one of the great exemplars in the matter of keeping a secret wrote to his publisher:  “Let all your views in life, therefore, be directed to a solid, however moderate independence.  Without it no man can be happy, nor even honest.”  This celebrated sentence was written by a man who was refusing a proffer of money for his writings (then in print) and it should not be read as inspiring one to avarice.  The vice of avarice is more honest than envy, but is not the less unpleasant and reprehensible.  Let us suppose you are fortunate enough to have some grit and spunk about you.  At the earliest point practicable you get something to do.  Perhaps at a Fourth of July celebration your Sunday school teacher trusts you in a booth to deal out lemonade and handle money.  It is a good beginning.  Perhaps you are

ESTABLISHED BEHIND A COUNTER

in a general store and intrusted with the great secret of a cost-mark, fully as important a secret, let me assure you, as you can buy in the most secret of places!  What spot in your character will “wear down” the quickest?  When you were little it was your toes.  They were copper-plated.  Now the wear falls where copper will not protect you.  Nothing but experience will now serve as the copper did then.  The first place that “rubs” will be

YOUR TONGUE.

When you have conquered the natural inclination to be what is familiarly known as a “smarty,” there is still a greater wisdom to acquire.  Avoid hearing, where it is not absolutely necessary, anything that you will have to keep secret.  The less secrets you have the less discretion will be necessary to protect them.  After you have heard a thing from your employer, keep it to yourself.  The youth who talks about his employer’s business must have other marvelous faculties to succeed in life.  He is a Blind Tom.  He plays the piano, but the wonder is how he does it.  It must be that it would hurt your feelings if you heard another merchant say of your employer that he keeps a pretty good boy, except that

HE “BLABS A GOOD DEAL.”

If you can shut up your mouth now, you can keep it shut when you get to be Secretary of the Treasury and a whole syndicate of bankers are trying to pump out of you whether you mean to pay off $100,000,000 of 5 per cent bonds the next week, or merely reduce the interest 1-1/2 per cent.  If they could tell, they could make a million dollars, and unless you have been all your life a discreet man, be assured they will tell.  If your employer’s rivals in business find out through you where your people get a certain line of goods, how much is paid for it, or

THE TIME ON WHICH IT IS BOUGHT,