Year: 1871

Lads, let me tell you a story
iOnce upon time youth left his


home, at sixteen years of age, to learn


a trade-a dirty, disagreeable trade,


but one that his parents thought q
good one in a pecuniary point OF
view. He went into a strange neigh


borhOod, where his name was not
known. Around his old. home he
was somebody's son,in his new home
he was somebody's apprentice.
Around his old home the doors of
responsibility were opon to some
body's son; in his new home the
doors of respectability were closed
tightly against somebody's appren-
tice. This was a new order of things,
and surprised him very much at first,
yet when he reflected coolly he did
not so much blame respectability for
its selfpreservation. There are
doors that open easily to every com
er. These he Stunned. There are
apprentices in every village that will
bear shuning-he did it.


The important question was, "What
should he do?" After discussing this
amid the din and dirt, he said to him
/ self, "Wel, if 1 can't go where 1
ought, I will not go at all? Easy to
say. hard to do. Because he was lust
like you, he liked fun as well as you
do, and spice Of mischief, to. He
must do something. In self-defence
he began to read.


The old system of apprenticeship
IN the country used to require the
boys and jouneymen to work until
8 o'clock in the evening in winter
time, and after this was done 1t was
common to loaf about the corners,
stores and taverns until 9, 10, IL
o'clock. Tom-the boy-went to
bed.


In the morning it was difficult to
get the boys and journeymen up to
breakfast at 6 IL or Z. Tom got up
at 4 O'Clock, sometimes at 8, some
times as early as 2, in mistake-for
his rule was to get up when he got
awake, and from that time until the
others got up he read and studied.
His morning candle came, in time,
to be signal for the villagers who
had occasion to start somewhere
early. He borrowed money to buy
books with, borrowed others, took q
leading newspaper, and in the quiet
morning hours took in food for the
days reflection.


Ihis course bore its legitimate
fruit; he went to his level, or rather
put himself there, and now lives in
the neighborhood of the old shoos
as much respected as any one. /
believe he has write two or three
books, and in every respect would be
considered fairly up to the 'medioc-
rity."


L leave you to imagine all the hard
ships, if you can, Of the situation,
and ask you what you would do
from four to six O'Clock in the
morning2


Those two hours rightly used will
be worth more to you than you can
possibly conceive. When you awake
get up instantly. You may bring
excuses for the other twenty-four
hours, but those two waste If you
sleep them. midnight oir' is a
humbug. You go to bed in the eve
ming when you are tired and Get your
mind to work in the morning when
your are rested. Guard your char
acter in the beginning, and IN the
end it will guard you.


To tell you the fate of the other
who loafed the evening
and slept the morning away, is not
my intention. Try Toms course
for one year, and you will find your
pay a genuine happiness Your
usefulness will increase, your self
respect will strengthen, your mind
will develop in harmony with your
bodily growth, and your whole be
ing will march along the upward
path rejoicing.-Ne1g York Tribune.