John's Boy
by Allie Woodruff
“Say! Mister, can you give me a job?”
John Preston turned sharply around to see who had addressed him, and saw a thin, hungry faced boy, not more than twelve years old, his clothes threadbare, and his shoes the worse for wear.
At this moment Mr. Preston was trying to solve the difficult problem of how his heavy laden apple orchard was to be cleared, and the fruit safely stored before frost. He did not understand the question, but he instinctively put his hand in his pocket and brought out a handful of pennies and dimes.
The boy blushed as he moved his feet uneasily as if to hide the hole in his shoes, as he said:
“No, sir, please don’t; I only asked you for a job; I don’t want money until I have earned it.”