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MASTER OF HIMSELF

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 30, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 47.

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MASTER OF HIMSELF.

A MERCHANT needed a boy and put the following sign in his window: “Boy Wanted—Wages, $4.00 a week; $6.00 to the right one. The boy must be master of himself.”
Many parents who had sons were interested, but the latter part of the notice puzzled them. They had never thought of teaching their boys to be masters of themselves. However, many sent their sons to the merchant to apply for the situation. As each boy applied, the merchant asked him, “Can you read?”
“Yes, sir,” was the frank reply.
“Can you read this?” asked the merchant, pointing to a certain passage in the paper.
“Yes, sir.”
The merchant then took the boy into the back room, where all was quiet and shut the door. Giving the boy the paper, he reminded him of his promise to read the passage through steadily without a break, and commanded him to read. The boy took the paper and bravely started. While he was reading the merchant opened a basket, in which were a number of little puppies, and tumbled them around the boy’s feet. The temptation to turn and see the puppies and note what they were doing was too strong, the boy looked away from his reading, blundered, and was at once dismissed.
Boy after boy underwent the same treatment, till seventy-six were thus tried and proved failures to master themselves. At last one was found, who, in spite of the puppies playing around his feet read the passage through. When he had finished the merchant was delighted, and asked him, “Did you see the puppies that were playing around your feet while you were reading?”
“No, sir.”
“Did you know that they were there?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Why did you not look to see what they were doing?”
“I couldn’t, sir, while I was reading what I said I would.”
“Do you always do what you say you will?”
“Yes, sir; I try to.”
“You are the boy I want,” said the merchant, enthusiastically.
“Come to-morrow. Your wages will start at six dollars, with good prospects of increase.”—Our Boys.