The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-11-15
HOW RDDY CAME TO- US.

~ JS ~
after a while we missed him, and found
he had been graduated from the news
paper business to the duties of Office
boy with a surface railway company.
We were glad to hear that, for we
were sure that in time Eddy would
make his way into the world. His
face promised it. 1t was not a hand
some face, nothing particularly bright
about it, but a certain firmness about
the chin showed perseverance,, and a
steady look in the blue gray eyes meant
firmness of purpose.
The life of an Office boy is not all
sunshine and roses, unless he has the
faculty of doing a half-dozen things at
time and serving a dozen different
masters at once. Mr.. Wilson said
Eddy was never on time; the manager
said he had been able to find the boy
when he wanted him, and Mr.. Marvin,
who used to write billet doux that
must be sent across town, could never
make any use of Eddy, because he was
slower than the %proverbial messenger
boy. Taken all in all, Eddy was con
coded to be failure; and, besides the
feeling Of dissatisfaction with him in
the Office, Eddy himself was not happy
or contented. A dozen times Eddy
had threatened to himself to go back
to selling papers. "Slumpy,' his for
mer travelling partner, said he wouldn't
be shut up in an Office all day even if
he did have nice clothes to wear, He'd
rather be out in the air and along with
the other boys. But Eddy was getting
good wages, and he concluded to stick
it out and do the best he could.
One day the climax came, though.
Eddy started with his mail to catch
the eastern train, and he did not come
back until nearly night. Mr.. Wilson
in a very severe tone asked him to
give an account of himself. The boys
face was white, so white he looked
almost blue, and his lips were dry.
81 couldn't come back any sooner,
sir, 'Slumpy,' my old partner, was
killed by a cal and 1 had to go and see
his mother about it,"
In his hands he still held the letters
he had been sent to mail. Accidents
such as this are so common that Mr..
Wilson did not comprehend why it
should have particularly affected Eddy.
What vas it to you9" he asked.
why, Slumpy and me worked
together for years selling papers. His
mother took care of me when my
mother died. You see 1 was on a car
going down to the train and we were
going fast. Slumpy ran and tried to
catch on, but he fell and the step hit
him right here" and Eddy pushed up
the locks of ashy hair from his own
brow. "He fell back and the con
ductor stopped the a They picked
him up and the ambulance came and
the doctor said his neck was broken"
In a moment he went on: q had
to go and tell his mother, you know.
She lives way over on the East side
and if anybody had gone and told her
sudden-like it would have killed her.
I've just come from there"
Mr.. Wilson did not say anything
more, though the manager had told
him to discharge Eddy at once. They
couldn't have anyone around upon
whom they could not depend.
Come to me in the morning" MI.
Wilson said, 81 want to talk with
you"
Now Eddy has been noticed many
times by the proprietor of the popular
paper he used to sell. He was a man
who saw the little people always, as
well as the great. He printed a paper
that had been the workingman's cham
pion and the poor had always found in
him a friend. To him Eddy went and
told the story of "Slumpy's" death,
though some reporter had it in a line
or two in the paper.
"They are going to bury him from
sir, and Idon't like that. His
mother feels awful, butsh can't afford
a funeral. I've got a few dollars; 1
think enough to have him taken
home"
The proprietor looked down at the
little fgure-Eddy is small of his age.
"And your are willing to give your
savings to give Slumpy a funerals"
Eyes sir. There isn't much, but I'll
give what I've got" And he reached
in his pocket and pulled out a handful
of silver, which he laid on the desk.
q will have one of my men look
after it. You need not worry, Slumpy
shall have a funeral"
When Eddy was gone he called to