The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-03-17
THE OFFICE. BOYS STORY.


He sent me to get Mr.. Coles bill, the
boss did, and he said to hurry up. Well.
j did. ran all the way there. ard Mr.
Coles he paid it, and it was forty dol
lars, and took and tucked it into my
hat band inside, in the sweat" as my
uncle, that s the halter, calls it. for
money has been snatched from fellers.
and fellers' pockets hare been picked.
you know.
Nobody wanted my old hat, and /
felt as safe as bank with the money
that was in it,
And so going home, when saw Jim
and Bill Riggs playing marbles. l
stopped to speak to 'em.
''Come and play" says they.
Cant" says !. ''Doin' narrand."
''Oh, pshaw." says they, Just one
game
Well, | thought had time enough,
and | gave in, and at it we went-and l
90 into anything when ! do 90 into it, |
do-and | was playing, l can tell you,
for all | was worth, when all of a sudden
Bill says: .......
''Benjie, where's your hat?"
My hat! r.srar.f. ada
gave howl and put my hand to my
head. 1t was bare.
=, h, fellers," says I, 'don't tease
me! Give it back. 1t got suthing in
they hadn't got it, and nobody had
passed by but two old ladies and big
gentleman, regular swell, they said.
| hadn't seen 'em, but they couldn' t
want a boys old hat. Jim and Bill
turned their pockets out, and let me
feel their backs. They hadn't got it.
And looked high and L looked low.
and | felt as if was going era Y, for
couldn't find it. / didn't know what
would be done to me; but ] thought
may be I'd be sent TO prison. And
thought, considering what my old
granny would say to me, and how she q
| feel if she was to see me in striped
suit with a chain on my leg, I'd better
90 hang myself, only that was wicked
and no knowing where d go to. If
was to run away it would be about a,
bad for granny. And if was to offer
to pay it up out f my wages, | only
got two dollass a week, and two time,
twenty is forty, and twenty weeks is
most six months; and Teller has t.
have shoes, and | give one to granny
for my board, and how she'd get ms
any without it-for washing don't brin9
in a fortrine--I didn't know. m
.Oh, fellers! fellers!" says |. "Oh
fellers! I'm just done for! It's all owe
with me. I've failed. / wish some
body would kill me, for there was none,
in that hat that belongs to the boss, an,
it's stole and gone forever"
That's rough, Beniie,'' says Bill
"Oh, that is rough on you.
You hadn't orter stopped to pla
with u.s." says Jim. I-IH..
No" says /, az hadn't orter. Wha
would you do?"
I'D own up" says Bill.
I'D run away" says Jim. 81 thin
somebody must have knowed about tn
money, and followed you up. And
think it was the swell old gent Pick
pockets look stylish enough some
times"
whoever got it, I'll never have
again, says l. Good-by. fellers
May be you'll never see me no more.
And off | went.
wasn't sure Jim hadn't got it, but
knew about Bill. Bin was square.
| went office-ways at first. Then
turned back and went towards graz
ny's. i felt like I'd die, and wishe
i would. thought if l did, gram
could tell 'em afterward. So up wen
and there she stood at table, starchine
poor old soul -t..sf.-.. $500
t"Why, Benjic," says she, "whs
brings you home so early, and where
your hatP" s-5sss'si
Well, when she asked that 1 brok
down. hadn't cried since l was Ii
tie teller. but 4 beloved then.
"Oh, granny" says l, q some or
stole my hat when l was playin' mis-
glesl Oh, granny! granny ---.
she.I ? TTT - tNR TTI O -
,, You don't know how much it wa
granny" says l. .....,...
| Your on y one" says she. "Poc