a manager some day, and I'll have a stenographer to do my writing for
me."

"Yes," said the man, "that may be true. But before you get to be a
manager anywhere you will have to work up to it through a great many
years of lower positions, and you must learn to write." The boy could
not see why, and went to find work elsewhere, before improving his
writing.

There are a great many people just like that boy. They expect to be
managers, superintendents, presidents, but they don't see that they must
work up to it, and every step must be faithfully and patiently taken.

Some boys expect to be good at long division, and they do not take any
pains to learn subtraction thoroughly. Or they expect to be good in
English, and will not study grammar. They are like the boy in this
story.

Some girls expect to appear like ladies, but they pay no attention to
what their mothers say about neatness,--such as keeping their hair in
order and their shoes clean. These girls are also like the boy of the
story.

Most things worth while in life have to be worked for, and as you
cannot well get upstairs at one jump, but must take the steps between
one by one, so the good things of life come by patiently filling in each
task with care and faithfulness. Then the big things will take care of
themselves.