Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-04-05
ROOM At THE TOP.

7
THE KIND or YOUNG MEN WHO
ARE BOUND TO SUCCEED
IN LIFE.
The principles of business that
can be taught are not many those
that can be learned are almost with
out end. A clerk very soon reaches
the place where he has been told
all that is actually necessary that
he should be told about the details
of the business; be tails into the
ruts of the house, understands the
run of trade, the variations in peo-
pie and prices, and how to get IN
and send out goods to the best ad'
vantage. But all these details,
while they are necessary to be
learned, only At the young man tor
that particular place, and ii he is
ambitious he is always looking to
something better. Others have
been teaching him it is necessary
that he should now teach himself
A clerk who remains IN one po'
sitIon all his lift. advertizes himself
lacking in one of two things
ability or ambition. There I'M
doubtedly are instances where a
clerk Is kept so constantly and
continually employed at one task
that he has no opportunity to learn
anything but his present work, but
such instances are very rare. AS
general rule, every clerk has
some time at bis disposal, either at
intervals during the day or in the
evening. There are hours that he
can not afford to throw away. Not
that it follows that he mnst de-
prive himself of every pleasure, or
must desert every form Of enter
tainmeut. All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy, aud dull
ness does not lead to success. But
let him have his entertainment as
recreation, and not seal II as bust
ness, and then he will still have
many valuable hours for selt-im-
prOvement.
One of the prosperous merchants
of this city began life as an errand
boy in an office. Most boys, and
most men, too, for that matter,
would say that his position offered
but little hope of advancement.
The men in the Office we're busily
employed, and saw or spoke to the
boy only when they had an errand
or order for him. He had no ac-
counts to keep, no writing to do.
But the desire beng there, the op-
portunities came. He carried the
mail TO and from the pOstoffice;
watching the letters that passed
through his hands, when he found
an envelope unusually well adj
dressed he saved it from the waste
basket, and with this before him
he began to try to initiate it.
1t was his duty to copy the let
ters in the copying press, aud he
read and remembered the phrase
ology and tie style until he could
have sat dewn, and with the topic
given him, have dressed it up In
the same form.
He was so ready and willing to
do any and everything asked of
him that the men sent him on many
private errands Of their own, and
IN return they could not but an
swer bis questions when he asked
about the books or the business. A
chance offered where lie light do a
little writing, and he did the work
before any one knew that he could.
There was some surprise at the good
hand he wrote, still more at the
good form of his matter, and then
he told them how he had learned.
He was given a place at the desk,
while another boy ran the errands,
and before he had ever thought OF
studying 10 be a bOok-keeper he
was one, and good one.-Bdlti-
MORGAN.