Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-20

A"V pays to what any boy in the store does.
" ~ lie Just tells EN- all to do everything
In sight and that if they do they'll get
=, ., better job and then he forgets they're
but Of you'
Little Joe Brent and Tommy hurry sat together
Ever Eve, e'T lunch in sheltered corner OF one great
been talking very earnestly. He was very much
troubled because he feeling, for the first time
mis- llfe that hard work and fatuness in the service
. OF an employer do not pay. And because mother
Whon ne was working 70 help, had always told him
that I hard work and fahulness and Willingness do
pay always and everywhere, and because Mr. Penield
who had hired him. had said the same he was very
much puzzled and worried, besides being discouraged
over the way things looked to him. And what
Tommy was saying was adding his trouble for
Tommy had been in Femmings longer than Joe and
was supposed to know.
How long have you been here?" asked Tommy
Five months" replied Joe
Didn't Mr.. Penfeld tell you that you'd get a better
yourself useful"
-, Joe nodded He couldn't deny it. though he didn't
IKE ;, Tommy's knocking tone as he quoted Mr. PEN
And haven't you worked hard;' pursued Tommy
why, every fellow on the floor says you're TOOL to
do SO much Tor everybody. You're always shown
not doorboy's. You're always helpn' those ribbon
counter girls fix their boxes and on, after hours
that's clerks business, but they just think you're
easy"
Well there isn't anything else to do" said Joe I'm.
You got your work as doorboy. Amt that
enough? Its all you're being paid for, amt it? You
don't get paid for those other things
know but that's the way 10 &c, up to better ob'
:asy! say don't you believe that There's rIhing
&C. it, You do dj Just what you get paid for and you're
any hardern l have to, and the other fellows don't
either"
off the packing-case on which he had been sitting and
walked indifferenty away to join group OF other
wieh he had been eating but he felt that his appetite
was gone He laid it down and looked after Tommy
with feeling that was growing bitter and hard and
angry.
Part of what Tommy said was true anyway, he
thought,Ithe part about the other boys not working
them all who had worked as hard as he had he knew.
and though he had never talked about it before he had
ought much E. and often often Of it, And it h seemed
Mother had said exactly the opposite, but perhaps
perhaps mothers couldn't always quite know. And Mr..
Penield-well, as Tommy had said MIR. Penfeld prob
ably did want to get all he could OF everybody in
the store. Almost all these boys had been the
"d os who he and sT so
Ws a t as he about da all WBe Mt could really
The hands the big clock pointed to the hour
mark and Joe climbed off the box to return to work
He, was not happy Indeed, he was very, far from it,
was very very much afraid that Tommy might be
right. and if he were, why, that spoiled all OF Joes
Joe was door-boy at Trimmings 1t was his stated
duty to attend one of the big revolving doors that
opened upon the street.
in store like flemmlngs, in winter weather. have
not revolving door. 1t is a device like turn
stile, made up of four doors, rather than one each
fastened by an edge to a central pivot which is set
in sockets in the floor and upper casing. The four are
braced by steel bars 10 stand at right angles
to each other They swing together in a circle, fol-
lowing each other around the pivot toward the right
like great paddle Wheel and they enclosed in
big, circular, box-like structure set in the place OF the
store door, with openings inside and ont, through
which the people pass. A man enters from one SIDE
pushes right hand door ahead of him, it turns
the central pivot and lets him the other side
and closes up to the opening behind him. The purpose
Of it all is to keep the big door practically closed all
the time. that cold drafts and rain and cannot
sweep into the store they would through ordinary
doors so constantly used
Joes task was easy one 1t surprising how
many people wanted to to the left through the big
door, which not meant TO turn that way. 1t was
his duty to direct them to the right. Then many
men and boys particularly, would push the door so
hard that it would whirl far too rapidly after they
had leYt for timid women to enter at 1t re-
u,red strength to stop its mad spinning such times,
and that part of Joes duty, too, Sometimes people
got provoked because the door turning too fast
fur them when they wished to pass would
Stop or move so slowly that the door would bump
was passing at the moment. And often people looked
against him and STOP and so bump every else who
at Joe or spoke to him il they thought it his
fault that they annoyed.
10 Joe on this afternoon when his courage had sunk
rather low and encouragement and doubt heavy
lust like something that rested his breast and made
II hard for him to breathe, IT seemed that he couldnt
the Aoor-waker gave him sharp reprin'and for a
moments absence from his post, when he had run
after a lady shopper to restore to her glove she had
dropped near him unnotced he was too angry and
proud and hurt to explain and Just walked back to
bis door and nursed the feeling bitterly.