Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-02
BOY WANTED"
BY HAFRIET {. HAWLEY.

Uncle Jonat han determined to get a
boy to help him about the shop and de-
liver packages. So he had printed q
! want card and sat down to await re-
suits. 1t was quarter past 6 when he re-
paired to his back room TO arrange his
evening meal.
He trotted back and forth, all the while
talking to Thomas, large gray cat, who
purred sociably and rubbed his legs in a
most sympathetic manner. First he laid
square of linen upon one side of the
table. then he took from high cupboard
in the corner an old fashioned blue and
white china cup and saucer and plate, and
then beside them he laid bone handled
knife and fork
He lifted the cover of pot which was
boiling upon the stove, took down a tin
can of yellow meal and let it sift through
his fingers into the pot, all the while stir
ring it briskly and keeping up steady
conversation with Thomas, who sat
watching his movements with wide yellow
eyes. Suddenly he paused and listened
"Thomas did you hear a knock?" he
asked "Now, we never open the shop
doUr after we have closed for the night
Every one knows that Still, Thomas;
we must see who it is. ~ So, after pushing
the buhbling, seething pudding to the
back of the stove, he took the light and
followed sedately by Thomas, passed
through the store to the front door
who's there?" he called.
1t was a child's voice that replied, but
so family he could not understand the
words. Children always appealed to
Uncle Jonathan's heart, so he sat down
the lamp and made haste to open the door.
1t was a little girl with a large bundle
in her arms The night was clear, but
very cold, and the sharp air cut like a
knife and threatened to blow out the
the door to small crack-a most inhos-
pitable way, he thought, to talk with a
child.
''Come inside, my dear, and tell me
what you want. It's too cold to be stand
ing here"
"Please, sir" said the girl as he closed
the door, "you wanted a boy"
"Yes, so 1 do Do you know of one?"
She did not reply at once, but COM
menced tagging at the bundle she carried
in her arms. 1t was heavy shawl and
when she had found the head of frac-
tious pin and pulled it out the shawl fell
away from the tumbled head and rosy
cheeks of a baby boy of perhaps 8 years of
age.
'Bless my starsl" exclaimed Uncle
Jonathan. Its baby"
Eyes, SIR" said the girl. But it's a
boy
Then Uncle Jonathan laughed. How
he did laugh and shake and chuckle, while
the children watched him with great,
round, serious eyes.
'tPlease, sir, you said you wanted a
boy" The child's voice was so sad. so re-
proachful, that Uncle Jonathan immedi-
ately stoppetflaughing.
II did did, NY dear, but Gne big
enough to help me in the store Now, if
you were boy you could carry papers,
you see, buta baby''-again he broke into
hearty peal of laughter, in which the
baby joined, clapping his hands.
''Thats right, my little man. You see
the funny side, don't you? And sister
mustn't cry as he saw two big tears
steal down the girls face. ''I'll tell you
what We'll do. Come into the back room.
and we'll all have supper together and
talk it over. The pudding is DONE"
The magic word pudding dried the
tears, and while Uncle Jonathan busted
himself putting on an extra blue and
white plate, cup and saucer and pewter
mug which he took from the top shelf of
the cupboard the child took off her own
ragged jacket and hood and released the
baby from his imprisonment in the gray
shawl
"What is your name?" he asked.
MARY Macdonald, sir, and babys
name is Roderick' -
Scotch" said Uncle Jonathan "That
is good, honest stock, isn't it, ThomasP"
Thomas was making the most friendly
overtures to the baby, who in turn viewed
him with round eyes of delight and won
derment and made frantic grabs at the
waving tail and the yellow eyes. But
withal Thomas was wary and managed to
keep just out of his babyship's fingers.
where is-where is your mother?'
Uncle Jonathan asked this question hesi
tatingly, for the children didn't show
much evidence of a mothers care.
Mother died two weeks ago." and
Mary's voice broke, land father went
away when Roddy was a tiny little baby,
and, oh, sir''-it seemed as IL the warmth
of the room and Uncle Jonathan's kindly
manner had suddenly given her conf
dence-"I am too little to sew as mother
did. You see, 1 am only IL this winter,
sir, and I can't earn any money. You
said you wanted boy. thought Roddy
might do; he is such good little boy. He
hardly ever cries, and Il you would let
me come and see him sometimes"
By this time tho tears were rolling fast
down ths ehild's excited feoe, and some,