The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-29
A YOUNG MAN WHO MADE GOOD.

walked into the office OF tho largest
ivory and spice importing house in the
United States. He was looking for n
Clerkship. In due course he was adj
mitted to the presence of the senior
partner. Now the scrior partner had a
curious way of testing a young man
whose general appearance was prumis-
ing. His plan was to offer something
entirely ureXpected-a chance to make
good in a position hat the applicant
rever anticipated. His decision was de-
termined by the manner in which the
applicant Observation-Disclosures or not he
SHOVE altrtness to grasp the oppor-
tunity. In this Instance the senior plrt-
ner offered the young man the position
OF supercargo on a ship loaded with cot
ton goods scheduled to sail for Madagas-
ear within forty-eight hours. The young
man hardly knew where Madagascar
was, ard had almost no idea OF the du-
ties of "A suporcargo.
hut these consid' ~rttiOns he sW,pt
aside, FOR he saw his opportunity. lie
accepted the position. - the Young
man went to MADAGASCAR and sold the
cotton goods To such advantaAp that he
was appointed by cable the firms agent
in Zanzibar. II was "A place of great re-
possibility. ON his Judgment depended
the Organization OF caravans into CEN
trail Africa to search for ivory, the
maintenance OF friendly relations with
Arab chiefs. including the famous Tip
poo lib, and the purchase of the an
nual Zanzibar Glove supply for America.
Zanzibar was then virtually the only
Cove producing spot on the globe.
The young man found the business
OF the firm disorganiZed because capabIa
men could not be induced to stay in the
deadly climate of Zanzibar. BY careful
living he preserved his health, and,
thanks to his hard work, he was even
tually Gratified to see the name of his
hrm again rank high in that part OF the
world. But as years went by the
natural longing to be called home grew
within him. His success, however, was
the very thing that seemed to defeat
mat object. His firm. expressing their
complete confidence in him, said not a
word about his return on leave or per-
manently. And he, approaching that
confidence at its full worth, never limited
AT either.
AT last came his opportunity. con-
tinues the Youths Companion. and his
reward. For three days Zanzibar wa,
swept by a terrible hurricane. Much IF
the city was destroyed, wreckage was
piled up on the harbor beach, and nea rlv
every tree on the island was torn IN by
the roots. The last fact was the all
important one when the American agent
cra"Ied out from his shelter. The Glove
groves had been obliterated, and for
three years there would not be another
full Glove crop in the world market.
clearly his duty was to get the news TO
ms hrm. Bat the cable bet Zanzi-
bar and Alden had been severed by the
storm II he waited for the mail
steamer the rows would become public
ana or little advantage to the firm.
Amid a still bowling gale he crept down
TO the harbor front. There he saw maj
a single tramp steamer had kept afioat,
me idea flashed into his mind to char
Ter her To carry his message to Alden.
where telegraph connection could be
made with New York. BY his handkrr-
'hlef tied to "A stick he attracted the
steamers notice, Then by the marine
signal code he contracted with the cam
tam to run for Alden with a message TO
his firm Of just two words: "Buy
cloves" II was one Of the costlicst
messages ever despatched. for 1t was tho
only cargo OF n steamer chartered TO
make fun speed over a course OF 1000
miles.
Some days later the firm In New York
received tie message. To them It's ex-
IRENE breVity was sufficient in the tight
OF the confidence they had coma 10
place In their Zanzibar agent. They did
not pause to question. but bought cloves
In New York. London and Paris-all the
cloves on the market. They had hardly
completed the operation when news came
or the terrible hurricane and the destruc-
ton OF the Zanzibar Glove groves. At
once the price Of cloves went up and
up. Then the New York firm put as
brief a message on the cable TO their
Zanzibar agent: Come home" You
can imagine with what joy he received IL.
lie was no longer a young man when
Ne reentered the Office to grasp the
senior partners hand and to accept TIRE
position OF general manager OF their
whole Oriental trade. To-day he ia N