
chief was measuring and sounding hin,
and finding out what kind Of metal he was
made Of but none ever knew whether he
was approved or not, for the chiefs look
was always stern aud cold ds ice.
On Friday night, train No. moved
slowly out of Chicago under the care OF my
young friend, who only intent ON doing bis
work as we'll as he knew how, seemed t'
| have no higher ambition than be gUoc
couductor-salaIy 5000 year. At noon
when he stopped at the station, he found ;
telegram from the head office ordering hin
to "Ieave the trainin care of -, aud taxi
| the first train for Chicago"
! This was an unusual thing. Wondering
/ what could be the matter, cOuscius that b,
| had tried to do exactly right, and YET re
| membering how exacting was the Genera
| Superintendent, he feared shat uninren
tionally he had fallen under his displeaSure
Reaching Chicago late Saturday evening, h
| found Colonel Hammond bad gone home
and knowing how strict he was in tie oh
servauce of the Sabbath, the conductn
waited impatieutly for the coming Monda
morning, when with a fearful heart he pre-
seused himself at the Office of the Superir
teudent.