Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-02-06
-
from the
Democrats Pen
from the

Well, Sir, one morning last week,
shortly after I had recovered suffl-
GENTLY from my Humpty Dumpty act
to return to my desk, the door of my
office opened apparently of its own
volition, at least without any impell-
ing force that I could see.
Inasmuch as the wind was blowing
with some strength outside,
thought draft had made its way in
the vestibule and gently pushed open
the door. Just as I was about to a
rise to shut it, a little chap appeared
in the opening who looked like he
might be second cousin to General
Tom Thumb, and not yet grown to
maturity. 1 know he had to reach up
to the door knob to turn the latch,
and as sat at my desk, I still had to
look down into his face as he boldly
walked up to me and asked:
"Can 1 get a job in here"
Well, 1 just looked at him for sec
end or two, having lost my breath at
a request like that coming from
chap as small as he was-he looked
like a 1O-cent cake of soap after
weeks washing. q want to say that
smile is not original with me.)
"Well, young man," I said, I'VE
have been loking for man for some
time to do heavy work out into the
composition room; such as the put
and-take' job, putting forms on the
big press and taking them off; cut
ting paper when the knife has to go
through about a 1000 sheets of pa
per: handling heavy bales of paper;
cleaning out the furnace, making
fires, and, in general, doing mans
labor. Do you think you could do
that?"
l am confident the little chap didn't
understand a word / had said; but,
when I asked him if he was ready to
go to work, he said:
"No, sir" which answer possibly
showed may have been mistaken as
to the capacity of his think tank.
There was one thing I noticed: he
answered by the phrase, mo, Sir!
Nowadays, when you ask question
of a kid of the modern pattern, he
generally comes back at you with
"Na-a-h!" or "Yeah!" or a grunt
which when spelled out looks like
this: "M-M-hump," or "Ah-hah!" or
some other South Sea Island speci-
mems of lingo. But this youngster
said, "No, Sir!" and he looked me
right in the face when he said it, and
no kiddin.'
$50, you think you couldn't do that
work? What do you imagine you
could do in the newspaper business 2"
"I can sell papers," he came back at
me.
Well, now, that was bombarding me
right in my own home, but as we do
NOT use newsboys to sell papers, l
lust could not see how there was a
lob in store for this ambitious young
America in the Democrat" plant! l
told him just how we were situated.
He seemed to understand, too. He
turned around toward the door, and
as he passed out he said:
"Well, I'm going to Baltimore, and
/ bet I'll get job there!" And out he
went. I came near telling him to go
there and apply for place on the
police force, but l did not think he
would either see the joke, or might
see too much of it, and maybe it
would dampen his courage. But he
was in earnest about this unemploy-
ment business, and he was going to
make move toward steady posi-
ton. He deserved break and hope
he'll get it, but have sneaking idea
he'll have to grow little bit so a
prospective employer will have a lit
tie more to look at when the job-seek-
er comes into view.
couldn't help but compare his at
titude with big, husky individual |
saw holding up one of these one-way
street signs. 1t made a very nice sup
port for his broad shoulders, and
comfortable rest, since it swayed
little, back and forth as he rocked
himself. Wonder he didn't go to sleep.
was in need of man to do
small job, so 1 went across the street
and tackled him. l asked him if he
could work for me for a few minutes.
81 amt got no time, now"
what have you got to do?"
Use waitin' for man."
lis he going to give you job?"
"Nossuh, he's gwine pay me some
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