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The Man Of The House

The Man Of The House image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
February
Year
1881
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The boy marchcd straight up to ibe counter. " Well, niy little man," said the nier chant eomplaeeutly - he liad just tw n tï.im suoh a glorious and frooa dinner - " Wliat will you liave to day ?" " Oh, please, sir, mayn't I do lome work lor yuu '.'" lt uiigbt have been the pleasaot blue eyes that did it, lor the man was ii.it acctistoined to p.irley witti sueh small gentlemen, i and Tommy was not seven yet, and smull of his age at that. There were a few wisps of liair on the edge of' the merehant's tt-tnple, and looking down on the appealiog Me, the man pulled at them. When he had diiiie tweakinir theui, he (ave the end ot' his cravat a brush, and then his hand tniveled down to his vot pooket " Do som e work for me, ih ? Well, now, about what sort ot' work ndgbt yotir iimnship calcúlate to be able to perfora? Why. you can't look over the counter." 'Oh, yes, I can; and I'in growing. please, growing very tast - there ! sec f I can't look over the counter!" Yi's, by standing on your tnes ; aro they coppereö?" "What, sir?" " Why, your toeH. Vuur inother coulln't keep you in ihoei if they were not." " She can't keep me in shoes uiyhow, sir, " and the voice hesitated. min took jiuins to look ovtr the oounter. It too muoh for liim ; he ' linie tees. 'Ilion he went all the way round. " I tbought I shuiild neod a miciXi-eji , ¦ ue said -very gravely " hut L teukod it 1 get close i-nough 1 ean sèp what yoti look like." " l'iu older than ['m big, sir," was the neat rejoincr. Polkf say ('m ?ery sin:ill ot my age." "And wl.ut might your age be, sir?' lesponded L;e man with emphasis. " I'in alum-t Meven," said Tommy, with s lonk cnlfulated to impress even six t.-.nine. " Vuil see my mutlifi tiaan't any body but me ; and this morning I saw her crying because she could not find five cents in lur pocket-book ; aiidshc thinks the boy that took the ashes tole it- and- I- havn't had - any bwakfsat, sir.' The voioe agai i lic-itati'il, an,l tïtr c Éne to the blue eyes. " _l reckon I can help you lo a bréajtiagt, my littlo fellow," siid the man, feèlibg in hia vest pocket. " Tlicre, will thut ()uarter do?" The boy shook bis hi ftd. " Mother wouldn't let me beg, sir," was bis simple reply. " Ilucup ! Where'syour father ï" " We nev.T heiird vi' him, sir, after he went away. He was lost, sir, in the steamer, City ot' Boston." " Ah ! you don't -ay. That's bad. Hut you area piuoky little fellow, anyhuw. let me see," and he poi,dered, puckering up his mouth and lookim straight down into the boy'.s ejes which ware looking straight up into his. "Saunders," he asked, addressing a elt rk, whii was rollinr up and writing on paroels, ('atl1 &'., 4 st] siek?" " Dead, sir, died laat night," was the low reply. "Ah, I'iu sorry to lifar tliat. Wel] bere's a youngstcr tliat can take his plaoe. ' ' Mr. Saunders looked up slowly - then lie put his pen beliiud his left ear- then his glance travoled curioualy t'roui Tommy to Mr. Towers. " Oh, I understand," said (he latti r ; " yea lhe ia smalt, vory small, indeed, hut I like his pluck. VVhat did No 4 get?" " Th ree dollars, sir," said the still a9toiiished olerk. " l'ut this boy down four. Therejoungster, give liim ycmr name, and run home, und teil your iuother you've got a place at four dollars i wouk. Como baak on Mondar, and I'll teil you what to do. Here'a a dollar in advanee ; i'll takc it outofyonr íirst week. (Jan you reuieniber Y" " Work, sir - work all the time?" " As lomg as you deservo it, my man." Tommy shot out of the shop. If ever broken stairs tliat had :i twist through the whole tiight cracked under the wi;ÍL'l)t ol'a small boy, or pcrhaps, as uiay be better ¦tated, laughed aud chuckled on account of a small boy'a ood luck, thoso in that traement house enjoyed theinselvos thoroughly (hat morninfi. "I've got it, mother ! I'm took ? l'm a cash-boy I Don't you know when they take mrcela, the olerka cali ' Cash ?' Well, l'in that. Foor dollars a week ! And the man aid l had real pluck - courage, you know. And here'sa dollar for braakast ; and dimt you never cry again, for l'm tlie man of' the house now. " The house was only a little ten by fiftcen room ; but how those blue eye-t did mgïifyitl At 6rst the tuother looked 8OB'ounded, thcu she looiied faint, and then ihe looked - well, it pauses uiy power to teil iow she did look, as she caught the boy in ier anus, anJ hugged and kissod him, and ears streaming down her cheeks. 15ut

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News