The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-29
The Man of the House.


counter.
"Well, my little man." said the mer-
chant complacently-he had Just risen
from such a glorious good dinner
"what will you have to-day?"
ooh, please, sir, mayn't do some
work for your"
1t might have been the pleasant blue
eyes that did it, for the man was not
accustomed to parley with such small
gentlemen, and Tommy wasn't seven
yet, and small of his age at that
There were few wisps of hair along
the edges of the mercnant's temples;
and, looking down on the appealing
face, the man pulled at them. When
he had done tweaking them, he gave
the ends of his cravat a brush, and then
his hands travelled down to his vest
pocket.
{" Do some work for me, eh? 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"
ooh, yes, can, and I'm growing,
please, growing ast,--there, see if |
can't look over the counter!'
Yes, by standing on your toes: are
they coppered?"
What, sir?"
"Why, your toes. Your mother
could not keep you in shoes, if they
were not.'
She can't keep me in shoes any
how, sir" And the voice hesitated.
The man took pains to look over the
counter. 1t was too much for him, he
hn Lo
went all the way around.
81 thought should need a micro
scope" he said very gravely; but l
reckon, if | get close enough, can see
what you look like"
"I'm older than / am big, sir" was
the neat rejoinder. Folks say l am
very small Of my age"
"What might your age be, sir?' re-
sponded the man with emphasis.
81 am almost seven," said Tommy
with look calculated to impress even
six feet nine. You see, my mother
hasn't anybody but me; and, this morn
ing, / saw her crying because she
couldn't find five cents in her pocket
book, and she thinks the boy who took
the ashes stole it-and-I-have-n
had-any- any-breakfast, sir" The
voice again hesitated, and tears came to
the blue eyes.
. reckon | can help you to break
fast, my little fellow" said the man,
feeling in his vest pocket ''There,
will that quarter do?" The boy shook
| his head.
"Mother wouldn't let me beg, sir"
was the simple answer.
q IJno,,bI IVbora ;c yo,r fathoriD
eve never heard of him sir, after
he went away. He was lost, sir, in the
steamer City of Boston"
"Ah. that's bad. But you are a
plucky little fellow, anyhow Let me
see" And he puckered up his mouth
and looked straight down into the boys
eyes, which were looking straight into
his. Saunders" he asked, addressing
a clerk, who was rolling up and writing
on parcels, " is Cash No. A still sick?n
dead, sir; died last night" was
the slow reply.
"Ah, Pm sorry to hear that. Well,
here's youngster that can take his
place" Mr. Saunders looked up slowly
then he put his pen behind his ear,
then his glance travelled curiously from
Tommy to Mr.. Towers.
"Oh, understand" said the latter
" Yes, he is small, very small indeed;
but / like his pluck. What did No.
get?"
"Three dollars, sir" said the still as
tonished clerk.
A" Put this boy down four. There
youngster, give him your name, and
run home and tell your mother you
have got place at four dollars week.
Come back on Monday and III tell you
what to do. Here's a dollar in adj
vance: I'll take it out of your first
week. Can you remember"
Work, sir-work all the time?"
As long as you deserve it, my man.
Tommy shot out of that shop II
ever broken STAIRS that had twist
through the whole flight creaked and
trembled under the weight of small
boy, or perhaps, as might be better
stated, laughed and chuck!ed on account
of small boys good luck, those in
that tenement house enjoyed themselves
thoroughly that morning.
"Ive got it, motherl Pm took. I'm
cash boy Don't you know when
they take parcels, the clerks call, 'Cash'f
Well, Pm that. Four dollars a week
And the man said / had real pluck, -
courage, you know And here's a dol
lar for breakfast; and don't you ever
cry again, for I'm the man of the house
now"
The house was only little ten-by-
fifteen room, but how those blue eyes
did magnify it'll AT first the mother
looked confounded Then she looked
well. il passes nv power to tell how
she did look as she took him in her
arms and Rugged him, kissed him, the
tears streaming down her cheeks. But
they were tears of thankfulness. From
an English Journal.