Help Yourself.


A MERCHANT in the city of B died suddenly

some years ago, leaving an only son, a

youth of nineteen. The father had been very

wealthy, and had lavished on his boy every

indulgence money could procure. The son's

life had been passed chiefly in school and 

college, where he had learned little of labor or

economy; and it was not until the news of

his father's death reached him that the young

man learned that not a dollar remained of the

fortune he expected to inherit. Leaving college,

the student returned home, to learn for

the first time the value of money by earning

it for himself. Without wasting time in useless

regrets, he applied to various business 

associates of his father for employment, but

 received from all very decided, though kind,

 refusals, on the ground that he knew nothing

of business. Nothing daunted by these repeated

failures, the youth applied to the proprietor

of an extensive brick-making establishment,

a benevolent-looking old gentleman,

and asked for employment.

"Employment! What sort?" inquired the

old gentleman, looking with unfeigned surprise

at the slight, boyish figure, and small,

white hands of the youth who stood before

him.

"Of any sort," was the unhesitating reply.

"I can do anything that others can do."

"But," said Mr. C, "I have no use

for employees, but for hard, manual labor, for

which, you are wholly unfitted. Digging clay

is the only work we have at this season of

the year."

"Give me leave to dig clay with the rest;

why cannot I do what others do? Anything

is better than begging or starving."

Seeing the persistency of the boy, Mr.

C somewhat hesitatingly engaged him,

and sent him off to dig clay with the other

workmen. Fervently thanking his employer,

the youth hastened to the yard, and set at once

about his work. At sunset, he had earned just

seventy-five cents; the next day his earnings

were slightly increased; and so a week

wore on, the young man being usually the first

one on the ground in the morning, though he

had to walk four miles to the brickyard.

Mr. C now became interested in behalf

of one who had proved himself so worthy of

the aid of others by his untiring efforts to

help himself. A clerkship with a good salary

was obtained, and this was but the 

steppingstone to higher and more responsible 

posts, in all of which he showed the same 

energy, perseverance, and true-heartedness. 

Today he is the honored president of a 

prosperous bank, and the ever-ready and 

efficient helper of the needy and unfortunate all 

the result of that brave boy's determination to 

work rather than beg, to labor for an honest 

living,rather than talk of his misfortunes, or

enlist the sympathy of others. 



Christian Weekly.