The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-08
Bright Stories For YoQng'Readers.

full hurry. She was dreadfully nervous
and said she wanted a boy to take
a note 10 the American line pier at
ONCE. The note must get there before
the steamer sailed at Ii o'clock II
was 20 minutes of II then, but when
she said to me, in such an earnest way,
| You will be in time, won't yeu? /
made up my mind to deliver that note
II had to swim out after the steamer.
| There was no time to ask questions
! Wnen l got to the steamer so I just
went up and down bawlins out the
name of the man to whom the note was
addressed. Presently a pale young
man rushed up to me and snatched the
note from my hand. He gave it one
look and then said, Come on. We
rushed off just as the gangplank was
being drawn in. All his baggage was
on board, but he didn't seem to mind
that 1 didn't consider it necessary to
take back any answer to the young
lady, for the man jumped into cab
and said, III go right up. I could
guess pretty we'll at the story then,
but [ found out more about it after
ward, for the young lady came around
to the Office and gave me a IS bill. 1t
seems there had been some kind of
a quarrel and he was going away, but
she sent for him to come back at the
ward, and the funny part of it was
that they both insisted on my coming
to their wedding"
Another duty that the boys are fire.
quently called on to do is to sit up at
night with persons who are i'll. They
so out walking with blind persons,
push Derambulators about the parks.
act as guides to strangers in town, look
after offices while the occupants are
away. hunt uD lost pets, and in fact
do everything that a bright boy pos
sibly can.
1t isn't every boy who can get the
right to wear the blue uniforms. When
a boy applies for a position his record
is carefully looked up. His parents and
teachers are asked about him to find
out if he has any had habits, for the
duties of the trust which the boys are
often called upon to perform makes ii
necessary to employ only those who
are thoroughly reliable. All the boys
in the service are carefully watched |
and if it is found that they are as
sociating with bad companions they |
are warned.
There are plenty of chances for pro-
motion in the messenger service. Many |
Of the boys go into offices after they |
have been messengers for two or three /
years, and some of the most honored |
and trusted men in the banks, offices
and business houses OF the big cities
have served their apprenticeship in the
messenger service. Nearly all the Of
fcerS of the American District Tele-
graph company have come up through
the ranks. The head of the whole serv-
ice is Mr.. NJ. W. Ravens. Just above
Mr.. RayenS' desk in his big and COM
Portable New York office is a framed
letter Of recommendation which he re-
7eived II years ago, when he was
messenger. Il wouldn't ex-
1hange that for government bonds"
said Mr.. Rayens, as he pointed it out
to me a few days ago.
rs the training that a boy gets as
4 messenger a good one for him." I
.sked.
IF boy has to work for his living,
is the best possible" said Mr.. Rayens.
We place more boys in positions where
hey can work up into places of honor
md influence than all the employment
offices in the country. A boy gets a
good practical education from the
work he is called upon to do, and if he
wants TO st-.ly and improve his edu-
alton at the same time he has oppor-
unities to do so. OF course some of
he boys never get very far, but if they
re ambitious they can. For myself,
wouldn't give much for a boy who
ant look far ahead of his present stu
ltion and see himself in a place of po- ;
ition and importance, if not one of
wealth. No matter how poor d boy
nay be, / know that in this country it ;
s still possible for him to rise to the
cry highest places. I know il because
see it going on under my eyes every ]
ay." Mr.. Ravens might have added !
hat he knew it because ne had done
t himself, but he modestly refrained /
rom doing So I
The bicycle has had an important in
uence on the work of the boys AL t
aost every messenger station now has {
IS bicycle squad, and much of the f
York is now done with the aid of t
7heels. Mr.. Ravens is the man who