Short Stories » Hired Himself Out for Ten Cents

Hired Himself Out for Ten Cents

I KNOW a dear boy and have known him from the time he was a lovely babe in the arms of his lady mother.

Many of our valued friends who were reared in most comfortable circumstances, left all for the Gospel's sake, and in their homes here in Zion have been far differently situated as to incomes and conveniences. It was the case with this family.

There was a sweet little sister about three months old, the delight of the house. She was often restless with pain, and this distressed my hero, who was about seven years of age, and he was very anxious to know of something that would do her good. A lady who was making a call said, " If the baby had some pepper-mint, it would cure all that." The boy slipped quietly out of the room, and was seen no more that day until sundown, when he entered the house with a bright smile and had a little paper bag in his hand.

"My dear son, where have you been ? I have looked for you and called and did not know what to do." "Mother, I heard what Mrs. Clark said this morning and went out to hunt work. I offered myself to Mrs. Brown, the boarding-house keeper, for ten cents for the day, and here are three sticks of peppermint candy for the baby." After a happy embrace of the little sister, he triumphantly placed one stick within her hand. You may be sure his mother gave him a fond kiss and was proud to have a boy like that, who would go out with the spirit of a man and find a way to earn what he wanted, and all by the whisper of love.