The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-06-15
HOW JOHNNY
GOT A JOB
Dr. II. BARRETT SMITH



Il vas the cay before Christmas
Z The hour was early. the store doors
{ scarcely open. bur crowds had already
begun 20 pour into the shopping dis
tEici- In a big show window. now
4 fairy srofto all frost and silver anf
T green. Santa Claus greeted the ear.y
I comers. lie knew his business. too.
4 this santa Claus He was not in the
show window for his health. lie
looked a uife weary-he had been
working overt.me-bu. he nodded and
smiled and smirked and winked ct the
boys and girls outside the window
Johnny stood near the foot Of the
elevated station. not far from Santa
Z Claus There was n cutting wind.
z lowering sky. and Johnny's jacket was
( ragged. so were the knee pants" thai
reached 10 his ankles: but Johnny
shutied his feet and whistled sunny
Africa" TO keep warm. The passer-by
who happened TO catch Johnnys eye
turned 20 look at him again. True,
Johnny had a wonderful pair OF orbs.
big. brown. wide open and touching.
they were dumbly eloquent. b1i
Johnnys appeal was entirely uncoi--
scious. nor WAS II his desire 20 AZ
tract attention He whisyled. iiggec
and looked !nnocent-ihere was 2
game Of craps under the elevated
stairs. and Johnny vas -layin' fer the
cop
Johnny felt he should not linger at
the corner this morning. but II his
-ircn should win out the order
would be coffee and rolls for two
Johnny had 20 live. So he waited for
his breakfast. while his breakfast
walted on luck-not an unusual stu
alton Tor johnny
Come crlp-come seven" a thro~
Of the dice. a CRY OF victory. an oath
Of defeat. and Johnny's whistle and JIG
came 20 a dead stop together. Johnny :
-.ren went broke.
Johnnys eyes grew wide and so.-
emn. he looked a. his -Iren'-" No
man could tell what Johnny was think
ing Johnny said:
Yer chump,~
Its tough said his f-en'."
Dis bein' a sport on a couple o
cents" said Johnny. in fine disdaic
Il tolt cher not L do IL on an empty
stomick II yer got : gamble ye-
oughtat never L GO II II yer ain .
first got yer roll-an' cup O. coffee on
the side"
At this the curbstone winner am
loser Joined forces and sent up a howl
OF derision. hurting at Johnny the
choicest bits OF their picturesque W
eabulary.
'G'wan. yOuse,~ reto-ied Johnny.
Then. adhering 10 his policy OF -havin'
yer say an quittin'." he suddenly r.
memberei-Johnny always remem
bered in the nick OF time-ihat 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
thin. He was not the Kris Kringle
OF Johnny's dream Johnny thought
there must be something queer" with
the crowd that allowed itself TO oe
taken in by dat wise old guy"
Johnny expected no Christmas gift:
but MS spirit was not discOnsolate
neither was there rebellion in his
heart Johnay-s crying want came
from his stomach. he had 10 live
so he turned HIS attention 20 the crows
going into the store. For a few no
merts he vas lost in a moving mass,
then he emerged on the inside Of the
great swinging doors. How dead
easy" Johnny thought The warm
sir took him in its fond embrace-hoH
nice IL was But suddenly be sruirmed
and almost doubled himself He felt
Z hand grab his jacket Al the back OF
h.s neck
What are you doing here
Johnny shot q look over his shout
der and thought he saw a giant stan,.-
ia- over him. Il vas only q hoo--
walker.
lin lookin' FER job Don't chef
want no more cash boys"
The spoken word would hare failed
but Johnny's eyes got II their IN,
WORK.
How old are you. anyhow"
Johnny looked small for ten III;
, night be a year or two older; bui
Johnny had TO live. and with as much
gertrude as II be had his birth Ger
udcate to back him up. he answered:
J "Fourteen.~
The giant looked cuizzicalIy At rs
midget
Wei" he said. this IS the last del
: n the rush. but they are taking every
BODY en-. Yol might 20 up and Sc
the superintendent HIS ONCE Is n
the head q the stairs there"
. Johuay rnade for the stairs. Seen.
.nglv Re lost DO time IS be zigzagEet
through the crowd Of shoppers. b.
in that short passage Johnny sa-
-heaped counters OF riches he saw
'pocsstb0oGs IN every hand and Gu
Of the pocketbooks flowed streams o