The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-26
LARRY.

Inc pTeL Time L ever bhW LaTT1 ID etl4l
fresh in my memory
There's a kid out here wants to see
you" the foreman said, thrusting his head
in at the sanctum door. He had an EN-
quad between his teeth. and did not speak
very distinctly, SO ! failed TO catch just
what he said. aud merely nodded 10 re-
Spouse, which he understood to be an in
instruction TO show the visitor in, so
LaTry's appearance was total surprise TO
me.
He was certainly queer sight My hrst
impress on was that he was clad In red, but
q second glance showed that the rudy hue
that characterized him radiated from his
hair, which was redder than any other human
hair / ever saw. The foreman swore, and
was not far wrong, that it was just the
shade of the crimson-hued glue We used in
blocking bilheads. Its intense glow &C
tually seemed to affect the light in a room
when Larry entered il. He had keen, di-
rect blue eyes; there was only one freckle
on his shrewd little face. but that one spread
from forehead 20 neck and from ear to ear.
His nose was just an odd little apology for
that organ. turning directly upward in the
middle of his face, which think lacked not a
line of being as broad as It was long, and was
traverSed from side TO side by the longest,
narroweSt slit OF mouth that ever divided
Buui3n Bthu nearly ia iNalu. q duu 10
the eomicalty OF his appearance he was
very sOlemn-oh, preternaiurally solemn
DC not think 1 ever saw him smile
''Well, Johnnie" l asked, what can l
do for you?'
ME names Larry" he said, Larry Fin
negan, and I've KEN ter so ter wurruk fer
yeZ-"
ITO work for me?'' I exclaimed. "Why
] don't need boy. VIII Dennis is work
ing for me and I've nothing for another boy
10 do"
Again the buccal gulf yawned evil
Dennis STINT me- it said. Hes got job
ter dhTlye header Vaughn an amt comm
no more. l want 10 wurruk fer yeZ LIS
edyter I'm after bein'."
The faies seemed TO have settled ii. a
boy was almost impossible TO obtain in that
country town, so l turned Larry over TO the
foreman TO see if he could be made to do.
he soon became quite handy at washing
rollers, cleaning out the Office, running en-
randS aud mixing the form on press nights,
and finally, having learned the boxes be-
gan to stick type, slowly and labOriously,
but with grim determination that was both
amusing and pathetic. | was much relieved
when, at the end Of a fortnight, the foreman
told NE that he thought ''the toTchlight"
would suit. He knows heap more'n his
talk shows" he said.
After Larry's advent in the Clarion Of.
fee the dignity of the establishment was
never allowed to be tritied with. He seemed
TO think that the jesty of the press must
be upheld even by his diminutiYe person.
He never smiled, and he never fooled. but
went about his duties with the solemnity OF
a small owl.
Hs sat one day by his case at an open win
dow, his legs twisting and untwisting
around the legs Of his high stool a.: he pain
fully picked up letter after letter, setting
from printed copy for practice. when dead
kitten, thrown by some malicious village
boy, sailed in at the window and hit Larry
sq1arely on his flaming head. His compos-
ing stick fell TO the floor scattering the re-
suIts OF his arduous toll everywhere. With
out a word he picked up the Gefunct beast
and walking to the back window dropped il
into the irrigation ditch that ran below.
why didn't you heave it back at 'em,
you duffer?" growled the indignant FORE
man.
...Shure an that's benathe me dignity"
said Larry, solemnly, as he went quietly
about gathering up his ''pi."
a rusticating poet from the city called
upon US one day-a long haired, dark
skinned foreigner. who rummaged about the
office with true poeticai license, posing, de-
claiming and 'lisping in numbers" as it
were, for an hour or more, during which
time Larry more than once eyed him with
great disfayor.
what I'D he be afther CALM hisself? P"
the boy as ed, when the bard had at last
disappeared.
Thinking he referred to the scribbler's
nationality, 1 said carelessly, "Oh, he's a
Pole"
Hum. pole. is itp" was Larry's re-
ioinder.. "A poor SORT of stick, I'd be
thipkin'."
My delight at the naive remark was in no
degree lessened by the fact that Larry had
not the slightest idea of perpetratiDg joke.
Payday In the Clarion Office came every
Two weeks, and on the first of these occa-
sions that Larry was with US his father came
IN 10 Draw the boys wages. He was a
wholly worthless fellow, and at the time
OF his call was considerably the worse for
nquor-e chronic condition with him. /
hesltated about giving him the S5due Larry.
feeling sure the boys mother needed ii. and.
calling the lad aside, ] said: Hadn't
better put him off? You can take the
money to your mother tonight"
Larry pondered q moment, but finally
said:
"'Twouldn't be any use. He hang round
Dere an blaggard me all day, an it amt
Mt Ter me ter have any wurruds wild the
likes av him." and'he went back to his
case.
Poor Larryl There was splendid stuff
hidden away IN his queer, mirth- provoking
NIUE head-bigger Ideas under its flaming
thatcn than many managing editor has
ever had In his whole life. and as noble de-
votion TO what he deemed his duty as any
martyr OF old ever showed
one night there rang through the streets
ei the Town an alarm OF fire-always a ter
Iioie thlng IN the country, where no public
xaler supply IS available. The Clarion had
frequently raised warning voice against
tnis criminal neglect on the part of the peo-
pie, but all to no purpose. A fire was eeded
TO teach the lesson. The burning building
proved TO be the only warehouse in the town.
the agent OF which. ayounp man recently
come into the place, was beginning to be re-.
garded with suspicion by the residents II
was whispered about that OF the grain and
nay committed to his keeping load after
nights and shipped to neighborIno
town. No one knew this for certain. how.