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IT'S HIS CUSTOMER

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 25, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 47.

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IT'S HIS CUSTOMER.

A New York merchant called to a little bootblack to give him a shine. The little fellow came rather slowly for one of his guild, and planted his box down under the merchant's foot. Before he could get his brushes out another large boy ran up, and calmly pushing the little one aside, said:—
“Here, you go sit down, Jimmy.”
The merchant at once became indignant at what he took to be a piece of outrageous bullying, and sharply told the newcomer to clear out.
“Oh, dat's all right, boss,” was the reply. “I'm only going to do it for him; you see he's been sick in the hospital for more than a month, and can't do much work yet, so us boys all turn in and give him a lift when we can.”
“Is that so, Jimmy?” asked the merchant, turning to the smaller boy.
“Yes, sir,” wearily answered the boy, and as he looked up the pallid, pinched face could be discerned even through the grime that covered it. “He does it for me—if you'll let him.”
“Certainly; go ahead;” and as the bootblack plied the brush the merchant plied him with questions. “You say that all the boys help in this way?”
“Yes, sir. When they ain't got no job themselves, and Jimmy gets one, they turns in and helps him.”
“What percentage do you charge on each job?”
“Hey?” queried the boy—“I don't know what you mean.”
“I mean what part of the money do you give Jimmy, and how much do you keep?”
“Bet your life I don't keep none; I ain't such a sneak.”
“You give it all to him?”
“Yes, I do. All the boys give up what they get on his job. I'd like to catch any feller sneaking it on a sick boy.”
The shine being completed, the merchant handed the urchin a quarter, saying:—
“I guess you are a pretty good fellow, so you keep a dime, and give the rest to Jimmy.”
“Can't do it, sir; it's his customer. Here you be, Jim.”
He threw him the coin and was off like a shot after a customer for himself—a veritable rough diamond. There are many such lads, with warm and generous hearts under their ragged coats.—Selected.