The Grenada Gazette

KEEPING HIS WORD.

A Thirty Thousand Dollar Job—A Young Man That Could Be Depended Upon.

The head clerk of a large firm in Charlestown promised an old customer one day half a bale of Russian duck, to be on hand at one o'clock, when the man was to leave town with his goods.

The firm was out of duck, and the clerk went over to Boston to buy some. Not finding a truckman, he hired a man to take it over on his wheelbarrow. Finishing other business, on his return to Charlestown the clerk found the man not half way over the bridge, sitting on his barrow, half dead with the heat. What was to be done? It was then 12:30, and the goods were promised at one. There was not a moment to lose. In spite of the heat, the dust and his fine clothes, the young man seized the wheelbarrow and pushed on. Pretty soon a rich merchant, whom the young man knew very well, riding on horseback, overtook him. "What," said he, "Mr. Wilder turned truckman?" "Yes," answered the clerk, "The goods are promised at one o'clock, and my man has given out; but you see I am determined to be good as my word." "Good, good!" said the gentleman, and started on.

Calling at the store where the young man was employed, he told his employer what he had seen. "And I want to tell him," said the gentleman, "that when he goes into business for himself my name is at his service for $30,000." Reaching the store, which he did in time, the high price set on his conduct made amend for the heat, anxiety and fatigue of the job. Keeping his word—you see how important it is regarded. It is one of the best kinds of capital a business man can have. To be worth much to anybody, a boy must form a character for reliability. He must be depended upon. And you would like to know, perhaps, that this young man became one of the most eminent merchants of his day, and known far and wide, both in Europe and this country. His name is S. V. S. Wilder, the first president of the American Tract Society.

—Kind Words.