The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-15
CopYright.

n II IS name WdS hdlliSN. Alo N"A' armed with his board of health \ ! certificate He was strong in the brazen necessary assertion that, appear ances notwithstanding, he was "oVer fourteen" He was hampered by no lack of sophisticatlon and looking for Joo had wfought within his bosom no new emotions. Yet, for all that, drawn thith- CT by the magnetic Boy Wanted,' his initial entrance to the shipping o1lce was timid and apologetic.
 He encountered the head office boy some few minutes returned from his daily pilgrimage to the New York office an important person or parts, who from the dignity of tall white collar and red necktie, grinned contemptuously at him. He himself grinned back utter de- preciaton. and spoke in a queer, shrill, voice The head office boy snckered in a superior way and jerked a thumb to- ward the assistant shipping clerk.
 Following this dignity, Matthew en- tered the superintendents office, and the assistant stepped aside to reveal him. with Boy looking for the job, sir and waited for anything facetious which Han ford might care to say.
 Hanford cared to say nothing faceti- ous, as it appeared rather astonishing after some thirty seconds. Indeed ne neglected even to smile, which was rath- CT disconcerting.
 What was his name? Matty SchWeltz- yessir, Matthew How old Fourteen last June Fourteen? Yessr, fourteen last June-seventh O June.
 Why wasn't he in school? Matty took this as a bright little jest, and grinned appreciativey as he made reply. Gotter Cat, Ever worked before? Sure-yessir. A year in a china factory, an six mont with a grocer, carrying out orders. And he vas only fourteen now? Well-yessir. Were his parents alive? -Yessir. Work ing? Yessir Ma took in washring Fa- ther? Stepfather, sir. Well--what did he do? Drank That last statement of oc- cupation Matty appeared to think. ex- plained the whole conventional situation and for Hanford it did. He rubbed slow ly on his glasses and mentally revoiVed Matty.
 The boy he needed should have been bigger and older and stronger; put ne looked again at this one, asking work be- cause he had to eat, noted the well soap ed hair the clean, thin cheeks, the rough ened hands with the red knuekles, the threadbare suit, the fairly presentaple shirt. the pipestem legs in the darned stockings the grotesquely immense shoes Hanford posssed heart and conscience which are at times nconvenient things; and when he was done with the inspec- ton he snapped his glasses into the case with certain air of finality.
 What wages have you been getting?' "Two'n a quarter at the chiny fac tory
 And at the-other placer?
 ''Platz's-de grocery? Dollars haf.' "One dollar and a half week?'
 "Yessir. Well Matty grinned dub iously. '1 guess the grub was sposed f count fer somethin."
 "Oh. you lived with them"
 "Nossir, ony t eat meals. They wasn't much" he supplemented. Mostly melted grease an cabbage an them gluey dump lins-Dutch stuff like that"
 ''JTm. Would you like to come here at three dollars week?'' Would l? Say, you gimme de show he pulled up sharply. Yessir.'
 Hanford turned back to his work and picked up his pen. Very we'll they would try him. George could give him time card and put him to work.
 Thus, athril with Something as near to childlike joy as was possible to his prematurely aged self Matty was led out of the presence and installed as junior general utility boy of the Burnside Chem ical Works.
 Perhaps by contrast with the days of the china factory and the grocery Mat thew seemed to regard his lot as happy rather than otherwise. He realized, too, that a large concession had been made in engaging him--he realized it fully after certain days of sweeping and bottle l1g- ging that would have set the muscles or larger boy to aching. He appreciated that Hanford had employed him nanny because he had to work to eat; and as he informed the superintendent rather lrrele- vanity one day while passing through the nitric acid shop, he intended to make good
 Hanford had fully intended to keep track of the boy, but there were other matters innumerable to absorb him, and some two months had passed before a chance came for the brefest study. That opportunity was not altogether happy one for as Matty stood waiting to take note to the manager in another build ing Hanford, staring at him thought fully, suddenly forgot his meditations for more concrete proposition.
 Have you been fghting?
 Matthew started.
 "Nossir."
 where did you get that lump over your eyer
 Matthew grinned, shifted and looked at the floor
 Pa"
 Hanford's brow contracted in scrowl. Do you mean to say that your step father struck you hard enough to make that swelling?"
 "Well-no, sir He didn't soak me anyway, it wasn't me he wanted to SOAK Yeh see," Matty looked up suddenly with an animated smile, "yeh see, mas always callin him down when he gets full an he always get red hot then an says he's goin' t kill himself if she don't shut up. An'-well, las night he was out all night an when he come home this morn in they got t scrappin, an ma said TT Cawd's sake go an do it quick Well, then he got hotter'n ever, an began ' cuss like h.. Huly gee! Didn't he swear An then he picked up chair an went f soak ma an I got in the way. Then they stopped, an pa went off somewhere: Say. but ma was cryin when l come L work. Oh. it don't hurt much,' he con cluded, with a consoling grin.
 Hanford sighed. Ten years ago he could have taken the child. found an officer and investigated the case forth with at 3S he was beginning to un-