The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-21
A Plucky Boy.

Boil ii down.
A Plucky Boy.
The boy marched straight up to the
counter.
well, my little man." said the
merchant, complacenlly, he had just
risen from such glorious, good dim
ner, what will you have to-day ?'
"Oh, please, sir, mayn't 1 do some
work for you?"
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 merchants tenn
pies, and looking down on the appeal
ing face, the man pulled at them.
When he had done tweaking them he
gave the ends of his cravat brush,
and then his hands travelled down to
the 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 counterW
"Oh, yes, l can, and Pm growing,
please, growing fast; 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
counte.. 1t was too much for him {;
he couldn't see the little toes. Then
he went all the way round.
81 thought l should need micro
scope" he said, very gravely, "but l
re exon if get close enough can see
what you look like"
"I'm older than I'm big, sir" was
the neat rejoindcr. Folks say I am
very small of my age."
"What might your age he, sir?" re-
sponded the man, with emphasis.
II 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
morning 1 saw her crying, because she
could not find five cents in her pock-
et-book, aud she thinks the boy who
took the ashes stole it-and-I-have
-not-had-any-any-anyb breakfast,
SIR" The voice again hesitated. and
tears came to the blue eyes.
II reckon | can help you to break.
fast, my little fellow" said the man,
feeling in bis 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"'
1--WE 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
bows eyes, which were looking
straight in his. "Saunders," he ask
ed, addressing clerk, who was roll
ing up and writing on parcels, "is
cash No. 4 still sick ?"
dead, sir; died last night" was
the low reply.
"Ah, Pm sorry to hear that. Well,
here's a youngster who can take his
place"
Mr.. Saunders looked up slowly, then
he put his pen behind his ear, then his
glance travelled curiously from Tom
my to Mr.. Towers.
HOh, L understand, said the latter
eyes, he is small, very small, very
small indeed, but I like his pluck.
What did No. get?"
"Three dollars, sir" said the still
astonished clerk.
"Put this boy down four. There
youngster, give him your name, and
run home and tell your mother you
have got place at 81 week. Can
you remembers"
"Work, sir, work all the time?"
"As long as you deserve it, my
man."
Tommy shot out of that shop. If
ever broken stairs, that had q twist
thought the whole flight. creaked and
trembled under the weight of small
boy, or perhaps, as might be better
stated, laughed and chuckled on ac-
count of small boys good luck, those
in that tenement house enjoyed them
selves thoroughly that morning.
"I've got it mother! Pm took.
Pm cash-boy! Don't you know when
they take parcels the clerks call
Cash ?'-well, Pm that. -Four dollars
week and the man said l had real
pluck, courage, you know. And here's
dollar for breakfast; and don't you
ever cry again, for Pm the man of the
hOu.e now"
The house was only q little lOxl5
room, but how those blue eyes did
magnify it ! at first the mother look
cd oomfoundcd ; then she looked-well:
it passes my power to tell how she did
look as she took him in her arms and
hugged him, kissed him, the tears
streaming down her cheeks. But
they were tearz of thankfulness.-Mail
and Express.
War is opposed to the promulgation
of the gospel and unfriendly to all mis-
S;onorv work Instead of bringing