The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-02-13

Ine hardware business, seeing that he dong
well enough with his school work to be ready for
high school before the average age of entering.
Dave favored It. and his mother had agreed when
the boy came home and announced that he had
got job, if his folks would let him.
"Good-by good boy" was his mothers smiling
send-off at the door step, she opened the door
for him. She knew well enough what an eventful
morning it for him, and she had saved up a
last word that he would remember Everybody
ought to have motto, Danny. Did you know
what fathers was! | guess you we're too little ia
remember. With wit and will'-that's it. He used
to say that would carry YOU through anything
Don't forget it."
He had to make a dash for the car for the
hardware store was a good two miles away, and it
opened early.
when I'm out o bed time enough can walk
he said to himself, but not if I'd be late, Won
der what they'll set me doing first! p
He did not have to wonder long. There was an
instant call for boy of his size and appearance
the minute he had his cap and coat off. The calls
kept up all the forenoon, and what puzzled him the
most that they seemed most of them, to have
little OF nothing to do with the hardware business.
Were broken boxes hardware. He had to move a
big pile of those from end of the basement to
the other and then clean up the floor that was COW
cred with chips and excelsior. He had to clean and
scrub show case. and oil the wood work. and shine
it up with silk handkerchief and elbow grease.
He had to do a good many other things which
business" But he made objections He said
to himself very sensibly that that wasn't what he
was hired for-to make objections.
where's that young shaver we took on this
morning" he heard the "boss" saying irrtably on
the floor above him, as he was Juggling away about
noon over his broken boxes. 81 want that box of
brass screws sorted out, and 1 want EN- quick
"Well, you won't get 'em quick" retorted the
head clerk, laughingy. The boy that upset the
little pin-tacks into EN- worked half day at it,
till | told him he'd better go where he could work
by the Job at so much lifetime and [ guess Eve
put about fourteen hours into it, off and on Might
well sell that box for what it will fetch for old
junk. Never'll get 'em separated"
Set him at it, said the boss" briefly
This was hardware! "A little bit of fifty
million little bits of it,. Dan said to himself grim
ly, after he had worked while picking out the
tiny pintacks that stuck in his finger-ends so shat
he had no trouble in finding them, but was able to
pick the mout laboriously, one by one setting the
brass screws IN another pile as he picked them out
MY! but it'll take me a year." he said to him.
self wiping his forehead, which was wet and glow.
ing in his effort to make haste and do what the
others had failed on. I'll do it, too if it does
take it." he said, doggedy, remembering fathers
motto-"With wit and will"-"that was what moth.
er said He never gave up, and | won't. l will
do it will. seef | don't"
And he fell to work again Suddenly he stopped.
stuck his head on one side and whistled softly
admonshed the head clerk. and Dan took his hands
out of his pocket, blushinelv deeply But he only
stepped over to counter whore he had seen some
magnets, and picked out a good-szed horseshoe"
Then he came back and deliberately poured out the
bOxfuI upon big sheet of brown paper on ton of
the show case. Then he began digging with his
new tack-finder. The tiny lacks jumped at it as he
dragged il slowly through the brass and-iron Junk
heap. He drew it out fringed with thick clusters of
them He brushed them off with his hand into
an empty box. and set the magnet TO work again
The tack box filled quickly and soon there began
to be shining heap of brass screws ready fos the
other box.
Dan couldn't help whistng at his success.
There was another part to that motto" he said
to himself, "'Tisnt all will; you got TO use your
wits. and its lucky thought of you you beauty"
The whistle however drew the attention of the
clerk again, and he looked up in temper. think
ing he should find the boy dawdling. They had an
order for those screws, and wanted them badly The
thing he saw made him come over to Dan to see
what he was up to.
"Well, you've got a head on yoH" he exclaimed,
admiringly. Here, give me that pile you've got
clear; Will you! Right in this box: | want en-
He took the boxful and stepped to the door of
the inner office.
Here's your screws-part of EN-, and the rest
will be done in half an hour That boy of yours
has got head-piece that's worth money Took a
magnet, and did in half an hour what I'd been half
day about. He's in on trial, but L guess you'll
say he's worth keeping"
The "boss" did say it, He'came out and leaned
on the counter and watched Dan finishing UP his
job, and chuckled softly to see him do it! He did
not say much to Dan, beyond Good work." and
word or two of that sort. But to the head clerk.
who also spending valuable time watching the
performance, he remarked in low voice:
Guess we can do better than waste him on pill |
ing up kinding wood. Shove him along as fast as
he'll go naturally III make place for him
"'Twas fathers motto did il" said Dan, Joy
usly, telling mother and Dave about it that night
It supper-Anna Burnham Bryant.
"