Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-16
ANSWERING AN "AD."
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These six boys were waiting to be
lnterrogated as to their qualifications
for job. There was but one job, and
there were six boys, 1t was four min
utes, standard time, after the first
bunch of Stars, fresh from the presses,
had begun to go oil al the Star desk.
The six boys had Ueen loterng out
side the Star Office, regarding each
other suspiciously while they waited
for the paper. Their purpose was to
be No. l., each and all of them, in con-
ming the Help Wanted ads in the
Star. They all got paper at practi-
cally the same time, they all turned
to the Help Wanted" column at prac-
tically the same instant and they all
saw at once that there was only one
'Boy Wanted" ad. worth sprint
bundle wrapper in department store,
three and a half per week. Regarding
each other out of the tails of their re-
spective eyes, they made for the door
and started to sprint for the. f street
department store. II was a dead heat
between the entire six of them. They
pulled up at the delivery clerks side
door at the same instant-althoug
they had taken different routes
they all asked in breath where the
delivery clerk (the individual desig-
mated in the ad. as the employer Of
bundle wrappers) happened to be at
that moment.
"G'wan outside the door and wait
for him." said boy who, already be-
ing possession of job in the delivery
department, was unnaturally naughty
and in every sense superior to the
hoverers at the gates. The grandeur
OF Q boy who has got a job In his re-
lationship to boys who are only hunt
ing for a job is manifestation worth
the price of admission, anyhow.
The average age of the six boys was
about 10 years. Two of them were
quite scrubbed and done up, with nice
little knickerbockers, clean overhang-
ing collars, and other indications that
they had been sent forth by fond
mothers or sisters to win out in the
game of life. These two scrubbed
boys, while still regarding each other
suspiciously, yet held aloof from the
other four boys, who were not quite
up to their class in outward makeup.
Two of them, in fact, were quite
slouchy and common" looking, with
long pants peaked caps bearing
large advertising letters thereon, and
the butts of surrepttiously smoked
cigarettes in their hands as they
waited. Another was large, coarse
boy, whose mouth indicated that he
was addicted to the mastication Of to.
baccO.
The sixth boy was dark horse,
without any of the other five suspect
ing it. He was all boy. His suit was
pretty well worn, but it was brushed.
His shoes were worn down to the up
pers, but they had been polished with
stove polish, which made them appear
as if the boy had essayed a bluff at
getting them to look the best they
could look, anyhow. The boy needed
hair cut, but his hair was brushed.
He had around his neck a collar about
four sizes too large for him, which
told If raid, made with a good pur.
pose on the collar repository of his
big brother or his father. His face
was clean, and shiny, and freckled.
He passed the other five boys up as
soon as he found that it was a case of
wait for the delivery clerk, and, out
side the door, he interested himself to
the exclusion of everything else in an
aggregation of five fox terrier pups
which colored man had for sale on
the pavement. lie seemed to be con-
tent to let the other five boys get in
ahead of him when the signal came.
The fashion with which he kept his
gaze away from the delivery clerks
door seemed almost fatalstic. All Of
the other boys had their eyes glued
to that door when the boy with a job
appeared.
Come on in, you kids, one at Q
time" announced that important per
sonage, appearing suddenly in the
doorway. "Ihe boss'll have a look at
you. Hey, you come first" indicating
the boy with the marks of the tobacco
Juice around his mouth.
"You don't look swift enough for
the job" said the delivery clerk, dis.
posing of this one quickly. want a
boy with action to him. Wait outside
till I see the Others
"Hey, Archie, you can sail in now"
said the boy with job, appearing
again in the doorway, and addressing
one of the scrubbed boys with knick.
erbockers and overhanging collar.
"Um-ever worked before?' was the
way the delivery clerk tackled the
boy.
mo, sir, and only want to work
through the school vacation" replied
the scrubbed boy, in nice little train
cd voice. II don't really have to work,
you know, but"
Don't, hey?" asked the delivery
clerk. "Well, want boy that does
have to work, and ! want boy perma.
nently. That will do, son."
Hey, you, Reggy, the boss'll dish
you up now" said the boy with job,
showing up again at the doorway and
addressing the other scrubbed boy.
"You don't have to work, either, I
suppose?" said the delivery clerk,
looking his boy over.
"Er-um-yes, sir, II / can find
something where can go home to
dinner at five o'clock. We have din