The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1890-08-16
WAITING TO SERVE.

Rodney Shipton was southern boy,
and, like many a northern Lad, he was
ambitious. Like many northern
lad, too, his parents were poor and un-
able to do for their son as they could
have wished. But they sent him to
school until he was IA years old, and
then, at Rods earnest request, they
sent him to school Of telegraphy for a
year, where Rodney learned to send
and receive messages over the wonder
full and mysterious wires.
Fer Rod was by no means content
with the humdrum life on the twenty
acre lot in Mississippi which his father
called the farm. It was well enough,
he always said to himself and bis
chums, for 'old folks' who were salts
fed to raise corn and tobacco, and
know nothing Of the great world
around them, save What they read In
the weekly paper. But that wouldn't
suit Rod Shipton--snot much it
wouldn't
No, Rodney was anxious to start,
b5ighsand4eas1.y; Eher SSiea OF Ut s1at
fght-into the front ranks Of those
who are taking part in life's great bat
ties.
Eut Rodney Shipton soon discovered
that even those who are willing to do
brave and arducus work are not the
ones always selected for the most I'm.
portant duties. He had to learn, as 80
many Of US will have to, that, as a great
poet once wrote:
They also serve who only stand and wait.
He found very speedily that the great
telegraph companies and newspapers
were not in reed of inexperienced lads
Of fifteen to place in their offices In
large cities and other centres Of Life
and activity.
First, he applied for position in
Washington, and did not so much as
get an answer to his application. Then
he tried New York, and the manager
of the concern wrote back and kindly
told the lad that he had better Try
nearer home
at last, much discouraged, Rod did
try n arer home. 1t went much against
the grain for him to think that tele'
graph operator should be compelled to
remain in such rusty old state as Mis-
sissippi. But lie braced up, and one
fine spring morning he started out on
tramp of more than thirty miles to
Jackson. Rod ShIpton was used to
long tramrs; his father had notso many
dollars that he could afford to give up
two Of tbs m for railroad fare.
The lads shoes were pretty dusty
when, early on the second morning, he
presented himself to the superintendent
of telegraph OF the Jackson and Rich:
mond railway and asked for Job.
We'll, my son. said the superin-
tendent, you're not very old and
you've had no experience, but if you
are in dead earnest and want to show
US what kind Of stuff you're made Of,
I'll offer you a job. We've got an office
up at Snowflake City, seventy miles
from here, and we find it pretty hard
TO keep any one there. It's a lonely
sort of q spot; on one side Of the track
is a swamp and on the other side
scrEbby forest with a sawmill and
store. Youth have very few neigh
bors, and those that are there are
about as rough as they make 'em.
There's very little work, and, conse-
quently, very little pay. Now, then,
if you'll go down and Try your hand as
operator at Snowflake City, IL engage
you at a salary of twenty dollars a
month. What do you say?'
Well, it wasn't a very bright picture
which the superintendent presented tc
our young friend, and so Rodney Ship.
ton thought. He stammered somewhat
as he replied:
you see, sir, I thought some of q
job in the city; and then, Sir, the pay
it's awful small; father pays that fol
a hired man when he wants one on tie
farm, but-but-yes, sir, I guess III
take the job in Snowflake City,
Look here, my iad,' said the super
intendent, laying his hand with much
kindly feeling upon Rods shoulder. q
know just how you feel about it.
was a boy myself once, just aboGt your
size, and with just as much Of desire
to do something big as you have. But
I started In clear at the bottom, yes,
t,u-o- than vo,1 will have l., do end I