The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1907-03-23
THE VERY BOY.


ent of the Eureka Manufacturing Co.
as he and the president came down
the steps of the office at the noon
hour. t-
What about him. asked that
shrewd old gentleman.
"He has an inventive turn of mind,
and has already made several sug,
gestions that have saved us lot of
money"
"How old is hep
Fifteen"
Fifteen? He is a mere child"
Bat he has a mans head on his
shoulders. There he is now-the
little fellow that just threw that hand
spring. He's the queerest possible
combination of childhood and man.
hood that ever l saw. What in the
world is he up to-"
AS the superintendent passed fair
haired, slightly built lad disentangled
himself from crowd of fifty of sixty
workmen who were hurrying into the
street and hid behind the corner of the
building, peering keenly toward fig
ure coming slowly down the road. The
object of his attention, a man of al
most gigantic mold, was dressed in
his working clothes, having evident
ly just come out of the rolling MILL
where he had no doubt, been pud-
ding iron. In spite of his dirt stained
garments, he presented not only an
imposing but an attractive appearance.
His great head was finely poised upon
his broad shoulders. His features
were strong, his blue eyes keen, and
his heavy shock of hair frey red that
his shopmates called him the 'Vol-
cano." The boy permitted him to pass
the corner and then with an agile
spring bounded onto his huge back
and flung his arms around his neck.
"You little imp!" the two observers
heard the giant exclaim, and they saw
him hoist his evidently not unwelcome
burden across his shoulders and start
down the street on run, the boys
musSSal laugh ringing out, and the
crowd cheering.
That's his crOny-Mike McGinnis,"
said the superintendent.
"Queerly mated pair the president
replied.
Perhaps you never heard how they
became friends
mo"
well, this little shaver's name is
Alfred Atherton. He lived in little
town up in the State somewhere; and
when his parents died, a couple of
years ago. he struck out for himself,
and came down to Cincinnati. For
few weeks he sold papers, then got
into the messenger service, and finally
landed here. He was good natured
and clever, making many friends, but
exciting some hostility by his indomi-
table teetaSalism. While he was not
aggressive about his temperance
ideas, it became perfectly evident that
he disapproved of his shopmate's
habits of rushing the growler' They
resented this, of course, ridiculing,
abusing and tempting him cruelty.
Nothing could move him, however, and
they resorted to the scurviest trick
you ever heard about.
q Eight or ten of the biggest and
toughest boys in the shop devised
scheme to inveigle him into one or
the saloons, and either persuade or
force him to drink glass OF rum
Somehow or either they got him in
side the door, and, failing to make
him obey them voluntarily, began to
threaten. Well pour it down your
throat they said. you will?' he cried
with flashing eyes. Well see! My
father fills a drunkards grave, and /
promised my mother on her dying bed
that I'd never drink a drop! Now
make me break that promise If you
can With these words still on his
lips the little shaver flung off his coat
and set his back against the wall.
I'm a jiffy the crowd was on him,
and he went down, but fighting like
a wildcat! Several of them held his
hands and feet; others pried his
mouth open, and one was just going
to pour the whisky into 1t, when this
same big Irishman sprang from his
chair and, selling them one after an.
other flung them across the room as
il they had been five.pound bags Of