The Van Buren press., 1895-09-14
A HAM SANDWICH.
M MANY sELDEs M'cosB.


ssThe worst Of it ia you must give up
your schoolin', Johnny"
The little mother paused for mo-
ment and looked up from the shirt
which she was making. It was the
last Of . dozen. II she could but finish
Il tonight she would receive three dol
lars. II the work were not done, to-
morrow being Sunday. the small folk
would 60 hungry. SO the busy fingers
drove the needle nervously as she re-
repeated her plaiut
THE worst is your Rivin' up schoolin',
Johnny. Now the fathers dead and
gone, there's only me and you to earn
food for six mouths, boy. And you
was'such fine scholArl II by work..
ing my hands 70 the bone could keep
you to SCHOOL, I'd do 1t. But there,
5dhnny, the children's appetites is
hearty. and wages is 80 poorI'' =. - a. /.
Don't you mind. motherr aid the
boy; and he put Ms arm lovingly
around the slender shoulders. you
don't think I'd leave you tosupport
the family alone, do youp Yesterday,
81 fat1er's fnneral, / says 70 myself:
brace up, J. Ham, says I. You're
the head Of this firm now says l.
schooling may 60 70 the dogs says L.
So don't you mind, mother"
But ]. Ham himself minded" He
withdrew into an adjoining coal closet,
and wiped q suspicious moisture from
his eyes When he came out again he
olapped into the stove worn book,
Twenty selected Declarations.
II couldn't abide seeing that lying
round. and me just going to learn
'Epartacus to the Roman Envoys'
was sure, to take the prize for declama-
tion.i I'll keep my 'rithmetic; can
cipher at home. Great Scott!"
John pulled himself together with o
jerk.
s'I'm going out this instant moment to
hunt up job, mother" he said, cheer
lily. mind now, you Billy and Mag
gle and Katy and Sonny-boy, behave
yourselves while I'm gone"
This exhortation to the, small fry
was spoken as head of the Arm" II
John must take the place of father to
his brothers and sisters his authority
should be recognized Billy was duly
impressed, but Maggie gave pert lit
tie founce.
'When Nelly Sullivan's big brother
wants her TO behave he gives her a
aanolasses corn-bal1," she remarked,
jeeringly. AS John had not penny
he could offer no bribe..
There were no "jobs' waiting on
any y'corner Of tiie.city All day John
sought employment and came home
tagged. But as the shirts still lacked
many stitches he fell to and helped his
mother sew, and that very neatly.
All the next week he was on his feet,
but gained only rebuffs. He was not
strong enough 10 shovel coal, nor yet
to help an expressman who lifted
heavy boxes.
No "boys" were needed in the tele-
graph Offices, and the manager Of the
horse railroad invited him to call again
at the end Of Ave years, when he might
be old enough to act as conductor on
street car.
Heartsick and weary, John still kept
stiff upper lip before his mother.
'.Just you hold onr' he said, conf
IDENTIFY; "l1l fetch it soon, and then
you sha'n't sew another stitch for
pay
Another week, and still no Job"
Such a big world it seemed, and yet SO
crowded with people. Busy men filed
the streets; busy boys, too, for that
matter. One would say every place
was supplied.
Once and again John met some Of his
schoolmates. fffaF#
"What's become of you, Ham2' they
would ask; and John would laugh aud
answer:
'Oh, l amt going to school any
more. I've got all the book learning
want" ssl.|..5 II, -.s5.s.-s
But the laugh changed to sigh as
he turned the corner and went into a
store to see If a cash boy we're needed.
you're too DID," he was told.
"Fifteen!' unused John, bitterly.
Zoo old and too young, too short and
too tall, too strong and too weak.
Neither hay nor grass. Hard lines!'
The lines grew even harder. More
than once John made believe that he
was not hungry, SO that Billy and
Maggie might have the more dinner.
.But lit is a long lane that has no
turn" At last there came an evening
when John requested, briskly:
Breakfast at six thirty, sharp,
mother Tomorrow I'm a man o
business"
But when Mrs, Ham inquired the ma
ture Of this future occupation John
shook his head.
Its all right. It's square and hon
est, he answered; and that was all he
could be made to say.
He looked very sober when his moth
er's back was turned. but whenever he
caught .her eye he became promptly
hilarious. In the night the little
woman started up. thinking she heard
her boy groan. But, no, it was only a
cough; SO she lay down again and fell
asleep.
Every morning John sailed forth;
every eyenjng he returned as the clock
struck 1ive-Ae Ae~vas-always very tired
at tea time, .but-as he put seventy-five
-cents- each day into the family purse
Mrs. Ham ceased to ask questions.
As for any arithmetic study, that
svss impossible Once John brought