Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-08-15
ALL DUE TO ALGEBRA.
A STORY SHOWING HOW THOSE
WHO WILL CAN SUCCEED.
Real Life History of a Young Man
Who Was Bootblack Few Years
Ago and is Now Receiving a >Sal-

Ago and is Now Receiving a >Sal-
airy of 5000 a Year.
How often we hear men who really
enjoyed good opportunities complain
that they never had any chance.
And what rebuke to them it is
when some poor boy starting with
nothing works his way up by his own
effort. A college education is good
thing to have, but it is by no means
essential and where a boy has any
real desire to know something he
will find no difficulty in educating
himself, in this country The case
told of in the following extract from
the Washington Post well illustrates
this truth.
There is young man now receiv-
ing a salary of $4,000 a year who a
few years ago was a bootblack in
New Haven. His rise is due to his
own desire for knowledge and to the
interest taken in him by a member
of the Yale faculty. The opening
scene occurred while waiting for a
train, observed a bright-looking TIA
liam boy with shine box slung
across his arm seated on the station
steps, earnestly porting over a book.
He approached the youngster and
asked him if he would like to shine
his boots. The bootblack went to
work vigorously, placing the book on
the ground close by, where he gave
it an occasional sharp look while
shining with the vigorous and skilled
hands. The professor noted his
alertness, and asked what book it
was that proved so interesting, ex-
pecting to hear that it was a thrill
ing tale OF "Old Sleuth," or some
thing of the sort. He was surprised
when the sinner replied with uncon-
Germ that it was an algebra.
so you are studying algebra, are
you?" said the professor.
Yes, sir, and I'm stuck Do you
know anything about algebra?" re-
sponded the youth, both sentences in
the same breath.
Now this professor was one of the
notable mathematicians of Yale, and
it sounded queer in his ears to be
asked If he knew anything about al
zebra.
well, / know little about It.
What's the matter? Perhaps I car
help you"
pv +bio tiroa +bo ebooe ,,,oro chin
ed and the boy placed his book in
the hands of the man to whom intri-
cate mathematical calculations were
not difficult at all. 1t was but the
work of a moment to clear the mind
of the aspiring young calculator and
he fairly danced with delight.
why, I've been working at that
for two days." declared the young
man. 81 thank you very much, sir"
Nov, I'll tell you what to do"
said the gentleman, offering the boy
his card. when you get stuck
again, you write to that address and
I'll see that you get Strengthened out.
Remember, now" And the professor
rushed off to catch his train.
Not more than tire days elapsed
before the mail brought letter stat
ing that the bright-eyed bootblack
had again got stuck" with his matn-
ematics. And the return mail
brought the much-needed help A few
more days and another application
come. This kept up for a time, and
then the professor began to advise
the young man how to improve his
condition.
Leave the bootblacking and get
job in blacksmith shop or some
place where you can learn the use
of TOOLS" was the instruction. The
boy went over to East Berlin and Sc
cured a place in a big shop there.
The correspondence and the instruc-
ton continued. A letter brought the
injunction: Save your money"
The reply came back: ST am saving
every cent can"
This went on for three years, and
that blacksmith's apprentice had
come to know a good deal about fig
ures. He was a skillful manipulation
of all the tools of his trade, and then
came a proposition that gave the
young blacksmith the happiest mo-
ment of his life.
The professor invited him to come
to New Haven to become his special
pupil, without expense except for his
board. The young man felt no hest
fancy in accepting it, and the way
that he went to work, now that he
was relieved of the nine hours in the
shop each day, gave the best evi-
dence of how well he appreciated
what the professor was doing for
him He was not a student of the
university, but the influence of the
professor obtained some privileges
for him that were valuable. He be-
came not only skillful mathemati-
clan, but a remarkably skillful mani
pulator of apparatus.
At the end of two years there was
an opening for the young blacksmith
mathematician. The General Elec-
trio Co. wanted young man of just
his talents and training, and when
the professor recommended him
favorable offer secured his services.
The young man went to work just
as he went at the algebra five years
before, with vigorous determination
to master all the difficulties in his
path, and he did so. In two years
he was receiving a salary of $4,000
a year.
1t would be a delightfully."- imagi-
native ending of this story to say that
the professor had fallen sick, and is
in need and that the young man is
supporting him. But that isn't the
case at all. The professor is quite
we'll and is attending strictly to bust
ness at the old stand.
COMING TOWER CHANGES.