The Republican journal., 1900-12-13
Merit Recognized.

Sixty years ago, / knew nearly every
man and woman. with their families,
living in St. Stephen and Calais. 1t has
been my study to mark boys who start
ed in any grade of life to see what has
become of them. Having observed so
many of them, from their early child
hood up to young manhood, and later
life when they had children of their
own gathered about them, | have MOTTO
ed the great difference between them
as regards success and failure in life
whether poor, medium or good farmers
or workers; whether men OF moral or
immoral habits, good neighbors or bad.
As result of such observance and study,
l conclude that, barring a few who
| were taken off by sickness, every one
| that proved a wreck and wrecked his
family did it from rum and hardly any
other cause.
l know there is a great disparity Of
present conditions among those brought
up in the same neighbOrhood; and, per-
haps, among those who start on the
Journey of life i'll equal or similar con-
ditions. Some well-to-do parents give
their boys financial start in life, with
a college education. Yet such seem to
fail of success as frequently in proper
ton to numbers as those who sat out in
life with only their hands and brains to
deep that only a point or two can be
considered in a brief newspaper article
! as this must be.
| Over and above all other considera-
tions, is the fact that boys, who are
j willing and anxious to make themsel-
yes useful to their parents or guardians
from the first up to their majority, are
=, economical and industrious, and always
! succeed abundantly in later life, pro-
vided no accident befalls them; while
those who when young shirk labor,
i who are out nights with other boys,
and who are usually found where any
kind of sport or mischief is occurring,
are the boys whose life history can be
anticipated by writing in big letters the
word failure" The highway of life
is strewn shockingly thick with such
people.
! If a boy does not follow the right
! path before he is of age, it is not likely
he Will ever travel therein. 1t may
i seem a strange statement to make
when aver that every boy over ten or
twelve years old is either making or
losing money every day, whether he is
receiving any cash payment OF not.
Leu ule explain.
knew a boy, son of a poor man, who
/ was faithful to his parents and did
! every task given to him. When but
thirteen years old a near by merchant
asked him if he would not like to come
! to his store as clerk, saying | have been
watching you for a year or two and
think you would suit me. He was en-
gagged fol year which he served out
faithfully. Another merchant had been
watching this boy of fourteen years,
and engaged him in his employ. where
he renamed five years at high wages.
About this time a nelghbOrlnS mer-
chant, whose partner had retired, told
this young man that he had been watch
ing him for five years, and, if he could
/ be spared by his present employer, he
I would give him good chance and per-
/ maps make HIM a partner, as soon as he
became OF age, in his business. This
was arranged; and the next year. 1899,
when he became p years old, he was
made partner in the best and largest
lumber concern ON the river Did not
this boy make money every day when
the rich men We're watching him? His
faithfulness to little things-to all
things that come in his way, was what
made fortune for him. as it would for
any other boy who acted similarly.
Somebody will tell other somebodies,
until the boys character is known as
far he is known.
I Business men are always watching
. for capable help. Industrious, faithful
boys do not have to seek employment,
for it seeks them. When young man
arrives at the age of twenty one, if he
possesses regulations for honesty, in
dustry, economy it is worth more to
him than bank deposit of $1,000: and
/ | hope a good many boys may read this
and strive to earn that $1,000 in the
f! way suggested.
! | have just been reading parts of an
interesting address by F. H. Peavey of
Minneapolis, on the subject of ''The
Successful Young Man. Mr. Peavey
says, no matter what might be said to
/ the contrary, true merit in an employee
would be recognized and rewarded by
the average employer, but as matter
OF fact superior men for the manage
ment of large business enterprises were
scarce. There was plethora of medi-
| ocrity only. There were thousands of
men looking for fifty dollar a month
! job, but none of them were capable of
filling a $4,000 a year position. Mr..
Peavey advised the young men to cult
vate the acquaintance and advice of old
men; and. above ALL to be faithful in
the performance of their specific duties
in the banks or offices in which employ
ed Geo. A. Boardman, in the Calais
| Times.