The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-09-12
ssTbe Best Boys Story 1EYer Heard.v

ave have had a good many boys with
us from time to time," said Mr.. Alden,
the senior member of a large hardware
establishment in Market street Philadel.
phia, Gas apprentices, to learn the
business. What may surprise you is that
We never take country boys unless they
live in the city with some relative who
takes care of them and keeps them home
at night; for when country boy comes
to the city to live, everything is new to
him, and he is attracted by every show
window and unusual sight. The city
boy who is accustomed to these things
cares little for them, and ifhe has
good mother, he is at home and in bed
in due season. And ne are very partic-
ular about our boys-and before accept.
ing one as an apprentice, we must know
that he comes of honest and industrious
parents.
"But the best boy we ever had is now
with US, and member of the firm. he
is the one man in the establishment that
We couldn't do without. He was thirteen
years old when he was spprenticed to
us, and he was with US for eleven years,
acting for several years as salesman.
When he first came, ne told him that for
long time his wages would be very
small, but that if he proved to be a good
boy, his salary would be increased at
certain rate every year: and, as itturned
out, when according to agreement we
should have been paying him FIVE
hundred dollars a year, We paid him nine
hundred, and he never said word
himself about an increase of salary.
From the very outset, be showed that he
had an interest in the business. He vas
prompt in the morning, and if kept a.
little overtime at night, itnever seemed
to make any difference with him. He
gradually came to know where everything
was to be found, and if information was
wanted, it was tothis boy, Frank Jones,
that every one applied. The entire
establishment seemed to be mapped out
in his head, and everything in it catalog-
ued and numbered. His memory of faces
was equally remarkable. He knew the
name of every man who came to The store
to buy goods, what he bought and where
he came from. I used often to say to
him, Jones, your memory is worth more
| than gold mine! How do you manage
to remember
"sI make it my business to remember
he would say. I know that if I can
! remember man and call him by name
when he comes into the store, and can
ask him how things are going on where
he lives, I will be very likely to keep
him as customer"
"And that was the exact case. He
took the same interest in their purchases
as he took in the store, and would go to
no end of trouble to suit them, and to
fulfill to the letter everything he promis-
ed.
"Well, affairs went on in this way,
until he had been with us eleven years,
when we concluded to take him into the
firm as partner. We knew that he had
no extravagant habits, that he neither
used tobacco, nor beer, nor went to the
theatre. he continued as at the begin.
ming to board at home, and even when
his salary was the very lowest he paid
his mother two dollars q week for his
board, He was always neatly dressed,
and we thought it was very probable that
he had laid up one or two thousand
dollars, as his salary for the last two
years had been twelve hundred dollarg
So when we made him the offer to become
partner in the business, and suggested
that it would be more satisfactory if he
could put some money into the firm, he
replied
"If ten thousand dollars will be any
object can put in that much. I have
saved out of my salary nine thousand
four hundred dollars, and my sister will
let me have six hundred
II can tell you that I never Was more
astonished in my life, than when that
fellow said be could put in ten thousand
dollars, and the most of it his own
money. He had never spent a dollar, or
twenty-five cents or FIVE cents for an
unnecessary thing, and he kept his money
in bank where it gathered small inter.
est. I am great believer in the Bible,
you know, and I always kept two placards
III biz letters up in the store. On one
was this texts He that is faithful in
| that which is least, is faithful $50 in
much;' and on the other: 'Seest thou
man diligent in his business? he shall
stand before kings; he. shall not stand,
before mean men, And Frank Jones'
success was the literal fulfillment of those
two texts. He had been faithful in the
smallest things as in the greater ones and
diligent in business. That kind of q
boy always succeeds" concluded Mr..
Alden.
A small boy of ten, who had listened
to the story with eager eyes, as we'll as
ears, said:
"But we don't have any kings in this
country, Mr.. Alden, for diligent boys to
stand before!"
"Yes, we do" laughed Mr.. Alden.
"We have more kings here than in
any other country in the world. We
have money kings, and business kings,
and :silroad kings and land kings, and
merchant kings and publishing kings and
some ofthem WELD an enormous power.
II