The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-02

IA AAo AhO OOAo LIZ Nl1o+s IL
he had a son, or a nephew, or a cous-
in, who should conceive a notion that
ne would enter the service of the gov
eminent or of a large railroad COM
things to him. We were at his sub
urban home, and in his handsomely
furnished working m- "den," If
you please, and the surroundings gave
uttered. He did not choose the life
of a railroad clerk. But I had done
so; and, after talking with him, L
deliberately re-entered a railroad Of
fee-an excellent example of a settled
corporation clerk; for | had become so
accustomed to the routine of life that /
could o keep out of it. What else
could / do; what else was l fit for?
The life of a railroad clerk may
have a tendency to rob a man of self
reliance, of resourcefulness, OF indie
pendence, and of many other personal
advantages that a commercial man is
tAhCAs " uCFCNOP5 Dut IucIc are LOlu-
~pensations. If an official is acciden-
tally thrown with you on the street,
or in a street car, he may tell you, if
there is no person of consequence near
TO talk 10, that some day you may be
president Of the company. To how
many railroad clerks, Woodworking and
faithful is the dream of becoming
president an airy delusion. Yet the
t,uansJn 49, ~ou;n1, I'LL -
rare instance, and proclaim it an easy
possibility; and the fireside journals
will emblazon the shining example of
what a clerk might become if he is
good, and works very hard.
But that is not all. On hoIidays.aif
his work permits it, he may travel
on passes and see something of the
world. And, in all candor, that is a
great compensation. l always take
a trip on a holiday; and find that there
is little difficulty in obtaining leave
of absence for another day Or two TO
lengthen the time, if l want it very
much.
We are just pack from a Thanksgiv-
ing trip to st. Augustine, Florida. My
wife and | settled upon st. Augustine.
We had seen progressive cities, mod
1ern cities, north and south. with all
their points of interest-their fine
buildings, crowded streets, museums,
art galleries, etc.-until we were
satiated. We wanted a change, and,
still, to see something worth while.
We would have liked something for
seign; but we could not go to Europe
or the West Indies and return in two
days; nor could we have made a dash
into Mexico in 81 limited a time.
Some one suggested St. Augustine:
and we looked up a picture of the old
city gate, and read the description Of
the city given below it; and thereupon
we were consumed with a desire to see
st. Augustine. A city built by the
Spaniards; a foreign city on American
soil, which has only within a genera
ton really become Americanized.
For ten days we talked about the
"trip at table. Our little boy caught
the c%ontagion, and piled ceaseless
questions about the old town; and the
baby girl made ludicrous efforts to
pronounce the name.
On the afternoon before Thanksgiv-
ing we started. We have always had
a luck of having fine weather in trav-
cling; and the prospect was most aus
picious. The air was balmy-sugges-
tive of Florida; and the sun sank be-
low the pines in a gorgeous blaze,
which brought out delicate tints of
green and pink throughout the sur
rounding sky. 1t was a beautiful pic
ture; and we admired it through the
car windows, until we encountered
that effective check to all omance of
travelling with children-the unceasing
call for something to eat" and water.
Night soon settled upon us, and the
train clattered along merrily; and
little Doris fretted for home. But the
Pullman porter, with his impressive
dignity, performed his weighty office;
and the children were disposed of 20
keep their nightly vigil in the land of
giants and fairies and castles and
riches. So that we could think some
more of st. Augustine, and look about
us at our fellow travellers.
There were many of them. A sad
faced little boy came into the car at a
South Carolina station. He dropped
into an empty seat, and at once hud-
died up as if stupefied with drowsi-
ness. There was a smooth-Shaven.
fair, delicate looking man along with
him. He sat opposite the boy, and
leaned forward at times to place his
ear close to the lads face, and to feel
his pulse. The mans face was not at
all anxious. There was something
about the two that awoke my curiosi-
ty. learned that the boy was suffer
ing with appendicitis; and the man
was a doctor, who was taking him &c
Charleston to be operated upon the
next morning. He said to me, That
boys father would not take the world
for him. l am going to save his life
in the morning. | have operated on
seventeen cases of appendicitis this
year, and have not lost one patient
He was so cool and confident in his
speech that [ believed at once that his
operation would be successful; and ]
now feel sure it was; but l have not
since heard anything about the case.
The little boy was on the verge Of