Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-12-17
TINS
VACATION
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz
By L. E. SnATTUCK

He wasn't much of a boy as far az
size goes, for he stood hardly four feet
high, and he had a thin, peaked face
which made him look considerably
smaller than he really was. And he
wasn't much Of boy as far as looks
go, either, for he wore a rusty old
black coat, grimy bosom shirt, sew
eral sizes too large for him, without
any collar, and pair OF CASTOR pants
badly worn at the knees. His feet
were encased IN a pair OF ragged ten
MS shoes, and perched on the back of
his shock Of red hair was a dingy old
straw hat with the band and a part
of the brim missing.
To the casual observer our Tim was
a ludicrous combination of boy and
clothes; but to those who looked
closer the little thin face under the old
straw hat. and the long, thin arms and
hands which emerged from the frayed
sleeves Of his ragged coat, added an
element of pathos to this mirth-stir-
ring picture.
Tim was elevator boy in the office of
tho Morning Post. Where he came
from no one seemed to know, but from
the first day of his arrival the young
ster became a general favorite. He
was liked upstairs by the editors, re-
porters and compositors, and down
stairs by the press men, mailing-room
employees, and by the men in the Office
and business department In short,
there was not q soul in the establish
ment who did not know and like the
sociable little fellow who took SO &C
tive an interest in all that was 70
ing on.
But it was the local room where Tim
stood in the highest favor, and where
he most delighted to spend his spare
time. During his noon hour he often
helped the city editor edit copy" by
handing him bis mislaid shears or
mucilage bottle; and when any of the
men on the city stan came bustlinx
in with scoop" it was Tim who
aided him in landing it by running
the old elevator up the five stories at
a terrific rate of speed. Indeed, he
was a born newspaper man and could
appreciate the value Of news of what
ever kind almost as quickly as the
best reporter on the force.
Tim had been with US about six
months, when, one summer evening as
l entered the elevator car, the little
follow accosted me with: Say, Bill,
look at this" He addressed al the
men on the local force by some con-
traction Of the first name, and none of
them took it amiss, although more
than one was old enough to be the
boys father. As he spoke, the boy
pulled thumb-marked envelope from
his ragged coat and handed 1t to me.
CHANGING at the address read in the
familiar cramped hand Of Mr.. Hopper,
the managing editor, "Mr. Timothy
O'Brien." while down in the lower left
hand corner, inclosed In brackets. was
the inscription, Manager Elevator De-
partment"
Read it," said Tim proudly.
This Is what read:
Mr.. Timothy O'Brien.-Dear Sir: In
the assignment OF vacations yours has
been fixed for the week beginning June
IA. Wishing you a most enjoyable time,
am Very respectfully yours.
LEON H. HOPPER,
Managing Editor"
What der yer think OF THAR" asked
Tim.
Think? Why, think it's great"
said I, as handed back the pecious
document. Really. the situation was
delicious. Not only had kind Mr.
Hopper remembered the little elevator
boy with a vacation, but he had for
warded him a formal notification SIM
liar to those sent to every man on the
staf.
From the knitting Of the boys
brows. however, saw that something
more was expected Of me concerning
that notification.
At length he said slowly: Say, Bill,
what do you do with a vacation, any
way?"
A tocose remark rose to my lips, but
1t died away at the sight of the gen.
timely puzzled expression of the thin
little face, and a hard lump rose in
my throat. That last question Of
Tins gave me momentary glimpse
of another side. OF the little fellows
life, and set me thinking. Could It be
possible that he had never been on a
vacation?
Haven't you ever had vacation.
Tim?" I asked.
Nike" was the reply. yer see,
I've had to work steady ever since l
was a kid. / went to the park once
Il awhile for do afternoon, but yer
wouldn't call that vacation, would
yerT --------- !.