Unless a person is familiar with street boys, no conception can be formed of their energy and determination in following up anything they want. A young man, who had outgrown newsboy’s work called upon the president and wanted a position as brakeman on one of the railroads. He was kindly informed by the president that he knew the superintendent of the road he wished to work for had already over five hundred applications from young men wanting to be brakemen. Instead of asking the president to see the superintendent, as is generally done, he said: “Please give me the name of the man who does the employing of brakemen. I want to see him. I think I can show him he wants me.” “I am afraid it won’t be of any use, but I like your pluck. Here is a note to him.” This note simply said the bearer was an honest young man. A few days later the young man called. “Well, I got a job. I’m brakeman on one of the fast trains.” This he secured through his own tact, for this certainly was necessary. His street experience taught him to hustle for himself, and it became part of his nature as he grew older. He did not sit down and wait for something to come his way, for something to turn up. He turned up something for himself. His frank and honorable method of working the superintendent, his earnest but manly appeal, his push, his politeness, his tact, secured for him what five hundred young men were “waiting to receive by letter.” When the matter was referred to the superintendent he said: “His every action showed he was a willing worker and not afraid to work overtime if necessary. He works as though he owned the entire road.” CHAPTER XXV. Commercial men, some of our best merchants, sometimes, in their eagerness to make money, forget the first principles of honesty, and often make assertions that upon second thought they would not make. Sometimes in their advertising they will say things which they would never think of saying under other circumstances, though lying in business matters is equally as dishonorable as in private life. The relations between the public and the merchant, as well as between master and servant, must rest on mutual respect and confidence. Here is an illustration, by a close observer, a boy fourteen years of age. Walking along one of the principal streets, a newsboy noticed the following sign, in large type, in a show window and attached to some article for sale. It read: “Regular price, one hundred dollars. Our price, twenty-nine dollars.” “Say, president,” said the boy, “is that man telling the truth when he says a twenty-nine dollar article is worth one hundred dollars?” It was a question that required a wise answer, but put it in any business way possible, nothing could satisfy the boy that it was strictly honest. “When I go into business,” said the seller, “you bet I’ll not fool the public; when I say a thing is worth so much it will be worth that much.”