The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-08-17
s1sEND THAT BOY TO ME-

good youth IS sure OF promotion. That is
what the permanent men at the railroad
shops complain about; this place is now
vacant because the lad your partner sent
us, and who filled it worthily a year, is
now placed where he gets eighty dollars a
month. So wen trust you to name his
successor. They may asl. you a few ques-
tions about the candidate, for forms sake,
at The office, but FOUR man is sure to pass
muster"
The above was addressed by a busy rail
road officer to a city lawyer, who replied:
There is my friends son, Urban Starr;
his father spoke to me about employment
for him. To be sure Urban is rather above
the place as to talent and culture, but
times are hard, and the young should
climb the low rounds of the ladder. I'll
see about proposing him."
"Thank you! I'll be doubly obliged if
you'll take your applicant up to the Office
and see him accepted" And the railroad
man hurried away.
To this conversation there has been a
deeply-interested, but sad-hearted listener
Theodore Young, the faithful and patient
offiee-boy, who longed with unspeakable
desire for some such place rs the one de-
scribed. He was the eldest son of a
widowed mother whom he yearned to help,
and who was so poor that forty dollars a
month seemed wealth to her boy. When
the railroad man LETT the lawyer turned to
Theo, saying:
"Here. Thee, though 'tisn't your work,
won't you note the dates of these letters
and file them away in order while | write
a letter for you to take up to Mr.. Starts ~
Theo attended carefully to the papers, and
was waiting for the letter before it was
finished. A great desire was swelling in
his throat till it ached, and when the fin
ished letter was handed to him his request
burst forth in trembling eagerness:
DO You think, sir, there is, or may be,
any low place at the railroad shops for
which you would venture TO recommend
me? | would begin very low, and work
very hard to deserve promotion, and per
haps in years / might come to such a place
as this which is for Urban Starr"
How can We spare our good, trusty
Theo? But, I own, it is too bad to keep
you here. If Urban consents to apply,
when | go with him you may go, too, and
I'll interview the parties about something
for YOU"
ooh. thank you, sir" cried Theo, and
he was SO glad that he ran instead of
walked on his errand. A few hours later
found Urban and Theo waiting il nan ante
room while the lawyer made known his
business about Urban to the railroad Off
Gals, who said:
"Oh, yes; thank you for bringing him.
The last employe your firm sent us was a
treasure, and we don't need to raise ques-
tons about this one; yet there is one alb
solutely essential thing that | will men,
ton. of course you know this person,
like the last, to be strictly temperate-total
abstinence pledged and practised ?"
"No. sir, / know nothing of the kind;
but, on the contrary, while my friend, Mr..
Starr is temperate, he isn't one of the total
kind. There is wine for the guests at New
Years, and this Urban takes his glass like
the rest"
Excuse ne, then, but he won't do for
our employ. Total abstinence principles
and habits are our first requirements"
'He is no drunkard. Perhaps if you
see him you will think he has qualifca-
ions of great value to YOU"
sit is useless for us even to see him,
since we desire one who has been from
boyhood voluntarily abstinent."
every well; Urban Starr is above need
of the place. Good morning! Oh, excuse
me for having forgotten another matter;
there is a lad here with me, in fact, our
own ofice-boy- for whom I've promised
to ask ir you've any kind of a place ever
coming vacant into which you could put
him with hope for his future. We hate to
lose him, for he is trasty, capable, willing,
writes a good hand, is quick at figures"
How is it about the total abstinence ?'
sob, he is square on that. Signed the
pledge when a child. Never took a first
glass. Regards drop of vine with super
~stitious horror"
Send him in, il you please; We would
like to talk with him"
Theo came back to the lawyers office
radiant with JOY, exclaiming, They say
I'm just the one they wan for the place
YOU didn't take for Urban Starr. They
only laughed when l said I feared there
was some mistake. Is it all right9 Don't
Urban want the situation ."
''It is all right, Theo. Please remember
when you are a railroad president that you
owe your success in life to me p
This occurred (for this is all true) seye-
raj years ago, and Tbeo has now a salary
Of fifteen hundred dollars, with the love
and confidence of all who know him, while
Urban is incorporate, out of employment
and a grief to his parents.
Recently Theo said to his friend, the
lawyer, 'aI'm not forgetting that | owe my
success in life to you
ooh, no" replied The lawyer; ''you owe
it to a better friend, named Total Absti-
hence. "-Seleeted.