The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-01-05

The boy marched straight up to the

"what will you have to. day ?"
It might have been the pleasant blue
eyes that did it, for the man was not &C.
customed to parley with such small gen.
tlemen, and Tommy wasn't seven yet,
and quite small of his age, at that.
There were few small wisps of hair on
the merchants temples, and looking
down on the appealing face, the man
pulled at them.
"Do some work for me, Ell? 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"
Eyes. by standing on your toes; are
they coppered p
what, sir ?"
rWhy, your toes. Your mother
could not keep you in shoes if they were
not"
''She can't keep me in shoes, anyhow,
SIR" and the voice hesitated.
The man took pains to look over the
counter. 1t was too much for him; he
went all the away around.
81 thought I should need little
microscope" he said, gravely, "but 1
TtChOu IL i Reb ClOSc cuOuSu L Chu set
what you look like"
"I'm older than I'm big. sir, was the
neat rejoinder. Folks say I'm very
small of my age"
"And what might be your age, STRIP"
responded the man, with emphasis.
"I'm almost seven," said Tommy,
with look calculated to impress even
six feet nine. "You see my mother hasn't
anybody but me, and this morning I saw
her crying because she couldn't find five
cents in her pocket book because the boy
that took the ashes stole it--and-I-
haven't-had-any- breakfast, SIR"
The voice again hesitated, and tears
came into the blue eyes.
II reckon can help you to break
fast, my little fellow" said the man feel
ing in his vest pocket. There will that
quarter do p
The boy shook his head. mother
wouldn't let me beg, sir" was the simple
reply. -,
"We never heard of him, sir, after he
went away. He was lost, sir, in the
steamer City of Boston"
"Ah, you don't say. That's bad. But
you are plucky little fellow, anyhow.
Let me see"-and he pondered, puckering
up his mouth and looking straight down
into the boys eyes, which were looking
straight up into his. Saunders" he
asked, addressing a clerk who was roll
ing up and writing on parcels, sis Cash
No. still sick %
dead sir; died last night" was the
reply.
'.Ah, I'm sorry to hear that. Well,
here's q youngster that can take his
place."
Mr. Saunders looked up slowly, then
he put his pen behind his left ear; then
his glance travelled curiously from Tom
my to Mr.. Towers.
"Oh, 1 understand" said the latter.
Yes, be is small indeed, but like his
plHck. What did No. get?"
''Three dollars, sir, said the still as
tonished clerk.
"Put this boy down four. There young
ster, give him your name, and run home
and tell your mother you've q place at
four dollars O week. Come back on
Monday, and I'll tell you what to do.
Here's dollar in advance, I'll take it
out of your first week. Can you remem-
ber?"
Tommy shot out of the shop.
If ever broken stairs, that had twist
through the whole flight cracked and
trembled under the weight of small
boy, or perhaps. as might be bet
ter stated, laughed and chuckled on
account OF small boys good luck, those
in that tenement house enjoyed them
selves thoroughly that morning.
'I've got it mother! I'm took! I'm
cash boy! Don't you know when they
take the parcels the clerks call 'cashl'
Tn that! Four dollars q week! And the
man said had real pluck--courage you
know. And here's dollar for breakfast;
and don't you never cry again, for I'm
the man of the house now"
The house was only ten by fifteen
room, but how those blue eyes did mag
Nifty i'll At first the mother looked con-
founded; then she looked faidt; and then
she looked-well, it passes my power to
tell how she did look, as she caught the
boy in her arms and Rugged and kissed
him, the tears streaming down her faded
cheeks. But they we're tears Of thank
fulness now.-Ex.
An OLD DEBT PAID.-The city of New
port, KY. has Q conscientious mayor.
His name is William h. Hsrton. Eight
cen years ago, in Washington, he Dor.