The times., 1898-06-12
The Value of Kindness.
CFrom the Chicago Post)


This is a true story illustrating the
value of courtesy and kindness in the
ordinary business affairs of the world.
The son of a prominent and influential
man decided that he was cut out for the
railroad business. He found out later
that he was mistaken; but that has moth
ing TO do with the story. Il is a theory
of the railroad business that a man who
is going to amount TO anything in it
must get a certain amount of practical
experience clear down at the bottom of
the official ladder. He must become per
sonaIly acquainted with all the details.
Consequently this young man was put to
work in freight house. He was to be
there only a short time, but II was held
TO be essential that he should begin this
way in order thar he might become con-
versant with some features of the sys-
TEN.
The young man was n college gradu-
ate but there was nothing arrogant or
conceited about him, and he was anxious
to be on good terms with his co-!aborers.
Consequently he took pains to be most
obliging and generous. He even bought
drinks for the little gang that worked
with and under him-after working hours,
of course.
81 want TO show them" he said, that
don't feel above them, in spite of the fact
that l have had greater educational ad-
Yantages and am only here to learn the
business"
He was far more courteous and consid-
crate In his treatment of them than he
would have been with his equals under
similar circumstances, but somehow II
didn't seem to work. They shirked and
imposed upon him, and became in meas
ure rebellious They paid very little at
tention to him when he spoke they were
slow, they were sullen, and finally the
work of this gang became to noticeably
bad that the head foreman spoke to the
young man about it.
But they won't work any better" pro-
tested the young man.
Because you haven't showed them
that you are the boss yet,' replied the
head foreman.
There was a suggestion in the foreman's S
reply that bore fruit when the young
man returned to his work. There was an
intimation that he wasn't enough of a
man to handle his gang and he didn't like
1t. In fact, he disliked it so much that
the next time he got % surly answer from
one of the men he, knocked him down
Then he grabbed the-best substitute for
a club that was within reach and an
other stroke of work in the line of load
ing that car; that the gang was going to
do it all, and that it was going to make
record-breaking time about it, too, or
he would break in somebody's skull. One
of the other men s.arted to say some
thing, but the young fellow made jump
for him, and he promptly changed his
mind and went to work without a word
Now. as we stated at the beginning,
this is true story. illustrating the value
of courtesy and Kindness, but the writer
prefers not to attempt to explain just
how it illustrates 1t. All that he knows
is that the young man in question re-
mained at work in that freighthouse with
the Italians and Bohemians for several
weeks; that the work of that gang was
eminently satisfactory to all from that
time on, and that the men seemed to be
sincerely sorry when he left, although
meantime he had found it necessary to
knock down one of them