The Boy Who Conquered

A few yeara ago a Iad of good natured abilities who waa left without a tather or mother, went to New York, alone and friendless, to got a situation n a store as errand boy or otherwise, till he could command a higher position , but he had been in bad company, and had acquired the habit of drinking strong drink occasionally, thinking it looked tnanly ! He puffed away at cheap cigars also. This bov had a pretty good education, and on looking over the papers, he noticed that a merchant in Pearl street wanted a lad of his age, and ho called there and made his business known. ' Walk into the office, my lad," said the merchant, "I'll altend to you soon." When hehad waited on his customer, he took a seat near the lad and he saw a cig:ir ia his hat! This waa enotigh for him. "My boy," said he, "I want a smart, honest faithful lad ; but I see that yon smoke cigare, and in my experionce of many yearn, I have ever found cigar smoking boys to be oonnectbd with various other evil luibits, ana if I im not mistaken, your breath is Mf evidence that you are not an exception. You can leavo; you will not stiit me." John - this was hisname - beid clown his head and left the store; and as he walked along tho street, a stranger,and friendless, the counsel of his dear mother came forcibly to.liis mind, who, upon her death bed, called him to her side, and placing lier emaciated hand upon his head, said, "Johnny, my dear boy. I'm goincr to leaveyou. You well know what disgrace and misery your poor father brought on us bufare hifi death, and I want you to promise mo, before I dio, that you will never taste one drop of that accursed poison that degraded, ruined and linally killed your father. Promi-'e rae this, nnd be a good boy, Johnny, and I shull die in peace." The scalding tears trinlded down Johnny's cheeks, and he prornised ever to remember the dying words of his mother, and never to drink any spirit uous liquors ; but he soon forgot his promise, &Dd when he recuived the rebuke from the merchant he remembored what his rnother said, and wlmthe had promised her, and ho ci'ied aloud, and people gazod at him as hepassed along, and boys railed at him. He went to his lodgings, and throwing himself up on the bed, gave bent to his foei inga in sobs that were heard all over the house. But John had Jmorul courage. He had energy and determination, and ore an hour had passed he made up hw mind nevrsr to taste another drop of liquor, nor smoko imother cigar as long as he lived. He went straight back to the merchant. Süid he : "Sir, you very properly sent nje awny this morning for habits that I have been guilty of; hut, ir, Í have neiüier fiitheior iij'ith er, and thougU I havo occasionally done whnt I ought not to dn, and not iollowed the good advice of my poor tnbtber on her death-bed, nor dono as I promised hor I would do, yot I have now made n solumn vow nevel1 to drink nnotber drop of liquor, nor sraoke another cigarj nnd ii' you, sir, will only try me, it is all I ask." The merohant was StVuck vvitli thé decisión and energy of the boy, :nd at onco employed him. At the expiration of fivo ycars, tliis lad was a pnrtmr in the biisiness, and is now worth ten thonsand dollars. Ho has ñiithfully kept h3 plcdge to vvhich he ovvcs his elcvat.ion. Jáori, tb in k of thii cifoumatauce, as yni enter upon the dutioa of lifo, and reiriember upon what poiüts of character your destiny íir good or ovil uepends. -