The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-05-27


"Hel1o," she said, as the wanderer
shambled In.
Hello, Nelly" He saw that her eyes
were fixed on him critically, and felt
that he was not altogether fit for in
spection.
Aren't you working yet, Tim?"
Now this question, when put by any
body else than, OF course, his mother,
was in Tins sensitive ears thrust, II
veiled innuendo, an unfavorable verdict.
But he and Nelly had for long time
made friendly eyes at each other and
exchanged intimate condolences. For,
if Tim was unfortunate, he was also, ac-
cording to the standard of that neigh
borhood, distinctly mice" So Nelly's
voice had ring of sympathy in it,
which relieved the harshness of this
most embarrassing question.
NO." said Tim, mot yet"
"Why can't you get a place, Tim?"
81 don't know" he answered, with a
;sickly little smile. Il wish I could"
81 guess you don't try hard enough"
ooh, yes, I've tried" Tim was truth
tul. He put his statement in the pres
sent perfect tense. But it's pretty
hard"
"Other fellows get jobs. There's
Jack White, only graduated with you,
and now he's clerk in a dry goods
store"
"Yes, but Jack Whites fine writer,
and I'm no good at writing"
"Well, there's Walter Craig works i'll
a meat shop"
eyes, know. He got the place 1 was
going to get. His big brother goes
with the man that started the store,
and"
"Oh, we'll, there are lots of other
places. Don't you ever see any
chances?"
"Ye-es," replied Tim, slowly. yes
terday 1 went in to get place, but the
man asked me if l could make change,
and I never made change"
"But you could! OF course you
could! And you've got to make them
think so. Spunk up to anybody. That's
the way to get along. Why don't you
try selling papers?"
''Oh, I'm too old to sell papers"
"You aren't as old as the Martin boy"
-"Oh, well, he always sold papers"
Nelly ficked some dust off the wood
en- gate. 81 know what I'd do. I'd
get a wagon and peddle."
"Oh, people wouldn't buy anything Of
boy like me-"
Nonsense! You went round with
Dineen last summer, and everybody
said you hollered fine"
Determined as he was to deny himself
every imaginable virtue, Tim could not
contradict Nelly's last assertion. His
voice was famous, both for power and
quality, although, curiously enough,
when he tried to say the simple words,
IL saw in the papers this morning that
you w-wanted b-b-boy," it could sink
to the feeblest, huskiest whisper that
any employe ever heard from an appli-
| cant.
Anyway, I haven't any wagon or
anything" protested Tim, more fertile
in imagining obstacles than expedients.
''That wouldn't cost much," said Mel
ly, little doubtfully, because the price
of wagons was beyond her range. GLOW
much do you have to pay for horse?"
"Ten dollars. That's what Dineen
paid for his"
"And q wagon-a secondhand one,
I mean?"
"Oh, I don't know anybody that has
one to sell.'
"Well, if was a boy, I'd make one, -
said Nelly, sharply, and when Tim
looked in her eyes this time, he saw
that they were not quite like a mothers,
after all. They were sympathetic, but
| they also seemed to be examining him,
probing him, just like the eyes of those
terrible managers and foor-walkers
and employers.
"Where's Dineen's wagon? He isn't
peddling this year." said Nelly.
"Oh, I forgot that. But that's all
| old and-kinder-"
Couldn't you paint it up?"
"Oh, I'm no good at painting"
you're too-too bashful to live, Tim
mie Tighe. You just want somebody
to plant you in a chair, and put a pen
in your hand, and tell you what to write,
and you'll write it. But they never
will; and you'll go to the bad, if you
don't look out. That's what you'll do
ooh, no, I won't do that, Nelly"
81 wish was boy"
"Besides'-the idea of the peddler's
wagon haunted Tim strangely-"Pd
have to have a license, anyway"
"What OF it?"
"Where'd I get the money!"
"Your mother has some. She could
set you up. You could get license
easily enough, and wagon, too, and
q horse, and stock, and everything, il
yoT weren't such a-great big baby
Tim looked up once more in Nelly's
eyes. Now Nelly was not queen or 0
heroine of any sort. But the fire which
she flashed forth at that moment was
the very inspiration which has urged
kings and conquerors to their greatest
achievements-some of them no more
adventurous in their beginning than
our halting friend. Tim Tighe. Tim
read it directly. He saw fate in those
eyes; he saw initiative. They said
"Must;" they said "Will;" they re
fused with scorn to accept any palter
ing negative like Cant"
A week later he announced casually
to Nelly that he had bought Dineen's
old horse and wagon; and the look in
her eyes was friendly once more. II
had been hard work to persuade his
mother to advance so much money;
but if boy cannot persuade his own
mother, what hope has he of moving
tba ,.,OrId outSidao