The daily gazette., 1880-04-16
Waiting for Dead Mems Shoes.
By siBYL voLNEY.
I burned to learn a trade.

ScnOOlInaCe, Will tno cucTiy lips, ana
sweet, modest eyes-had father who
owned boiler shop and large foun-
dry, which latter daily seemed to send
forth roar of contempt against every
young man who did not learn trade.
The foundry, in all probability, ac-
complished other work, but to my
fevered imagination this was its chief
occupation.
My parents were English, who had
emigrated "to the land of the free and
the home of the brave" when was
but three yea old; consequently my
education had been thoroughly Amer
lean, and although my rich uncle had
promised to make me his heir, I did
not care to waste my youth in waiting
for dead mems shoes" which in nine
cases out of ten are never worth the
wearing.
"Oh, go to the foundry, if you
must p cried my father in a rage.
''and you may get your fill of it be-
fore three months are over. I'll put
you under that Tartar, old Hall, and
if you don't come whimpering back to
us in a week, my name isn't Joe Bart
lett"
! could hardly contain my Joy.
To be put under her father without
an effort Why it was the very thing
l had been running my head against
for the last year.
Fearful Of delay, coaxed my faith
or to wait upon Mr.. Hall at once. The
preliminaries were ananged without
trouble, and / entered that gentle :
mans shop as an apprentice to boiler
making before the week was out.
My father was only cabinet-mal,er,
yet my mothers pride was so deeply
hurt at the bare thought of her son
C ming home with black face and
soiled clothes, that she wept bitterly.
In spite of all discouragement, l did
not go whimpering back to them in a
year, much less week, so q suspicion
ro@e in my mind that my fathers
name could not possibly be Joe Bait
lett, although every one called him SO.
All was not sunshine with me, al
though l had stuck to my trade as /
had never done to my be 1ks, but the
trials then met and overcame served
to make of me that which it was the
hight of my ambition to be-a true
man.
A peep into the foundry was still
fairyland 10 me, but the machine shop
was little noisy at times, and the talk
Of few rough fellows rather grating !;
but tried hard to keep my integrity
free from the crime about me, which is
a harder thing to do, covered with dirt
from morning till night, than Your nice,
clean, gentle folks may think.
Mr.. Hall began to notice met Is
useless to say l did not see 1t, for l did
and one day he proposed that should
axe off my dirty clothes and 20 into the
)filce as a permanency.
New this was great temptation, for
when Katie came TO the works, she, of
cource came only to her fathers office,
and If l was there, she might see that
her old tebeol-mate was Ain short
very amiable young man.
l besitated, and Mr.. Hall said:
at will be little more seemly occu-
patton for you, as understand that YOU
will one day fall heir to large English
81 came here to learn trade, SIR"
aid respectfully, "and not to be clerk.
As regards my fortune, this is all / look
o." holding out my grimy hands. To
ny .astonishnent, Mr.. Hall slapped me
IN the back so heartily hat he nearly
Knocked the breath out of me as he
'eplied:
"That's the talk, young fellowl 1,
itarted in life with the same resolu-
ion myself and pll not forget you."
knew he would keep his word, for
master cannos forget his best man, and
his strove to be
l was barely out Of my time when
vas made foreman over the whole works,
md mad occasion to be frequently at Mr..
Halls house. 1t was then the began
o experience the reward oimyindefatiga-
'le labor, for there l constantly met my
title Katie with the sweet and modest
yes. We understood one another before
ong. though l am sure l don't, know
low; we seldom spoke more than the
most commonplace words; but then,
Katie had wonderful eyes!
Jt was just iu the midst OF this pleasant
ime that my father rec ived letter
rom England announcing the sudden
lesth of my uncle, and stating that he
lad lett me twenty pounds the remain
ler of his property falling to his widow
nd infant heir, he having secretly mar
led his housekeepsr some eighteen
months previously. My father swore
ny mother wept, and /, trying to look
leeply concerned, gloried In my trade.
My father spent the twenty pounds on
awyers. When my darkened prospects
'ecame known to Mr.. Hall, he suddenly
u Off my opportunities for going to his
ouse. Alb, the boiler shop was veIy
loisey just them
But 1 contrived a meeting with Katie
ne day when old Mr.. and Mrs. Hall had
one in the country, when told her my
owe, and vowed to accomplish unheard- |
( fea's in the way of obtaining riches,
hat l might gain her from her hard
ather while the dear child promised to |
Wait for ever.
Her parents, just like centraiy people, |
fme home long before they were want
d, and found us talking together.
ms. Hall took away her daughter
nd Mr.. Hall took me to task, accusing !
% Of loving little Katie, Just ~ thourn
ny young n an In t'3 senses could hep |
DING that.
Unlike most criminals when charged.
pleaded guilty, and gently reminded |
i'm that he had started In life r. poor az |
VIZ.
L. L..