St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-10
The Man of the House.

The boy marched straight up to the
counter.
"Well, my little man." said the mer-
chant, cOmpIacently-he had just risen
! from such IA 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 ~''1h 7"itii
rentlI.s.-os., anu Onlmy wasn't seven
!, eC, and small of his age at that. There
were few wisps of hair along the
edges of the merchants 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 cTavat "A brush, and then
his hands travelled down to his vest
pocket.
ado 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 cOunterm
"Oh, yes, can; and I'm growing,
please, growing fast-there, see if |
can't look over the counter ~
eyes, by standing on your toes are
they cOppered 7"
"What, sir 2"
"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 couldn't see the little toes. Then
he went all the way around.
~ thought should need micro
scope he said, very gIavely; "but |
reckon, if get close enough, can see
what you look like"
"I'm older than Pm big, SIR" was
the neat rejOinder. "FOlks say | 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 bat me and this morn
ing | saw her crying because she cOuld !
not find five cents in her pocket book,
and she thinks the boy who took the
ashes stole it-and- -have-nOt -
had-any -any- breakfast, sir" The
voice again hesitated, and tears came
to the blue eyes.
81 reckon | can help you to a 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.
"Humph Where is your father ?"
ave 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
eyes, which were looking straight into |
his. Saunders" he asked, address
ing clerk who was rolling up and |
writing on parcels, "Is Cash No. still
sick ?'
dead, sir; died last night" was
the low reply.
"Ah Pm sorry to hear that Well, !
here's II yOungster that can take his
place"
Mr.. Saunders lookedup slowly, then
he put his pen behind his ear, then his
glance travelled curiOusly from Tommy
to Mr.. Towers.
"Oh, | understand" said the latter
eyes, he is small, very small, indeed ;
but like his pluck. What did No. 4
get ?"
"'Three dollars, sir" said the still
clerk.
"Put this boy down four. There,
youngstrr, give him your name, and
run home and tell your mother you
have got Il place ut four dollars Il week.
Come back on Monday and III tell yOu
what to do. Here's dollar i'll adj
vance I'll take it out of your first
week. Can you remember ?"
Work, sir-wOTk all the time ?"
"As long AS you deserve it my man"
Tommy shot ont of that shop. If
ever broken stairs that had IL twist
through the whole flight creaked and
trembled under the weight of IA small
boy, or, perhaps, as might be better
stated, laughed and chuckled on ac-
count of IA small boys good luck, those
in that tenement house enjoyed them
selves thoroughly that morning.
"rve got it, mother! Pm took. Pm
cash boy! Don't you know when
they take parcels, the clerks call 'Cash7'
Well, I'm that. Four dollars week
And the man said | had real pluck
courage, you know. And here's IA dol
lar for breakfast; aud don't you ever
cry again, for I'm the man Of the house
now"
The house was only a little ten-by-
fifteen room !; but how those blue eyes
did magnify it! At first, the mother
looked confOunded. Then she looked
well, it passes my power to tell how
she did look as she took him in her
arms and Rugged him, and kissed him.
the tears streaming down her cheeks.
But they were tears of thankfnlness.-
From an English Journal.