Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-05-21
"WANTED-A BOY ~

1DGNlhNAC0 Duoltu Al2u up vi HIS
forehead, to wafer this written notice
on the side of his store. And five min
utes afterward Gt might have been
less, or it might have been more) a
crowd of eager little lads assembled
around it, standing on tip-toe to read
every word.
Johnny Jarvis had been Just dis
charged from his place as cash-bOy in
dry-goOds store because business was
dull and customers few.
He was fine, tall boy of twelve,
with bright black eyes and a laughing
mouth, and he didn't at all like having
nothing to do.
Charlie Warner wanted a situation
because there were a good many little
Warmers and nothing to feed them with
since their father died.
Louis Brown had been out of regular
employment ever since the china factory
closed in the fall.
For these little fellows belonged to
the innumerable army of boys who can
not play and enjoy the bright hours as
they go by, but must work and drudge,
and count every day lost that does not
briug in its corresponding wages.
Children, did you ever think how hard
the world was on these poor little toll
ers'
1t was not long before Mr.. Pepper
grass store was full of boys who wanted
to "run errands and make themselves
generally useful"
Big boys and little boys, tall boys and
short boys, well-dressed boys and shah
by boys-bOys who leaned up against
the flour and potato barrels, as if they
had left their backbones at home; boys
who stood straight up-boys who took
off their caps, and boys who kept them
on. And still they kept coming.
"Hold Onw said Mr.. Peppergrass.
"This will dor'
So he took down the notice and bolt
ed the stOre-doOr.
Now, l will proceed to business"
said Mr.. Peppergrass, rumpling up his
hair and adjusting his spectacles so as to
make his keen, gray eyes sharper than
ever.
A few penetrating glances, half a
dozen questions, and the number of
boys was speedily reduced to our three
| little friends-Johnny Jarvis, Charlie
| Warner and Louis Brown.
They were all three willing and anx-
ious to work; all three brought good
accommodations, had honest faces,
wanted to enter on the situation at
once, and wrote neat, round hands.
" "Humph! humphr' said Mr.. Pepper
grass, with his hands locked under his
coat-tais behind. "There's three of
you, and l can't find work for three
boysr
The little lads said never a word, but
looked eagerly at the grocer, each one
hoping that he might be the boy select
ed "to run errands and make himself
generally useful"
Mr.. Peppergrass stared hard at the
spice-boXes and preserve-bottles in the
window, frowned at the cracker-boXes,
and finally made up his mind.
Brownr said he.
"Sirp' said Louis Brown.
"Pll try you on few sums. want
my boy to understand the first princi-
Piles of arithmeticp'
lam good at figures, STRIP cried
Louis.
"Are youP' said Mr.. Peppergrass.
every well; I'll give you trial"
He wrote down a labyrinth of figures
on slate, and then opened the door OF
little room which communicated with
the store.
"Sit down here, Brown, and work
out these sNms," said he. "rn come
to YOU in a few minutes"
johnny Jarvis and Charlie Warner
looked biankly at each other, then at
the grocer.
"Please, sir, what are we to do?'
said they.
"You are to wait" said Mr. Pepper
grass, shortly. "Your turns will come
, in due time"
The sums were not especially hard,
and Louis Brown was quick at figures.
He soon dispatched his task and began
to look around.
1t was stuify, close-smelling little
room, with one window close up to the
ceiling, and curious, old-fashioned
bookcase or desk, with glass doors
: lined with faded red silk, in the corner
Il do wonder what Mr.. Peppergras
keeps thereP" said Louis, to himself
/ and after he had wondered littl,
, while, he got up and went softly towarC
: the desk. 1.-The key is in the lock,
| said he; ''there can't be any harm il
, looking. Perhaps there are story-book
or maybe curious shells and stone
4 --Or--n
As these thoughts crossed his min,
1 he open the silk-lined door, Buz-z-z
. 90 whew! out flew beautiful pearl
colored dove.
Louis stood aghast. In vain were hi
efforts to capture the little creature
1t Huttered from the top of the boo /
Q case to pile of boxes beyond, an
I thence to the top molding Of the win
n dows, as if it enjoyed the chase; and i
0 the midst of it all, in came Mr.. PEP
n pergrass.
a "Eh? What?" said he. "How di
7 this happen?"
h ,Please, sir" said Louis, hangin
+ his head, ''the bird got out, and wa
J, trying to catch it again.
e Got out, did it?' said Mr.. Pepper
IS grass. alt must be a very ingenioU
= bird. to be able to open the desk froi
g the outsidel You may go, boy. II
o quite certain that you wont suit me.
;, don't approve of meddlers.'
d So saying, he opened a door whic
9 led directly out into the back stree
e and dismissedpoor Louis Brown withoI
Il further ceremony.
l. Now, Pearlie,n said he to the lit
! dove, who perched on his shoulder