The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-31
What Came Of A Boys smartness.


What Came Of A Boys smartness. %,
A few mornings since, while wait
ing at the station of large country
town. witnessed little incident that
| think will interest some young peo-
pie.
The ticket agent had gone to break
fast, leaying the Office in charge OF 2
brig ght-lookiDg boy of fourteen or fif;1
teen. The boy was reading what,
must have been very interesting
book, judging from the reluctant man
ner in which he laid it aside to wait on
the passengers. -,
Shortly after my arrival an old lady,
oddly dressed and evidently not accus-
tomed to travelling, came in, and after
depositing her bundles and procuring
her ticket, inquired civilly of the boy.
"What time is the up-train due ?n
"rhere's timetable on the wall be-
hind YOU" was the surly reply. "You
can read, / reckon"
Without word the old woman put
on her glasses. and after long search
gained the information the boy might
have given her in less time than it had
taken to give the ungracious answer. !.
"7:35S7 :33? It must be most that
time now,n she soliloquised. Young
man, will you please tell me what time
it is ?" she asked timidly, glancing at
the boy again.
IWhy don't you look at the clock ??
sneered the smart lad. "M..- business
is to sell tickets, not to answer ques-93
tions." ~ ~.
And old gentleman, very plainly
dres sed, who had been sitting III cor .
ner with his hat pulled over his eyes.
looked up quickly when be heard the
bows impolite response; but he said
nothing, and after the lapse of q few
minutes sauntered slowly across the {
room to the ticket-window. -,
"What is your name, my boy 2" he
said kindly, after nodding intelligent
ly to the telegrapher. -
az don't know that it Is any of your
business but if you have fortune to
leave. YOU can Just name Dick Nor.
TOMS kid Jack, and it Will be all O, K-s-
"Your father ought to be proud OF
such promising boy" returned tn.
gentleman dryly. "Is MIR. johnson
in q, he asked little sharply.
"You can find out by making use o.
YOUR ewes, / guess" said the boy.
glancing around under tables and ;
benches, apparently very much "a
mused. ... =, -,
lust then another boy came 10 with
some papers for the agent, anu Is
smart friend said, loud enough 10 De
heard all over the "ritlng-room-
"Here, Fred! don't 60 away tlli JONI
son comes. Attend TO the tickets u
any are wanted. have been boreo 70 .
death answering questions, and l want !
to finish this book before The boss gets
around.
The newcomer quietly hung up LIS
hat and coat and went 10 wait ulpn
some ladies who were standing at the
window.
A few minutes later the old gentla-
man asked, somewhatsharply: "What
time Is the train due, Bub ?" ,....
v'7:35," was the prompt answer: -
"And what time is it now ?' dernan,
ded the same impatient voice that aaa
spoken before. s .
"It is lust fifteen minutes past
seven,n replied the boy cheerfully-:.,,
"Ape!n sneered smart Jack. "Why
don't you bluff him offY
"What is your name ?" persisted the
old maA, stepping up little closer. =
Fired Myers" responded the poy,
politely. .,,;
.tIs the boss in?' was the next inqul-
ry in a much lower tone.
mo, sir; he has gone to breakfast.
but will be back in few minutes" was
the uiet answer.
"Seeing that your master is not in,
can't YOU give me cut rates TO Wheel-
ing? I'll see that you are not 1ouno
out.n =, 49,
my Master is always in" was the
boy's quick reply.
Just then Mr.. johnson, the agent
came in; and addressed the piain-iook-
ing stranger as Mr.. Hays, aud the boys
| hoth knew thst the superintendent et
the railroad had been talking TO theni.
and before they had recovered sfoIh
their confusion they heard him say:
"Mr. Knox, your telegraph operator.
has been appointed to take charge or
an office in the city, anu came aown
to TO- look after a suitable q boy to take his
place here. Remembering tne lniol-
| NATION YOU gave SobAS
had made up my mind concern'n$
whom his successor should be, but al
ter what have witnessed this morn.
ing have come to the eonslusion Una. aa
DICK Morton's kid Jack is entirely LOO
smart for'our use, and that is TINS ooy'
whose Master is always in, can be trus-
ted to take charge of the Responsible
| position.
Smart Jack tried to mutter an excuse
for big ;muoliteness when he realized
what he had lost, but the Indignant IN.
superintendent coolly infol:."sa .>aarl ma,i.
that his roughness towards passe.:SS .Se' =
could not be tolerated, and that he
must seek other employment until he
learned to apply the small courlesles
of liie.-Herald and PreSbyter.
The prophecy of success !"r ihe Pro-
hibition party is in the fact that it was
not born of circumstance, but ot prln-.
ciplc, and therefore has Il Singular VI
| tality and persistency because of the