The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-30
VOL. 5.
That Boy.

boy. At last / concluded to advertise
for one trustworthy boy; neat, gentle
manly. prompt, and diligent; one who
lived in Brooklyn, so as to take messages
to my house in that city when needed
So / advertised thus:
Wanted, in an Office in New York. a
boy who lives with his parents in Brook
lyn; who is prompt, neat, diligent, and
does not use tobacco. Address, in hand
writing of applicant, with recommenda-
tions-
Now was certain I should be suited.
Applications poured in by mail. There
were in all about hundred and fifty
written answers to my advertisement.
Some of them were literary curiosities.
The spelling of some was frightfuI, and
in a number of instances the penmanship
was enough to make me wish never to
see the writer's. Out of the whole lot
selected about twenty which seemed
worthy of attention. / felt sorry for the
disappointed boys whom could not
take, for all had written as if they were
very anxious to have the place.
Concerning these twenty applicants I
made as thorough inquiry as circum-
stances would. warrant, in saycral cases
going in person to their houses to see
what kind of parents they had, how they
had been brought up, and what were
their surroundings. / saw some very
nice boys, and homes which were credit
to the people that managed them. ]
wanted no profane little ruffian who
would spend his evenings and his earn.
ings at the circus or the low theatre.
had no use for the street boy, who goes
bowling through the neighborhood al
night with gang of disorderly fellows,
pulling door-bells and smashing ash,
barrels. do not want boy for week
or month, only to discharge him and
get another for like term; but wanted
one who was worth treating well and
bringing up to business.
At last found boy who seemed te
be exactly what was needed. accepted
the lad, and he commenced to render
service. He was tidy, respectful; and
tolerably prompt. He wrote neat hand
and desired to give satisfaction
Altogether he seemed to be by
far the best boy ] had employed. Bu
perfection does not dwell in small boy:
at four dollars week. This boy, like al
others, had his infirmities. True, he die
not smoke, spit, swear, drink whiskey ,ol
use rude language. He did not mean t.
neglect his work Perhaps, he did hi
best; but he was needless. If boy is
told to do particular thing, it is with {
view of his doing it. That is what th,
boy is for. If it is matter of uncer
tainty with mo whether he will do it o.
not, can do no better than do it mysel
than by telling him to do it. If he woult
only say to me, II will not do that,
then should know exactly what to do
kept that boy some time. liked hin
so well that got along with his needless
streak the best could. 1 would talk t.
him the best I knew how, and tell hin
| the mischief which would result is h,
/ allowed himself to grow mp needless
man.
One afternoon leather satchel was t
| be sent to my house, and that boy was t,
take it. Often had he taken packages
there before, sometimes this same pre-
cious satchel. You know how a bus,
man sometimes crowds valuable thing
into satchel of this kind especially if h
! be both minister and editor. That da,
| the satchel was full to the mouth will
| editorials, sermons, contributions from
writer's, music, memoranda, books, lessor
| work, and little of almost everything
Alas alas My nice boy, who wa
neat and tidy, who was prompt and pune
tual, who lived with his parents, and di'
not use tobacco, left that priceless pack
age on bosrd the ferryboatl He had n,
| desire that I should suffer loss; no inten
ton of doing wrong. He came to m.
house and told me of the loss. He wa
sorry and SO was [; but neither our sol
row nor the advertisement / put into th'
papers ever brought the bag back.
A month or two after discharged tina
| boy, he had the assurance to come to M
asking for recommendation to the effec
that he was o reliable young person, AM
altogether such one as man needin
an Office boy could desire. What coul,
/ do? did not want to damage the lad
prospects; but could recommend hir
as worthy of confidence?
I want every boy who reads this t
bear in mind that whatever other goo
traits he may have, if fellow is heed
less, and tIoughtless, and forgetful, an
careless, he will never get along success
fully. II work is worth doing at all,
is worth concentrating the whole min
on. The highest type of godliness, a
we'll as manliness, may be seen in hiI
who keeps every faculty of mind ant
soul wide-awake for business. II Sunda
School Classmate.