Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-13
HIS START IN LIFE.

well known New York manufacturer
about boys and their characteristics,
when he told me a story which | think
well worth repeating. First, let me
say that he employs about 500 hands,
among whom there are many boys and
young men, and that most of his Office
employees, his travellers and statesmen,
are promoted from his workshop. The
way in which he discovers their talents
Is curious and significant. Napoleon
used to put great faith in any man
With a long nose; but this man Judges
men very differently. He suddenly
calls out boy, for instance, and gives
him a verbal message to deliver. If he
delivers it correctly, he takes note of
that boy, and employs him again in a
similar manner If the boy makes no
mistake in the second and third mes
sage, he becomes convinced that he is
capable of better things than mechan-
zeal work. and advances him accord
ingly.
''There is no better test of a boys
capacity" he says, ethan the manner
in which he carries a verbal message.
Few boys can do this satisfactorily;
most of them blunder in some way
Just try one of them, and you will be
convinced of this truth. Generally,
they get some word wrong, which
ruins the whole business; Or they de-
liver the whole message rudely or in
sultingly, and thus cause trouble. Yes
terday l dispatched a boy for book
/ of on Of Of
my foremen, and he went up to him
and blurted out:
Mr.. Worthy wants his book; you
have got it in your deskr
Sometimes, before sending a boy
with message, i make him repeat it,
to see whether he has it straight or
not; but this takes too much time, and
boy with whom this must be done is
not to be trusted. OF course | never
do this when | send one on a test
message"
This gentleman, whom | shall call
Mr.. Worthy, tells me that the first
thing he does i'll observing q boys
character is to see that he does what
is given him to do; then to observe
the manner in which he does it; then
to see if he keeps on doing it in the
same manner; and if his work is cor
rcncly done or done in a superior man
ner, he concludes the boy has more
than common talents, and marks him
out for promotion.
Charley McGregOr was a boy of this
character and he determined to pro-
mote him. At first he put him into the
office to take note of the incoming and
outgoing goods, to carry messages and
to answer the inquiries of strangers.
Here he acted so discreetly that he
speedily rose in the esteem of his en-
plOyer, and was soon employed on
more important business. The boy
was at this time about II years old; he
had had but little or no schooling, hay
ing lost his father when quite young,
and been obliged to work from his
earliest years. He seemed anxious,
however, to get on, and this was one
of the traits that pleased his employer.
Whatever was given him to do he Ell
deavored to do well, and Mr.. Worthy
came to place great confidence in him.
One day Mr.. Worthy saw that one of
about to take passage for Cuba on a
Spanish steamer, had left an important
package behind which he had forgotten
in the excitement of leave-taking, and
which Mr.. Worthy considered abso-
lutely necessary to insure the success
full issue of his voyage. Picking up
the package, he called up the boy, Nc
Gregor, and said to him:
Charley, do you know where Han
over square in New York is?''
Eyes, Sir-I think I do. 1t is just
west of Pearl street, near the Battery"
''Good! You saw Mr.. Cigarette here
yesterday? You know him, don't you?"
Eyes, sir, | do
We'll, he is going to Cuba on very
important business, and he has for
gotten this package, which he must
have with him. The vessel starts from
Pier 10, East River, which is near Old
Slip, at Hanover square, from which
it is but few steps to Pier TO-
Eyes, know it. / carried a message
to Captain Barras, of the Spanish
steamer Hidalgo, once"
II think So | will try
do you think you can find him.
con, but you must-you must be
sure! If you succeed in delivering this
package to Mr.. Cigarette, who sails on
this steamer at u O'clock, it will be
the making of you. Do you under
Stand?"
Eyes, sir. | will do my best"
"Then be off with you. Here's
money. Take a cab or any conveyance
you think most speedy; but get there
somehow DO you hear?"
Il shall try, sir" said Charley, put
ting on his hat and coat, picking up
the package and making for the door.
This was on Jersey City Heights,
three miles away from Hoboken Ferry.
Seeing a car half a block off, Charley
caught up to it, got on, and soon
reached the station from which the
elevated train 1uns down to the ferry.
Rushing past the ferry-master at the
ferry-house he got into the waiting
room Just as the door on the Barclay
street side was closing. He shouted
to the man to let him through; he
promised that he would make it worth
his while: but all in vain. The man
never turned to look at him.
The Christopher street boat was in,
and 4 bput IN start iRnt this boat. 90