A gentleman once advertised for a boy to assist him in his office, and nearly fifty applied for the place.  曾经有一位先生刊登了一则广告，招聘一名男孩做办公室助理，将近50人申请这一职位。

Out of the whole number he in a short time chose one, and sent all the rest away. 在这些候选人中，他很快挑选一名，然后让其他面试者都回去了。

"I should like to know," said a friend, "on what ground you chose that boy.  “我很想知道，”他的一个朋友说，“你是依据什么选了那个男孩。

He had not a single recommendation with him." 他连一封推荐信都没有。”

"You are mistaken," said the gentleman; "he had a great many: “你错了，”先生说道；“他有很多推荐信：

"He wiped his feet when he came in, and closed the door after him; showing that he was orderly and tidy. 他进来时把鞋子擦干净了，进来后关上了门；这些表示他办事有条不紊。

"He gave up his seat instantly to that lame old man; showing that he was kind and thoughtful. “他毫不犹豫地把座位让给了那个跛脚老者，显示出他心地善良，体贴人心。”

"He took off his cap when he came in, and answered my questions promptly and respectfully; showing that he was polite. 他进来时摘下了帽子，回答问题思路敏捷，口吻显示出对我的尊重；这些显示出他的礼貌。

"He lifted up the book which I had purposely laid on the floor, and placed it on the table,  “他捡起了我故意放在地上的书，并放在桌子上，

while all the rest stepped over it, or shoved it aside; showing that he was careful. 而其他所有人都将这本书踩在脚下，或者踢在一旁；这些显示出他的细心。”

"And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside; showing that he was modest. “在等候面试时，他也很安静，没有把别人推开；这些显示出他的虚心。”

"When I talked with him, I noticed that his clothes were carefully brushed, his hair in nice order,  “和他交谈时，我注意到，他的衣服和头发都很整齐，

and his teeth as white as milk. When he wrote his name, I observed that his finger-nails were clean,  他的牙齿白如牛奶。他写下自己名字时，我注意到他的指甲很干净，并没有污垢，

instead of being tipped with jet, like the handsome little fellow's in the blue jacket. 他穿着一件蓝色夹克，是一位英俊的朋友。”

"Don't you call these things letters of recommendation? I do;  “难道所有这些还不足以叫做推荐信吗？我认为足够了；

and what I can tell about a boy by using my eyes for ten minutes, is worth more than all the fine letters he can bring me." 我用十分钟观察选出的这个男孩，比那些带着很好的推荐信的人更有价值。”