The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-10-08
With Wit and Will

caves WAS udEA do GSgpLy dA0 bWOANN
year-old Dan Rugged the bed-clothes
up to his ears to shut out the sound
of his "rising-bell." He didn't want
to get up yet.
eHo, Dan! Ho, Dan! Ho, Danl" 1t
came persistently, right through the
bed-clothes. Dams big brother Dave
was the alarm-clock, and, once he
began, he never got done striking.
"Ho. Dan! Ho, Dan! Ho, Danl"
The alarm-clock was shaving now,
AND called as his occupation per
mitted.
"Oh, hold on!" cried a disguised
voice from the bedroom as Dan took
the floor with q thump that showed
both he and his temper were rising"
"All right" responded Dave,
cheerfully. "When you begin say
ing Hold on:' I'll stop saying Ho.
Dan!' But it's a hurry call, you
know, this morning. This is the day
you're starting out 70 seek your
fortune"
IN errand boyl"
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. You've
got the chance to see what kind O.
stuff you're made of, and, II you're
the right kind of a chap, you'll do It,
too. The kind ofywork you do doesn't
count it's thu way you do 1t. Got
that? You're all right, young Teller!
You didn't steal the name you go by.
Never was a Rfnggold yet that didn't
make good when he got a chance.
Father was the best and trustiest
man In the mill to the day he died.
We boys have got to make good on
hat reputation-see? And, besides,
while I'm all safe to make ends meet
for mother and you Molly for a while
yet. still--if l should begin } sort O.
droop and fade away, you know"
suggested the big brother, grinning
cheerfully at his healthy ~six-foot re-
Election In the tilted t~welve-inch look
ing-glass.
"Humph!" grunted Dan, jeeringly;
but an uncomfortable lump suddenly
swelled in his throat, and q stout,
"I'd do It'll suddenly said itself in
the heart he wouldn't show by day
light even to Dave or his mother.
"Black those shoes, Bubl" called
Dave, as Dan was starting down the
stairs. my kits out in the back
shed-do a good job with it. Makes
a lot O. difference bout being hired
sometimes. And say, boy, clutch
ing his shoulder as he stopped on the
landing,-ajust remember, will you,
that you're in training for the Mar
of the Family"
That was Dan Ringgold's speed
ing from his big brother for the
world of business. Fourteen Is the
age limit for leaving school, but Dan
had a special dispensation for that
year to go and learn the hardware
business, seeing that he was doing
we'll enough in his school work to be
ready for "high school" before the
average age of entering. Dave favor
ed it, and his mother had agreed when
the boy came home and annonced
that he had ~got a Job, If his folks
would let himi"
Goodbye, good boyl" was his
mothers smiling send-off at the door
step as she opened the door for him.
She knew we'll enough what an event
full morning it was for him, and she
had saved up q last word that he
would remember. Everybody ought
to have a motto, Danny! Did you
know what fathers was | gEess
you were too little to remember.
with wit and will that's it. He
used to say that would carry you
through anythils. Don't forget It'll"
He had to make a dash for the car,
for the hardware store was a good
two miles away, and 1t opened early.
when I'm out O. bed time enough,
/ can walk" Lo said to himself, shut
not II I'd be late. Wonder what
they'll set me doing first OFT
He did not have to wonder long.
There was an instant call for a 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 was that
| they seemed, most of them, to have
little or nothing to do with the hard
ware business. Were broken boxes
hardware? He had to move a big
pile of those fromBone end Of the
basement to the other, and then
clean up the floor that was covered
with chips and excelsior. He had
to clean and scrub a showcase and
oil the woodwork, and shine 1t up
with a silk handkerchief and elbow
grease. He had to do a good many
other things that seemed to have
very remote connection with -the
business" But he made no objec-
lions. He said to himself, very SEN
sibly, 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 irritably on the floor
above him as he was Juggling away
about noon over his broken boxes.
II want that box OF brass screws
sorted out, and / want en- 'quicki"
swell, you won't get 'em quickle