The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-06-01
IheNew Boy S
Initiation

wag. SecOndarily, he was a very ex-
cellent stenographer, although in his
speech there sometimes lurked plu-
rality of negatives in one sentence,
while moods, lenses and such like
trifles were more or less ignored.
However, this lent picturesqueness TO
character really lovable and certain
ly fun-lOving.
In the course Of events new Office
boy was taken on. Alas. poor urchin.
Nothing so exciting had transpired at
Dope & Co.'S in. 10, these many years
Not, in fact, since one of the ancient
clerks in the bookkeeping department
had taken unto himself an actual wife,
who now kept him as busy hustling
as she had been wont TO keep the
telephone switchboard in her pre-
matrimonial days.
And SO Lawrence appeared on Mon
day morning to be the new Office boy,
his guileless countenance freshly
soaped by mother and his poor little
hair wetted and brushed within an
inch Of its life. 1t really was shame,
and the details are too narrowing to
be chronicled. But, be it said lest the
tender-hearted weep in vain. that he
lived bravely through his initiation by
the three veteran office boys, having
been discovered in the storerOom
punching the largest of the trio
valiantly in the spot where he had
just slowed two sandwiches. This
won him Immediately place among
the elect
But there was still McNulty. Nc
Nulty declared that the recruit had
no business to be named Lawrence
An Office boy ought to be Bill or jim
or Mike. but, anyhow, he would give
him one chance to run an errand an6
see if there was anything in him.
McNulty's typewriter desk had beer
out of order for a week. 1t COULDN'T
be made to open when it was shut
and if you ever got it open you coult
never shut it again. Now. the Blanl
building is rambling old place. il
whose lofty. well-kept corridors there
is usually to be found cheerful Hi
bernian with a rag busting up ant
polishing things. Hence, when Nc
Nulty summoned the recruit ant
pointed to his broken desk with +;
casual, "G'wan down and tell Pau
Morton to come up here and fix thi
desk right away. I'm tired of havin
it On the bum" the urchin obedientl.
hustled out into the hall to see if h
could find a blue-jumpered servitor an
swering to the name Of Paul.
There was none on that floor, s.
Lawrence skipped into the elevate
going down.
We'll, kid" said Pleasant Pat, tn
Where ye goin?'
I'm lookin' fer Paul Morton-knov
where he ISL
| GOrrah, we're a fresh little mus
We are. Just for that I'll put you o
at the second-that's Paul Morton
floor-and ye can walk up, or dow
or wherever ye're goin'." And Pa
suited the action to the words wit
a muscular slam of the gate.
But Lawrence, being dead in ear
est, and not seeing any blue jumper
on this floor either, was beginning
feel discouraged when he caught sigl
of large person upholstered in
beautiful uniform who looked as if |
ought to know where everybody wa
Have you seen Paul Morto
around this floor lately?" began La
renee, insinuatingly I'm trying
find i'm
The Large Persons eyes RENAME
stonily fixed upon the regiorf of La
rence's cowlick
Sure. Him and me was just stan
in here a minute ago talkin' to Tedc
Roosevelt and John d. Rockefelle
Was they expectin' you?"
i ''Aw. quit yer kiddin I'm in
; hurry. II you see him, send him II
stairs to Room Umpty-two. They wa
, him to fix desk up there-McNulty
i, desk-it's been busted for a week al
. they want him quick. see?''
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