Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-09-25
STORY OF The BOY
WHO LEFT The FARM

A lad of perhaps 10 walked into the
office of prominent banker and brok-
er and asked to see the boss" The
clerk at the desk was evidently sur
prised not only at the way the request
was made, but also in the appearance
of the visitor He was very different
from the type Of callers who came to
that office for an interview with the
man in the inner room, but his earn
estness and honest manner disarmed
the clerk of any suspicious that he
might be beggar or peddler.
what do you want to see Mr.. Smith
about?" inquired the clerk.
ST want to get a job" replied the
boy.
The clerk shook his head in a dis
couraging way, but entered the inner
office.
He soon reappeared and told the lad
to go in.
At large mahogany desk sat mid
dle-aged man who bore all the ear
marks of worldly prosperity. He wav-
ed his hand toward a vacant chair
and told the boy to sit down. "You
want a job, understand" said the
banker, by way Of opening the con
versation.
eyes, sir"
"What can you do, and what have
you done?"
ST have worked on the farm all my
life, SIR" replied the boy ,''but there's
no money in it and want to get into
something that will get me some
where"
The next morning the boy started to
work at his new job in the bank. The
chief had just happened to need a
clerk for minor position and, hav-
ing been brought up on farm him.
self was predisposed toward the lad,
for he was glad to get a man fresh
from the fields. He was a good judge
OF human nature and was willing to
take a chance on the honesty of a
boy who could look him straight in
the face with clear eyes.
Six months passed, during which
time the boy never lost a minute at
his work. He did his duties well and
carefully and he gave satisfaction in
every particular; SO much so, in fact
that his name was mentioned for the
next increase in wages. But In the
last day of his six months experience
the banker found upon his desk let
ter which read as follows:
"Dear Mr.. Smith: am sorry, but
must leave I don't like to leave you
this way, but can't stand it any long
err. I thought wanted to get into the
city when | first came to you, but now
I know better. Thank you for your
kindness. Very truly yours
On the same evening the boy walk
ed UP the old familiar lane to the farm.
LII reality, it was the same lane ana
the same trees and blue sky and fresn
air. but actually they were all new and
He walked to the house
and found his father sitting on the
porch. The parting had not been plea
SAINT. His father had been deeply dis
appointed that his son had forsaken
the farm. It h ad taken from him the
incentive to work as hard as he had
always had for he saw nothing ahead
worth working for
He watched the boy walk slowly up
to the house and thought that he had
come home for a short visit.
s'How are you, son?'' he asked, as
the lad seated himself by his father
and literally drank in the perfume OF
the evening air.
Better than I ever have been in
my life, dad" was the reply. "How's
the calf?" fsfEl = va
"All right, but, the important thing
is. how's the banking business
Dead and buried, Dad replied the
boy enthusiastically when | went
away from here thought / knew what
[ wanted. The automobile parties go
ing by on the road made me wonder
why I didn't have one with plenty
Of time to run it and all the pleasures
and money that those people seem
% have. So decided to get them for
myself. But Dad, l have seen what it
means to get those things and it isn't
49, =. .-~1.~+I,