The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-18
Doing his Best.

we'll"
"Keeep it! 1 must keep it," Robel
spoke with determination. sit vii
take me long while to forget tn
walks have taken up and down thes
streets looking for something to do.
my very best trying will keep it, .yo'
may he sure that there | will stick"
Your best trying will include
great deal when others have right t
your time and efforts"
"Ofcourse, mother, | shall keep hon
estly in view the interest of my EN-
ployer."
Robert had found a situation at th'
muslin counter of large dry good
house. 1t took him some little TIM
to acquaint himeelf with qualities o
goods which he sometimes impatiently
thought we've more in the line of WON
ans work. But he remembered tina
q person who cannot do what he likes
must do what he can. Unable
through force of circumstances t
choose his employment, he wisely re
solved to do his very best with wha
came to his hand. AS to what tina
best might be, he soon found that hi:
opinion slightly differed from that ol
his employers.
"You needn't he so particular in
measuring the goods for customer
said Mr.. Merrill one day. "All these
are assumed to be yard wide"
But she asked me the width," said
Robert.
'Then you should have simply SAID
that they are yard wide goods"
"But some of them fall little short
sir"
"What is that to you?" Mr.. Merrill
spoke with little impatience. at
is your llace to sell goods, not to be toe
particular about the width of them:
There isn't one customer in a hundred
that will 90 home and measure hel
goods if she thinks that in general
way the width is all right
Tin general way" Robert knew
what was meant, for he had heard some
of the ways by which some of the
o-her clerks, without telling an exact
clearly avoided the exact
truth. IL don't feel at all sure I've got q
a place" Robert concluded in great
discouragement after. during the first
few weeks, he had several times
given offence t. his employer by act.
ing firmly upon his own sense OF what
alone is up to the very letter and spirit
of fair and honest dealing. The time
seemed to have come to him, which
comes to so many, in which q choice
must be made between worldly gain
and the royal standing by the fixed
principles of right and wrong in which
he had been trained.
1T seems to me this piece of goods
is not the same make as the last l
bought of YOU" The question was
asked by u lady who frequently came
to Roberts counter and always made
liberal purchases without haggling
over prices, or giving unreasonable
trouble.
"No, ma'am it is not' said Rob
ert.
"Have you any more of the
same?"
mo, we have sold it out"
"Do you think this" pointing to a
piece she lad been examining, "is as
good? 1t doesn't seem to me, but il
YOU assure me that it is, / will take it,"
Robert caught sight of his employer
within easy hearing distance. Mr.
Merrill had way, good way 1t is too,
of keeping his own eye over his own
interest. And for one moment the
boy hesitated. Quickly to his mind
came the thought of going home to tell
his mother that he had lost his situa-
ton for which he had search ed and
waited so long. Nothing else in the
place, he felt sure, was open to him.
The leaving Mr.. Merrill's would mean
leaving his home and widowed MOTH
er to find employment elsewhere. BY
a few smooth words and trif1ing
evasion he could easily lead Mrs.
DENLY to believe he thought what
he did not think. That was one
side of it. But there was a better
higher, nobIer, side, and Robert will
never cease to be thankful for the
grace granted him in a moment Of sore
mo, ma'am." he quietly answered.
"I do not think the quality quite up
to what you bought last"
"And yet it is thesame pricc?'
Eyes. The other was a lot of goods
which Mr.. Merrill happened on at a
forced sale, and he was able to put
them low. I really think, however,
that this is about as good as any you
can get for the money"
81 will look little futher," she said,
and went out. Robert, without look
ing, had felt the angry eyes of his en-
pl0yer, and he now heard his angry
voice.
"Is that the way you drive Off my
customers? That is one of the best L
have. She brings in no end of coun-
try friends" r,,
'Im sorry if have driven her off,
said Robert, "but did the best l
could"
"Best you could?" The low tone
which Mr.. Merrill was obliged to main
tain, through danger of being, over
heard, lent an added rancor to bis
words.
"Have you forgotten that your pay
depends largely upon the amount o.
sales you make?"
mo, sir, l have not"
"It looks as though you had. Well
have you thought of looking for anoth
er place in which to doyourvery pecu
liar 'best?'"
With weight at his heart Rober
turned to attend to the wants of anoth
er customer. He had feared this, ant
vet had hoped that time would have
heen given him in which he NIGH
have been able to reccomend himself
by faithful and unremitting attention
to duty, as to lead Mr.. Merrill to over
look the matters Of conscience II
which he more and more saw the.
could never agree: But here it was