Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-06-20
HOW JOHNNY
GOT A JOB
By II. BARRETT SMITH
tCopyrigs.. By Joseph b. Bo~les.)

II was the day before Christmas
The hour was early, the store doors
scarcely open, but crowds had already
begun TO pour into the shopping dis
trict. In a big show window. now
q fairy grotto all frost and silver and
green, Santa Claus greeted the cary
corners. He knew his business, too,
tbs Santa Claus. He was not in the
ehSw window for his health. He
looked a trifie weary-he had been
working overtime-but he nodded and
smiled and smirked and winked at the
boys and girls outside the window
Johnny stood near the foot of the
elevated station, not far from Santa
Claus. There was a cutting wind.
lowering sky, and Johnny's jacket was
ragged, so were the knee pants" tina.
reached to his ankles; but Johnny
shuffled his feet and whistled SUNNY
Africa TO keep warm. The passer-by
who happened to catch Johnny's eye
tur1ed TO look at him again. True.
Johnny had wonderful pair of orbs
big, brown. wide open and touching,
they were dumbly eloquent: bu,
Johnny's appeal was entirely uncoI.-
scious, nor was il his desire to at
tract attention. He whistled, jiggeC
and looked innocent-there was a
game of craps under the elevated
stairs, and Johnny was "layin' fer the
cop"
Johnny felt he should not linger at
the corner this morning, but if his
'fren'" should win out" the order
would be cofee and rolls for two.
Johnny had to live. So he waited for
his breakfast, while his breakfast
waited on luck-not an unusual stu
alton for Johnny.
Come crap-come seven" a throw
of the dice, a cry of victory, an oath
OF defeat, and Johnny's whistle and jlg
came to dead stop together Johnny's
''fren'" went broke.
Johnny's eyes grew wide and sol
emn. He looked at his "fren'" M
man could tell what Johnny was think
ing. Johnny said:
Yer chump!"
tits tough said his "fren'"
IBIS bein' a sport on a couple o.
= Cents" said Johnny, in fine disdair
Il tolt cher not t do it on an empty
stomick. If yer got I gamble ye'
oughtn't never { do it if yer amt
first got yer roll-an cup o. coffee on
the side
At this the curbstone winner AMI
loser Joined forces and sent up howl
of derision, hurting at Johnny the
choicest bits of their picturesque We
cabulary.
u wan, yOuSe!" retOrted Johnny.
Then, adhering to his policy Of "havin
.. - ur
membered-Johnny always remem
bered in the nick of time-that he had
urgent business with Santa Claus.
Now the big show window and tie
grotto therein had no attraction for
Johnny-Johnny had an artistic TEN
permanent, an imagination. The dis
guise of this Santa Claus was too
shin" He was not the Kris Kringle
of -Johnny's dream. Johnny thought
there must be something queer" with
the crowd that allowed itself to be
taken in by dat wise old guy"
Johnny expected no Christmas gift;
but his spirit was not disconsolate.
neither was there rebellion in his
heart. Johnny's crying want came
from his stomach; he had to live,
so he turned his attention to the crowd
going into the store. For a few mo-
ments he was lost In a moving mass.
then he emerged on the inside of the
great swinging doors. How dead
easy" Johnny thought. The warm
air took him in it's fond embrace-how
nice it was. But suddenly he squirmed
and almost doubled himself. He felt
hand grab his jacket at the back OF
his neck.
What are you doing here?"
Johnny shot a look over his shout
der and thought he saw giant stan1-
Ing over him. 1t was only a floor
walker.
Tim lookin' fer job. Don't cher
want no more cash boys?"
The spoken word would have failed.
but Johnnys eyes got in their fine
work.
How old are you. anyhow"
Johnny looked small for ten. lie
might be year or two older; bu;
Johuny had to live. and with as much
gertrude as il he had his birth GER
u6cate to back him up. he answered:
Fourteen"
The giant looked quizzically at the
midget
We'll" he said. this IS the last day
Of the rush, but they are taking every
body on. You might go up and see
the superintendent His office Is at
the head Of the stairs there"
Johnny made for the stairs. Seem
ingly be lost no time as he zigzaggei
through the crowd Of shoppers. but
In that short passage Johnny saw
"heaped counters of riches" he saw
"pocketboolis in every hand" and on.
Of the Docketbooks flowed streams OF
money" When Johnny reached tho
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