Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-01-06
THE OLD SOLDIERS SHOP.
A True and Pathetic Story of the East
Side of New York
City.

A little East side stationery and news
paper shop in New York city is the pull
pit from which four young men have
been preaching an excellent sermon.
The proprietor of the shop is vet
eran of the civil war. The four Young
men were regular customers, and so
had become his friends. One of them
was an electrician, one worked in a
hotel, another was a draughtsman and
the fourth day clerk.
One day last summer the electrician
found the little shop closed when he
called for his morning paper. 1t was
closed when the draughtsman and his
brother, the law clerk, called, a little
later. Inquiry of the family who lived
overhead brought out the fact that the
old man had not been feeling well the
day before, and had complained of pain
in his chest.
That night the four young men made
further inquiries. They found that the
old soldier was down with typhoid pneu-
monia, and had been taken to st. Luke's
hospital. They knew he was poor and
wholly dependent on his little business.
If the shop remained closed, not only
would he have no income while he was
away, but his regular customers would
go elsewhere, and their trade might
never be regained.
So the young men determined to
carry on the business themselves. They
were all poor and had plenty to do, but
they arranged their own work as con-
veniently as they could, and divided the
day into periods. Then each gave part
of his time, and so the shop was kept
open all the day.
The task was not accomplished with
out self-sacrifice. 1t meant longer hours
and harder work for all of the four. and
for two of them the giving up of vaca-
tion for which much had been planned
and from which much was anticipated.
Nevertheless, each Of them did his part
without complaining.
1t is one of the beautiful things in life
that deed of this kind seldom passes
unnoticed. The young men said moth
ing about it, but the story of what they
were doing got noised about. Every
body In the neighborhood became inter-
ested, and everybody wanted to help.
People who had never traded at the lit
tie shop before brought their custom
there now to encourage the young men,
and some of them were always in too
much OF hurry for downtown car to
bother with change for a nickel; so the
receipts, instead of falling off, increased.
The old soldier had long siege of It.
but at last he was strong enough to leave
the hospital. He had heard nothing of
his little shop since he was taken i'll,
and 1t was with heavy heart that he half
unconsciously turned his steps toward
the place. He expected to find it shut I'D
and deserted, with all his small custom
gone. What was his amazement on
reaching the shop to see 1t open and ap-
parently prospering In business way.
Some one had stolen his shop and
his business. Too astonished and
discouraged to be indignant, he
slowly entered the place and was greeted
by the smiling young proprietor. 1t was
the electrician, one of his former Gus
toners. He jovially greeted him as
Boss" and said he was glad he had re-
turned to take over the business. Ex-
plantations followed and 1t was a happy.
contented, old soldier who took his old
place behind the counter and attended
TO the increased trade which the young
men had worked up.