The Washington herald., 1913-12-06
A BOYS TEMPTATION.
ny FRANCES sHAFFER.


The Survey tells the story of a sew
enteen-year-old boy from Cleveland.
Ohio. arrested in New York as he was
about to board the Mauretania for Eng
land.
And quite likely the thoughts sug-
gested by that chapter in his life vary
according to the viewpoint of the read
ers; but il is a story that invites i'm
pressions, of one sort or another.
Back in his home city he was stock
boy I'm a department store, earning 81
week, part of which was regularly
turned over to the family support Two
years earlier he had been keenly dissp-
pointed because he must drop out OF
high school at the close of his second
year; but the home needed his little con-
tribution, and there was no appeal.
He went at his duties faithfully and
SO satisfactorily to his employers that
he was scheduled for early advance
ment. For two years he was prompt
and trustworthy; then came a tempta-
tion that somehow was stronger than he
On hapless day he waS entrusted
with a wallet of money containing 81. 400
for delivery to the cashier. AS he
looked at the bills and remembered the
school, a host of thoughts went surging
through his head, and without waiting
for wiser counsel. or even for another
long thought. he tucked the money In his
clothing and silently stole away to New
York
OF course the inevitable happened. He
was caught on his way to the steamer,
made a straightforward confession to
the chief OF police. and was sent back
to his home in Cleveland. He told that
he had been crazy to go to Oxford Uni
versity," and when he saw all that
money in his hands il kept singing
aloud that here was his chance. and he
just hadn't the strength to resist IL.
Before he reached Cleveland, a news
paper reporter went to his home to
learn something OF the boy and some
thing more of his background. And
there, in a conspicuous place on the
rested the very copy of Tom Brown
at Oxford that had lured and lured so
insistently that he stole the money and
skipped away. But that was not ALL
For there were volumes OF poetry and
other high-grade books with not a lurid
story among them.
The mother told of her disappointment
when il was determined that the family
needed his earnings and that work must
sat porting over his books. night after
night, when work was over: how he
spent every cent he could save from his
earnings TO secure them and still
craved for more.
As the Survey tells IL. there is another
chapter In the boys story. for the vice
president of the firm where he worked
is quoted as saying that II all that is
true. II the boy really Is in earnest i'm
his desire for higher education, and has
the mental qualifications, he will see
that he gets il.
And reading along. ones thoughts
drift to all that has been said regarding
the low wage for woman and the way IL
affects her morals. For. whatever else
one may read in the boys story. the one
fact stands out clear and strong. that
there are folk in the world. men and
women. boys and girls, who lack the
strength forever 10 go on sitting their
longings for things that they believe
are available If they step aside. It is
not because their hearts are so bad. but
rather that their powers OF resistance
are not very strong. and when the tug
comes, they are left defenseless
One boy will not turn away the temp
tation to make 81. 100 his own when he
sees il in a clear path to the haven of
his dreams; and one woman will not
take her poor little earnings and fare
forth with a brave heart for whatever
may come, hardships, poverty. and all.
and always her faith in herself Rath-
er, like the boy. when a new and a very
sorry way is opened TO the fuIfilment of
some OF her wants wishes, yes. and her
real necessities. she will drop by the
wayside, left defenseless by her low
wage and her lack of strength for the
struggle.