The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-19
STORY OF A BOYS
COURAGE ANDPLUCK
Tell It to Your Little Lad Who
Hates to Go to School.
By FRANCES sHAFFER.


/ Some morning when it happens that
there are tears and bitter little protests
because II is Monday again and a GER
tain small boy or girl wants to stay
home very much indeed, suppose you
tell the story of an ambitious youth in
New Jersey, who has energy and school
zeal to spare.
Ralph Whitfield ChandIess lives in
little place they call Hasbrouck Heights.
He is about Is years old now, and every
morning he is up at the sleepy hour or
half-past three. After a bite OF some
thing to eat he walks four miles and a
half TO meet the paper train at neigh
boring station, and at five o'clock he and
a big bundle of papers-250 he gets-are
whizzing back on the first trolley for
home. Half of the papers he leaves at
residences, and when he is all through
with the distribution, he takes the bal
ance down to little shack at the sta
ton, where he sells to the steady rush
of commuters, for most of the men OF
Hasbrouck Heights, and many OF the
women, every morning leave the village
to its peaceful self, returning at night
when the business OF the day is all
over. 1t is still seven in the morning.
and he stays there handing out papers
and pun away at $50
Then, the work OF the man being over.
he locks UP his shack and hurries on
to school. where he is a boy for the rest
OF the day.
When He studies.
And when does he find time TO study?
Well. that comes ''betwixt-and-be-
tween?" Some one who thinks his efforts
are worth repeating tells that some time
ago he noticed this boy in his little
board shack busily selling papers and
making change with one hand, while in
the other there was a book, always
book In the course Of time he became /
curious to learn what kind of story It
was that so enthralled the young mer- |
chants mind, and he slipped up to him |
for a peep under the covers.
But it was not a story at ALL Just |
school geometry, and the stranger could |
easily guess the rest. But he did not |
worth while TO make the acquaintance Of
this sturdy student and learn his way
of doing things.
Ralph was just six years old-in some
homes that is not so far from babyhood
when the started out to be a man.
He earned his own clothes then, and has
quite impossible. for six is such a ten
der. irresponsible age; but then one
thinks of certain little tads on the streets
with their papers under their arms. look
ing as IL they had just slipped out OF
the nursery. and she knows the man
comes to the surface pretty early-when
ii must.
Ralph's mother is a widow, and each
week he drops $3.50 into her hand to help
the home wheels go round He pays his
bills by checks, II you please, has a tidy
little account in a savings bank, and,
in spite of his strenuous life. is vigorous,
brimful of health, courage and promise.
School Work Which Counts.
But it is his school work that counts
the most for the years to come, and
there he heads his class. 1t is not all
clear. easy sailing, though, for last year.
in the early winter the long walk in
the singing air was too much for his
fingers and toes, and frot-bites made the
going none too pleasant.
His Is not the greatest story that ever
was told. and probably there are boys
here and elsewhere just as brave and
Recommendations that work as hard and
make as goodly a showing as does this
lad, with his studies, his
newspapers, and his pretty pluck. For
there are bonny, sturdy boys wherever
we look
But he is the type OF boy who just
cannot help growing into the man worth
while, for he is winning every step OF
his way because 1t seems to him such a
" Onderful thing to win. In the same
town and the same State and in other
towns and other States, there are count
less boys, exactly his age. into whose
laps all the gifts of fortune are freely
poured
They have everything done for them
that education can do. and they will go
on and on until at last they graduate
from the highest seats of learning. The
doors of business will open easily to
them, the paths to the professions will
be made quite clear. because there is
ready hand and an open purse back Of
them eager to help and to push along.
But after that? Well, after that all
largely depends upon the stuff of which
hey are made, for though money and
influence can carry a man along. they
'annot make him shine overmuch on the
way, unless II is in him to shine
And as for me, ] would pin my faith
% the boy who half his time is Just a
BOY, the other half a man.
For when he really reaches, mans
estate, he Is certain TO be very much a
nan.