Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-08-30
9lunlh'a Column.
WANTED---A BOY.

Mr.. Peppergrass came out, with his
cap on the back of his head and his
spectacles pushed high up on his fore
head, to wafer this written notice on the
side of his store. And FIVE minutes af-
terward (t might have been less or it
might have been more) crowd of eager
little lads assembled around it, stand
ing on tiptoe to read every word.
Johnny Jarvis had just been discharged
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
laughing mouth, and he didn't at all
like having nothing to do. Charlie
Warner wanted situation because
there were 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.
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, we'll
dressed boys and shabby boys-boys
who leaned up against the -four and po-
tato 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 On!" said Mr.. Peppergrass.
"This will do p So he took down the
notice, and bolted the store door.
Nov, will proceed to business, u
said Mr.. Peppergrass, rumpling up his
hair, and adjusting his spectacles so a:
to make his keen gray eyes sharper thar
ever. A few penetrating glances, half
a-dozen questions, and the number o.
d boys was speedily reduced to our thre,
: little friends Johnny Jarvis. Charl;,
e Warner and Louis Brown.
s. "Humph! Humph ~ said Mr.. Pep
is pergrass, with his hands locked unde
d. his coat tails behind "There's three o
you, and l can't find work for thre
boys p
The little lads said never word, bu
looked eagerly at the grocer, each on
hoping that he might be the boy selecte
Ito run crrands and make himself gen
orally useful" Mr.. Peppergrass stare
hard at the spice-boxes and preserve
bottles in the window, frowned at tn
cigar-boxes, and finally made up hi
mind
Brown said he.
"Sir !" said Louis Brown.
"lll try you on few sums. l wal
my boy to understand the first principle
of arithmetic"
81 am good at figures, sir !'' erie
. Louis.
"Are you?" said Mr.. Peppergras
l Very we'll; I'll give you trial"
He wrote down labyrinth of fgur
on a slate, and then opened the door
r little room which communicated vii
the store.
"Sit down here, Brown, and work o.
these sums" said he. "l'll come
: you in few minutes" Johnny Jarv
and Charles Warner looked blankly
each other, then at the grocer.
please, sir, what are we to do
. said they.
You are to watt" said Mr.. Peppt
grass, shortly. "Your turns will col
in due time"
The sums were not especially hal
and Louis Brown was quick at fgur
He soon dispatched his task and beg
to look around. 1t was a stuffy, clio
\ smelling little room, with one wind
close up to the ceiling, and curior
old-fashioned book case or desk, vi
glass doors. lined with faded red ST
in the corner.
81 do wonder what Mr.. Peppergr
: keeps there ?" SAID Louis to himse
and after he had wondered a little viii
he got up and went softly toward
desk. "The key is in the lock-" 81
he; "there can't be any harm in To-
ing. Perhaps there are story-book:
or may be curious shells and stone;
or
AS these thoughts crossed his mi
he opened the silk-lined door. Buzz
-whew out flew a beautiful pc;
colored dove. Louis stood aghast.
vain were his efforts to capture the Ii
rs creature. 1t futtered from the TOT
the bookcase to pile of boxes beyo
). and thence to the top moldiug of
window, as if it enjoyed the chase
v in the midst of it all, in came Mr. I
- pergrass.
"Eh? What?" said he. Chow
this happen?'
ne "Please, sir, SAID Louis, hanging
head, 1.-THE bird got out, and was
ing to catch it again"
'ss "Got out, did 2" said Mr.. Pep