The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-02-14
Earnest Endeavor.

Somewhere about seventy years ago
fine looking, portly man stood OH the
Battery, New York, overlooking the
water, shading his eyes with his hand
and gazing seaward
! Well-to-do, oh, yes; from tire crown
! of his glossy hat to the toes of his we'll
polished boots. Everything 3etokened
an abundance of this worlds goods, and
/ his face correspondent with The en'Ire
| appearance of the man. Bright hazel
! eyes set off a god countenanc4; one
would know by glance one would
/ have his sympathy, and thai one could
! trust him.
] A small boy, evidently not of the
great city, wandering hIougn the Bat
terry, stole up to the sile II he portly
/ gentleman as softly as one OF the fall
J ing leaves which floated dow. from he
trees above him. Side by side they
| stood. the wee country lad with dusty
shoes. and the POLISHED man of the
world.
Feeling rather than seeing the mite
beside him, Mr.. Barbou: looked down
on the boy, encountering the gaze of
pair of earnest blue eyes. Mr.. Barbour,
perceiving that the boy was not one OF
the city waits, and noting an inquiring
look in mis- face, said to him:
My boy, what can L do for you to-
day."
"oh, sir. don't you want d boy in
your store?"
why do you. ask You are too
small
"Oh, please, sir, want place, and
hoped you wanted a boy"
Mr.. Barbour's eyes twinkled, and he
replied:
L should think you ought 10 be in
school, and not in a store"
But, sir, 1 must work.
Don't you ike 20 - t. SCHOOL,
Yes, sir, but: and the boys lip
quivered.
You don't live in Naw York, 90
your" asked MIR. Barbour.
NO, sir only came this morning. A
man that lives in town owns a sloop
and comes down to New York with
potatoes and such, and when l told
him | wanted to come and get a place
he told me 1 could come with him; he
would give me a lift so far; so mere |
am, and don't you want boy:"
II do not think l want one just now.
and it's such a shame for you TO oe out
of school" and Mr.. Barbour looked
with pity on the sturdy little fellow
before him.
'|WeIl. sir, but you see we can't help
it. mother and me, for" here his eyes
filed with tears and his voice choked
with sobs.
"Tu tell you, sir. You see, father
died only a little while ago, and he had
been sick so long that mother had no
money left after he was buried, and she
sold her little house and paid her debts,
and then there was only enough to pay
her board this winter; and as L am all
she has got. must work and take care
of mother. and so l came down mere
for a place."
can YOU do?" asked Mr.. Barbour, look
ing down with admiration OH lle Ali'e
aOh. / don't know what you want
hovs TO do in your stores down mere,
bIlf can sweep and dust; at any rate,
I'll do Just what you tell me.
well my boy, you are brave lad,
and | will inquire among my frlends
and see if can find berth for you.
but it's a pity to put such small TEL
low like you in store
''Ob' sir. if you could only get me a
niare for I'm all the man there Is TO
take care of mother!
.s9aye you any friends in the olty?.
Where will you stay tonigh.? asked
Mr.. Barbour. -
swered the boy. -,anoi,
fr ON his pocket, and having written
thereon. he directed the BOY whose
800 he found to be Ben Weston, so
,.o. no,,Id find the address written on
the card. az. - ,,,,,, como to
connting room tomorrow Pl1rnlns
~ No. 10 Bowling Green, l VIII see
what can be done for you ! guess nay
Sims ms have not crossed the ba', and
- ,,o4 wa tch longer.
Mr.. Bar tSe next 3t morning saw very
s s15au how perched on a high stool De-