The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-04

BY B. MURRA1 J
Reward Of Honest Industry.
Il want to tell the boy. about friend
of snine, whose faithful performance OF
present duties led him into higher posi-.
ions than he ever dreamed Of filling, and
gave him whatwe would all like to reach
honor and success. . -. -. ~
I'm the years of. my experience as q
printer in Chicago, more than twenty
years ago, our firm did good deal of
printing ior the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy RAILROAD. and because Of this 1
came to know young man who ls the
subject OF my story.
He caue from Massach chusetts; he was
poor ab d-had-noi inauentiaf friends-to
even give him a letter of recommendation.
HE sought employment on the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad and
saHer-Maissngsat time, at last secured
ssitiu6 as brakeman on d freight train
salary only, thirty dollars a month. He
was faithfaliG this position, and being
both intelligent and industrious, he was
Isoonmade conductor on the train, with
wages nearfysdo nbled. He soon attracted
the attention of his superior officers, who
Esav.in him az honest. faithful ,iconscien-
3stions cond ductcr, one mot. seeking his oWn
Isease or pleasure, but constantly devoted
Etesthe interests Of the company that en-
sployed him, so that not many months
,selcpsed before he was made conductor OF
z spasseEuer train-a more comfortable
position, and one yielding a highersalarys%
Here ] first knew him. 9 modest, quiet;
snnassuming young man, free from the
popular vices, and who tried TO he just as
faithful and true aud devoted to his work
asa conductor, as though the position had
been that Of general superintendent. He
did not apparently have q very high
]: opinion of his own abilities; there was q
tatal absence ofthat swaggers rand strut so
soiten seen in those who come TO similar
srlba altern positions. It seemed as though
{ toi properly conduct his train, to secure
/ 2tfia comfort of his, passengers and rightly
serve tie Interests Of his company, re.
l6auires thief ullse1ercise ofsalf the:powers
God had given him.
One Of the sterhest and most exacting
aailif vel one Saf the noblest, ablest, and
most conscientious men who ever filled
similar position, was then general su-
;peIintendent of Sthe -r6ad. This man;
cIo1. Hanmond, watched every
eIisloYees pf Che road with an: eagle eye.
Hep measured every man, knew the ;abil-
ssity of each and seemed intuitiyely to
know the faithful workers from the shirks.
Our young conductor did not escape his
kenn eve. When he; least thought of it,
Z shisf chief was measuring and sounding
! him, and finding :on6 what kind ofmetal
he was made Of. But no one ever knew
whether he was approved or not, for the
chief q look was always stern and colo as
ice. i.sss {. - s.1 &
Ion Friday night, train number four
moved slowly ontaf Chicago under the
clre Of my young friend, who, only intent
Observation-Disclosures as veil as .he, knew
sho9, seemed to have no higher ambition
I than to be conductor salary nines huns
! apsd dollars q year. About noon, when.
q 4 stopped at the station, ,he found q tel
seSramsfro the head Office, ordering him,
! tG leave the train in care of --r---T7- /, and
ttke the first train for Chicago.
This was an unusual thing Wonder
/ ing what waslth matter, conscious that
shs had tried to do exactly right, and yet
remembering how exacting was the, s.i-
rerintendept, he feared that unintention1..
ally he had fallen under his displeasure.
= 4Tleachiag Chicago late Saturday evening
ne found Colonel Hammond had gone
home, and Knowing how strict he was in
his observance Of the Sabbath, the Icon-
dnctor waited impatiently for the coming.
Monday morning, when, with fearful
heart, he presented himself at thek Office
softhe snperinte ndent.
stsGood .mosning, Mr.. Hammond I've
answered your telegram, and come to see
what it means"
Good morning. growl.d the chief.
.eL see yon have, sir. / concluded to take
your train away from you
The conductors heaytsank .lower;than an
ever. ( WhaEbefore was only fearful fore.s
Hbodins MsS Snow painful truth. He had
served the company to the best OF his
ability; he had kept the affairs of his
train in complete order; his reports had
been carefully and correctly made; and
vet, after all, he had lost his position, he
knew. not, why And felt that his case
swns sadss indeed. He inwardly re-
solved that, having missed his calling, he
would quit trailrpading and try some ser
s.,vice. where faithful work would be ap-
Dreciated. He:dared not hope to reverse
! zthe decision Of the official, yet in as calm
( q voice as,he. could command, he politely
asked thesreasen of his summary disrnis-
sal.
Colonel Hammond waited while be.
fore he answered. Then the muscles
of his face relaxed alittle, and he said;:'J
ttI want an assistant superintendent in
nv Office, and have called you TO take the
place"
True worth is always modest, and our
thunder-struck conductor @could only
stammer: -.
aBut I am not competent, sir, to I'll the
position you offer. 80 : . :. =
Z. stYou can do as I tell you; you, can
obey orders, and carry out the details Of
the work laid. .out,by the chief"
To these duties he brought the same,
thoroughness and faithfulness that had
made him conductor. His elevation did
not make him vain Or spoil him. He
was as plain and modest and hardwork-
ing as before. The salary at first was one
thousand eight hundred dollars.
After few years ofservice under Col.
Hammond, and an advance of salary to
two thousand FIVE hundred dollars, the
plain young man was invited to take the
Office of general superintendent of 9
young road, at a. salary of four thousand
dollars. Distrusting his own ability, but
determined to do his best, he accepted
tina call and succeeded, until the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad, realiz'
ing how much they had lost in parting
with him, invited him to resume his old
position, with the tempting ofera of six
thousand q year. -