The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-02-13
WANTED A BOY.
Why The Sign Disappeared.
CRAWFORD MILLS KILLED. TIE BILL.

sign again. It seemed to be always
in Mr.. Peters window. For a day or
tWo-sonletimes ody for an hour or
two-it would be Kissing, and pass
ers-by would Worder whether Mr..
Peters had at las, found a boy to
suit him; but soon#r or later 1t was
sure to appear again.
What sort Of q boy does he want,
anyhow" one an1 another would
ask; and then they would say to one
another that they supposed he was
looking for a pelfect boy, and in
their opinion he Wtuld look great
while before he foRnd one.
"AlI he wants is for a fellow to
run on errands; itmust be easy work
and sure pay''-,tis was the way
they talked to one another: but Mr..
Peters wanted something more than
a boy to run errands. John Sim
mons found it out, and this is the
way he did it. He had been engag-
ed that very morning, and had been
kept busy al the forenoon at pleas
ant enough work; and although he
was a lazy fellow, he rather enjoyed
the place.
1t was toward the middle Of the
afternoon that he was sent I'D to the
attic, dark, dingy place, Inhabited
by mice and cobw5bs.
"You will find a long, deep box
there" said Mr.. Peters, (which ]
want to have put in order. 1t stands
right in the middle Of the room
you can't miss il"
John looked doleful. ga long,
deep box! | should think it wasn'
he said to himself. as the attic door
closed after him. cit will weigh a
ton, | guess; and what is there in it?
Nothing in the world but old nails
and screws and pieces Of iron and
broken keys and things-rubbish,
the whole Of it. Nothing worth
touching. And it is as dark as a
pocket up here, and cold, besides.
How the wind blows in through
those knot-holes! There's mousel
II there is anything hate, its mice!
I'll tell you what it is, if old Peters
thinks I'm going to stay up here and
tumble over his old, rusty nails. he's
much mistaken. | wasn't hired fer
that kind of work
Whereupon John bounced down
the attic stairs three at a time, and
was found lounging in the show
window an hour afterWard when Mr.
Peters appeared.
Have you put the box in order al
ready?" was the gentleman's ques-
ton.
q didn't find anything to put in
order; there was nothing in it but
Oiu naliS anu lillilgS.
Precisely at 6 o'clock john was
called and paid the sum promised
him for days work; and then, to
his dismay, was told that his services
would not be needed any more.
He asked no questions. Indeed,' he
had time for none, as Mr. Peters i'm
medately closed the door.
1t was Crawford Mills VINO was
hired next. He did not know the
other boy, and so did his errands in
blissful ignorance Of the long box
until the second morning Of his stay,
when, in a leisure hour, he was sent
to put it in order. The morning
passed, dinner time came, and still
Crawford had not appeared from
the attic. At last Mr.. Peters called
him: "Got through?'
"No, sir; there is ever so much
more to do"
"All right. 1t is dinner time now.
You may go back to it after din,
ner."
After dinner he was sent back.
All the short afternoon he was not
heard from, but just as Mr.. Peters
was deciding to call him again, he
appeared.
1--WE done my best, SIR" he said
land down at the very bottom OF
the box found this"
"This' was a five-dollrr gold piece
That's a queer place for gold,
said Mr.. Peters. It's good you founc
it. Well, sir, l suppose you will bt
on hand tomorrow morning?"
This he said as he was putting th'
gold piece in his pocketbook.
| After Crawford had said good
night and gone, MIR. Peters took tn
lantern and went slowly up the atti
stairs. There was the long, deel
box in which the rubbish Of twenty
five years had gathered. Crawfor'
had evidently been to the bottom. d
had fitted shingles to make compart
ments, and in these different room
bo had nlaced the articles with bit