The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-01-11
The Pluoky hoy.
he boy marched straight up to tho oouu-

The Pluoky Boys
The boy marched straight up to tho ooun-
ter.
"Wcll, my little man." said the merch.
ant, complacently-he had just risen fropl
such glorious good dinner-"what VIII
you have to.day2''
"Ohl please, ,ir. mayn't do some work
for youl"
1t might have been the pleasant blue eyes
that did 1t, for the man was not accustom.
ed to parley with such small gentlemen.
and Tommy wasn't seven yet, aud small OF
his age at that. There were q few wlsps
OF hair on tho merchants temples, and
looking down On the appealing face, the
man pulled at them, he gave tho ends OF
bis cravat brush, and then his hand tray
| elled down to his vest pocket.
''Do some work for me, eh2 Well, now,
| about what sort of work might your small
manship calculate to be able to perform
Why, you can't look over the counter"
"Oh, yes, can, and I'm growing, please,
look over the counter"
"Tes, by standing on your toes; are
they coppered 2'
"What, sr2"
"Why, yourtoes. Your mother couldn't
| keep you in shoes if they weren't"
'Shc can't keep me in shoes anyhow,
Sir, " and the voice hesitated.
The man took pains to look over tho
counter. 1t was too much for him: ho
| couldn't see the little toes. Then he went
| all tho way around.
IL thought should need MICROSCOPE.
he said very grave!y, but l reckon IL
! like"
"Im older than I'm big, SIR" was tho
neat rejonder. ''Folks say I'm very small
for my age"
'And what might be your age, sir ?" re-
spondcd the man with emphasis.
''l'm almost seven" said Tommy, with
look calculated to impress even six feet
nine. ~ ou see my mother hasn't any
BODY but me, and this morning | saw her
| crying because she couldn't find five cents
in her pocket book, and she thinks the boy
that took the ashes stole it-and--I--
haven't had any-breakfast, SIR"
The voice again hesitatcd, and tears cano
| to the blue eyes.
Il reckon can help you to breakfast,
my little fellow" said the man, feeling III
his pocket. There, will that quarter do p.
The boy shook his head. "Mother
wouldn't let me beg, sir," was his simple
reply.
"Humph where's y',ur father Z"
"Wo never heard of hlm, sir, after ho
went away. lie was lost, sir. in the steam-
er City OF Boston,"
''Ah! you don't say. That's batl-Bus
you are piucky little fellow anyhow. LIE,
me scoi"-and he pondered, puckering up
his mouth and looking straight down into
tho boys eyes, which were looking straight
up into his. Saunders" he asked, ad-
| IL ot <,1n
writing on parcels, 'fis Cash No. 4. still
sick Z"
dead, sir; died last night" was the
low reply.
'Ah, Inl sorry to hear that Well,
here's q youngster that can take his place."
MIR. Saunders looked up slowly-thon
lie put his pen behind his left ear--then his
glance travelled curiously from Tommy to
MIR. Towers.
''Oh, understand" SAID the latter;
yes, he is very small, very small indeed,
but like his pluck. What did No. 4,
get Z"
"Thrce dollars sir" said the still aston
lsllcd clerk.
Put this boy down four. There, young
ster, give him your name, and run home
and tell your mother you've got a place a,
four dollars week. Como back on Mon
day, ana LII tell you what to do. Here
dollar in advance; lii take it out Of your
first weeks pay. Can you remember9"
"Work, sir,-work all the time ?"
Tommy shot out of that shop. If ever
broken stairs, that had q twist through tho
whole fight, cracked and trcmbled unAer
the weight of small boy, or perhaps, a.
might be better stated, laughed and ch.lck-
led on account OF a small boy's good luck,
those IN that tenemen, house enjoyed hem
selves thoroughly that morning.
"l'vc got it, mother Pm took! Pm
cash boy Don't you know when they
take the parcels, tho clerk calls ''cash -
Well, Pm that -Four dollars week, and
the man said had rc.d pluck,-courage,
You know, And hcro's q dollar tor break-
iast; and don't you never cry again, for
lm the man of the house now.
Tho house was only ten by fifteen
room, but how those blue eyes did nagni-
fy 1t At first the mother looked con-
founded then she looked faint and then
she lookcd--well, 1t passes my power to
tell how she did look, as she caught the
boy IN her arms, and hugged him aud
kissed him, the tears streaming down her
checks. But they were tears of ,hankf, ,ll-.
moss now.