The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1902-06-13
THE TURNING OF THE LANE
i'OOert Gray, in Success.

eOouy' These were the
iaSt words the fearful mother sDo,o
y "er son. who was starting out to
race the world. Mrs. Graves hod
reluctant about letting Walter
leave home; but she knew that 81,
e'i' anu was ambitious, and that he
mad made up his mind to On
a Train carried him to a great civ
- was after nightfall when he arrival
III awe he looked at the tall bu;,d;nz
ana the busy. crowded streets He
seemed not to know where IN on A
poiiceman surmised that he was a
Stranger and directed him to a cbean
iousihs mouse. Walter entered. and
was gwen cot in long room where
several men were sleeping. He said
MS prayers and slid into bed How bis
neart ached for home. and how he
longed to see his mother to know that
he was near her,
courage returned, and he said that
ne would not despair. The morrow
would soon come, and he would yo
rorth with a glad heart and find work
l Will never go home" he said 70
himself with determination. until 7
am somebody"
The morning dawned and Walter
i NRnww
uraVes went forth in search of work
hundreds, aye, thousands of bows had
done the same thing before in that big
CITY, and they, too, had failed. The
youth called at a dozen stores and
was answered by gruff men in tones
that approached insolence But he was
Always polite. When a man said No"
ne thanekd him and walked out. Dur.
ing the day he inquired for work at
over thirty stores and was refused.
Inc following day brought no better
success. The first week left him men.
niless and friendless-a waif in a me.
tropolis. He sold his spare clothes
70 pay for food and lodging. He
bought papers to peddle in the streets
he knew that money has a value and
tried to save as much as possible. But
the profits on the papers were small
and the newsboys seemed to con.
stitute the greater part of the city's
population.
He Was Wanderer in the Crea. wes,
He left the city and emigrated to
the West. 1t was no easy task. for he |
had to tramp for many weary days
over stony and dusty roads, over long |
miles of railroad ties. and through
villages where he asked for work.
only to be refused.
is there no luck in this great land? ?"
he asked. "Is there not such a thing
as chance or opportunity? Can't a
man get work when he wants to-" He
found that he could not, except occa.
sional short jobs, and these were not
numerous.
Three years after he had left home.
though, in the eyes of the world he
was nothing more than a common
tramp, he still had faith in himself.
One day he picked up an old paper
and read in it these words: "If you
can't find way, make one" Through
the succeeding years, this and his
mothers never forgotten words. "Try
to come home SOMEBODY" were always
in his mind. One was his motto. the
other told his destiny.
The speeding months brought no
variation to his seemingly hopeless
life. Odd bits of work, here and there.
were all he could get At length he
lwoke to find himself on the threshold
Of early manhood. But it was a dark /
outlook for Walter Graves. h
He "Made" an Opportunity. ID
He strolled down the tracks into a t
title village. He did not know its c
lame or on what part of the map it
claimed recognition. 1t was Headstone, /
Nebraska. a new town just beginning Il
o be populated. Graves. penniless, Il
hungry and more detected than he had {,
ver been in all his previous life, a
walked along to the railway station, L
n the hope of finding some one from
vhom he could-alas!-beg money or pj
ood. "
The whole town was in consterna. W
ion. Men. he noticed, were standing Il
round in groups. talking excitedly. kl
'thers were rushing hither and yon. TO
raves learned that strike was in OF
rogress. The men who had con- to
acted to erect a schoolhouse and
otel had had differences with the di
len they employed to carry the lum' SIX
or from the cars to the site. TO
eff you can't find an opportunity. on
axe it," Walter Graves accosted tn
le of the contractors. nil