The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-10-17
The Old Scrap.BOx.

Mr.. Peters, a somewhat eccentric old
merchant, stuck up notice in window
If his store that there was "bOy wanted
md the card remained there a great
while before he got the boy he was after.
John Simmons, and Charley Jones, and
1ne or two beside, were taken for few
days, but none of them stood trial
MIR. Peters had n peculiar way OF trying
them. There was huge, long box in
the attic full Of old nails and screws, and
miscellaneous bits Of rusty hardware,
and when new boy came, the old gen.
tleman presently found occasion to send
him up there TO set the box to rights,
and judged the quality Of the boy by the
way he managed the work. All puttered
over it more or less, but soon gave it mp
in disgunt, and reported that there was
nothing there worth saving.
At last Crawford Mills was hired. He
knew none Of the other boys, and 30 did
his errands in bissful ignorance of the
"ong box" until the second morning of
his stay, when in leisure hour he was
sent to put it in order. The morning
passed, dinner-time came, and still Craw-
ford had not appeared from the attic.
At last Mr.. Peters called him. "Got
through"
mo, sir; there is ever 80 much moro
to do"
can right; it is dinner-timc now; you
may go back to it after dinner"
After dinner back he went; NIL tho
short afternoon he was not heard from,
hut Just as Mr. Peters was deciding to
call him again, he appeared.
1--WE done my best, sir" he said,
"and down ut the very bottom of the
hnx | found this" This" was five
d Var gold piece.
That's queer place for gold" said
Mr.. Peters. rt's good you found it;
well, sir, l suppose you will DO on hand
tomorrow morning? This he said,
putting the gold-piece in his pocket
book.
After Crawford had said goodnight
and gone, Mr.. Peters took the lantern
and went slowly up the attic stairs.
There was the long deep box in which
tine rubbish of twenty-five years had
gathered Crawford had evidently been
10 the bottom OF it; he had fitted in
pieces of single to make compartments,
aud in the different tills he had placed
the articles with bits of shingle laid on
top labelled thus Good screws. :"
Pretty good nails" "Picture nails"
small keys somewhat bent" 'Picturc
books" 'Pieces of iron, whose use
don't know" So on through the long
l,nx. In perfect order it was at last, and
very little that could really be called
lis, ful was to he found within it. But
Mr. Peters, MS he read the labels, laughed
and said, "If We are not both mistaken,
| , ave found boy, and he has found n
f,rtunc."
Sure enough, the sign disappeared
from the window and was seen no mere.
Crawford became the well-known cr
rand-boy Of the firm Of Peters & Co
He had little room neatly fitted up
next to the attic, where he spent hi
evenings, and at the foot of the bed hung
n motto which Mr.. Peters gave him
1T tells your fortune for you, don't fo,.
get H." he said when he handed it ia
Crawford: and the boy laughed and read
il curiously. "He that is faithful in that
which 10 least, is faithful also in much. y
All this happened years ago. Craw'
ford Mills is IN errand boy no more, bu,
the firm is Peters, Mills Il Co.,-a young
man and a rich man.