Southern Christian Advocate

CHARLEY MASON'S WATCH-WORD.
BY COUSIN NICELY.

One frosty morning in autumn, as Mr. Jones, the carpenter, was going with his men to work in the town of Ashby, he met just at the entrance of the town, a pale-faced, thinly clothed boy, who, after looking at him earnestly for a moment, asked:

"Are you a carpenter, and do you wish an apprentice?"

"Well, I don't know; what's your name, my lad," said the carpenter, with a kind smile.

"Charley Mason," was the answer.

"And where is your home, Master Charley," continued Mr. Jones.

Big tears came into the boy's bright, black eyes, and his voice trembled as he said:

"I have no home; my father and mother both died before I can remember."

Mr. Jones thought of his own dear boys, and he placed his hand kindly on Charley's head, saying, "Poor boy, where have you lived?"

"With my uncle, but I left his house last night, determined to starve before I would be longer dependent on a man who grudges his dead brother's child the bread he ate," and Charley's eyes burned with a strange light.

The good carpenter wiped away the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, and asked:

"Do you think you can learn to be a carpenter?"

"I think I can try," said Charley, proudly drawing himself up.

"Ah! I like that; and if that is to be your watchword, I think you and I can get on nicely; but I suppose you've had no breakfast," continued Mr. Jones, "so we must send Tom back to show you the house, where you will stay till we come home to dinner, and then we'll talk a little about your being a carpenter."

Tom, a little colored boy, who did errands for Mr. Jones, readily went back with Charley, taking himself the little bundle tied up in an old blue handkerchief, which contained all Charley's earthly possessions. Mrs. Jones proved as kind as her husband, and the poor, tired, hungry boy was soon enjoying a bountiful breakfast.

When Mr. Jones came home he had a long talk with Charley, who finally became his apprentice. He was to work four years for his food and clothes, having besides the privilege of attending school four months in each year.

"That isn't much time for learning," said Charley to himself that night, "but I guess I can get a chance to learn something out of school; anyhow, I can try." And he did try, and succeeded so well that Mr. Jones said to him at the close of the first winter, "well, Charley, the master says you are one of the best scholars in school, and he thinks we'll make something of you by and by, with that watchword of yours; but, my boy, do you think that you will like work as well as study?"

"No, sir; but I'll work that I may study," was the answer.

All through the spring, the summer and the autumn, Charley worked, earnestly, faithfully, and at the close of each day, tired as he was, he always contrived to get a little time for study.

"Say, Charley," said Willie Jones one night, "all the boys say you are a dull prig: what makes you so sober? Why don't you come out of an evening and not stay moped up in the house with a book all the time?"

"I must study;" said Charley, gravely. "I shall want to go to college by-and-by."

"O, poh! poh!" laughed Willie, "that's a good one; why father can't send any one of us to college, and how are you ever going, when you don't have anybody to help you?"

"Perhaps I never can, but 'I can try.'"

"I don't wonder father calls it your watchword; but do you ever expect to know enough to go to college?"

"Yes, if I live," said Charley, seriously.

"But what does a carpenter want to go to college for" persisted Willie: "I don't see any use in it."

"Willie," said Charley, "you mustn't ask me any more questions; but I'll tell you, I don't always mean to be a carpenter."

Week after week, month after month, year after year, Charley Mason kept on his course; never idle, never unfaithful; he yet worked as though he had some higher object in view, and night after night found him bending over his books, heedless of the sport in which the boys tried to make him join. The four years came to an end, and Mr. Jones now gave him wages for his labor, saying, "I know you'll be worth two common hands to me, Charley," and so he was, working and studying, now harder than ever, for he was fast reaching the point at which he aimed.

It was well known now that Charley had decided to be a minister, and that he was now at work to earn money to assist him in his studies. About the time that his term as apprentice expired, Mr. Jones contracted to build a Church in Ashby, and of course Charley was employed upon it. One day while they were at work on the roof, Willie Jones called out:

"Say, Charley, anybody would think you expected to preach in this Church, by the way you put on those shingles."

"Stranger things than that have happened," said Charley, quietly. A laugh from the workmen, and then the incident was forgotten.

Charley achieved his darling plan of entering college; though in doing so, he overcame many an obstacle at which even stouter hearts would have quailed, but he said, "God helps those who help themselves, and 'I can try,'"

His college life was a hard one, for he was still dependent on his own exertions, and it would make your heart ache to hear of his privations, yet he never complained, but kept earnestly to his one purpose, and nobly has he accomplished it.

This day Charley Mason is pastor of the congregation who worship in the very Church he helped to build. Remember his watchword, boys: remember that with God's blessing upon earnest, faithful, untiring efforts, you may too become like him, good and useful men.