Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-07
THE TWO EXTREMES

The boy Wanted sign had been OIL
| exhibition In the front showcase of tn,
| gents furnishing store all the morning
| ana the proprietor of the plant, bluff
| hearty out-and-out, somewhat slangy indi
svidual. had had troubles of his own in ex
| amining juvenile applicants who presented
themselves for the job.
| They had all been of such a truly good
| stamp as to cause the proprietor of the
! store the most intense WEAKNESS.
| They all had that scrubbed, sheepisI
| look. such as is worn by boys whose moth.
ers send them out to look for summer-va-
cation work.
And they all talked as if they'd been
tipped off by their mothers what to say in
asking for boys job.
Not acting their own parts therefore, 1t
was impossible for them to show up other
wise than as sort Of sneaky, hang-dog and
underhand.
They were too Internally willing to work
hard, and for long hours, 1t struck the man
who wanted to employ an errand boy, and
they were too unanimous in their expressed
desire to "help out at home" and they
were a whole lot too well primed in their
assertions that they just naturally hated to
be idle during the school vacations.
The boss Of the store was as polite and
considerate as 1t was In him to be in send
ing this procession of youngsters away, but
had tried them out and found them to be
all of a sort
Finally, along toward noon. a rather
tough-looking young proposition. with a
snub nose, freckled face, green eyes and a
confident grin, walked in and applied for
the job
And what makes you think you want a
job, my little MANI" inquired the boss.
"Aw, cause l need de coin,' was the re-
ply of the freckled boy. ~-
"Oh, that's it? And what would you do
with your pay, pray?"
Jaw, blow it, O. course-wot dye t'ink I'd
do wit it, send it t de heathen!
And would you be willing to work faith
fully from in the morning until in the
evening, and not keep your eye glued to
the clock all the timer
''Wer, I'd do me woik all right, but I'd
want t frame up me getaway wen de
whistle blew all right, at dat
In such kind did the green-eyed boy reply
to the queries that were put to him by the
boss of the store
well" said the latter finally 81 think,
my son, I will give you"
Right here, however. is the point where
this story turns off from the main road of
cactus of dead honest truth. No. the boss
of the store did not act as if the tough
frank lad had made huge hit with him.
He did not say to himself, well. here. at
boy that will probably develop into the real
thing" Not much, did he. Consequently
the main object of this veracious story, and
Of all others proceeding from the same
source, being the incubation of love for
strict truthfulness-
Well said the boss of the store, as the
snub-nosed boys homely face lighted up
expectantly, Il think l will give you about
as swift a ride to front door on the toe
of a No. IL shoe as you're likely to get for
the rest of your life. if only for the purpose
of teaching you little manners. you mis-
cradle young whelp. and to sort o. ride
some of the toughness out of YOU" and in
side of just nine seconds from the boss last
word the freckle-faced boy was on the
sidewalk. rubbing his person, and a whole
lot of his exterior toughness departed.
There's medium stratum in boys, just
as there. is in a heap OF other things, and
by evening the gents furnishing man had
employed lad who was neither goody-
good nor a ruffian.