Gilpin observer., 1912-02-15

stead's boy was in school with their
children. They didn't want him there.
The school board waited on the
teacher and politely informed him
that the boy must go. The teacher
protested, declaring that this boy
was the best behaved pupil he had in
the school, and one OF the brightest.
Eut no amount Of reasoning would
change the decision OF the commun-
ity. ~and',.the school board. He was
drunken Johnny Hemstead's boy and
must go. The teacher offered tc help
him with his studies, but he felt SO
keenly the way he had been treated
that for some weeks he buried him.
self in the little hut on the outskirts
Of the village. where he lived all
alone. Nobody knew or cared how
he lived.
One afternoon the teacher walked
over to the little hut and raped on
the door. At first nobody answered.
But he kept rapping until the boy
was actually forced to open the door.
The teacher said, 81 knew you were
here and l wanted to see you, come
out for q walk with me-" The boy
got his hat and together the two
walked through the fields until they
reached the creek. The teacher had
talked to him Of the things they saw
by the way, but now turned to him
and said, Bradley, what do you
propose doing?" The boy answered,
Nothing" But you've got to do
something" said the man. "How can
you live?" 81 can hunt and fish"
That's a pretty poor living" 81
don't care" said the boy. Come,
come" said the man, Don't say
that; you are young and life is be-
fore you and you can be somebody"
Not around here" said the boy.
Yes you can around here" "Td
like to know how? Everybody and
everything is against me-" ~ never
expected to hear you whine like that.
Are you going to drift with the cur
rent?" I'd like to know what I can
do" said the boy. do anything and
everything. You have life and health
and brains. Go to work manfully and
fight your way up. Don't be carried
down the stream like a log. Look
here, and he threw a stick into the
stream. Is that stick going down
stream or up?" "Why, down stream -
why? Because it cannot stem the
current"
Now, Bradley" said the teacher,
Don't be like that stick. Don't drift
downstream. Be man. Fight against
the tide. Breast the current and don't
let the senseless persecution of the
neighbors and public opinion carry
you down to ruin. Strike out against
the stream and show them what you
can do" The teacher pressed the
boys hand warmly and turned and
left him. The next day the bov ap-
piled to the section foreman Of the
railroad for a job and secured it.
His battle was begun. He was
sturdy, rugged boy and did mans
work. If he was drunken Johnny
Hemstead's boy, those railroad boys
were not strong enough to get him
to drink whiskey. Through his long
struggle he had in his teacher a
staunch friend. He studied nights,
labored days, was upright and hon
est. The story have been telling
you leaves the boy in an important
position. as one of the managers OF
the railroad.
Now dear friends, the lesson that
l would burn into your very soul is
that you can go to some discouraged
boy CT girl who feels that nobody
cares for them, and with kind word
and the help that you are able to
give. start them in the battle up
ward. At the same time you may Sc
cure fer yourself the richest gem
that vas ever won by angels or men.
You Eiay save an immortal soul from
life of shiftlessness and sin to
life of usefulness.
have told this story to you who
are OF mature years, that might
turn and lcok these boys in the face
and say. you can succeed in this
life. Life is before you. You are
young and strong. You have every
thing to live for. and no matter
what comes. No matter what the
world says. No matter what the life
you. / look tonight into the faces OF
young men and maidens who can
succeed in all that is highest and
best in this world. But In order to
do 1t you must stand against the
tide of sin. You must battle upward.
You dare not drift with the current.