Show 3 0 ea chr abna bv C P huou cook WO weeks before christmas joe was elated to be offered a new job a real position this time for five years since he be was thirteen lie had bad worked for a alioto photographer ra and was earning only sixteen dollars a week it seemed to him that ho be would remain at that humble wage the rest of his life II if lie he did not get out and do something right away at eighteen a boy should be making good it if lie he Is eier eer going to at least so joe thought and with a sick father and two younger brothers to help support lie he really needed more so when a competitive peti tive firm offered him twenty five fite dollars a week lie jumped at the bigger opportunity and resigned his old place but joe was no slacker and although he be was getting through on saturday night the saturday before christmas and though he had to be at his new place bright and early monday morning mornin lie he stuck by his post with his former employer until all the proofs were out that meant hours of slavery for in the photographic to world practically the whole years business is lone done between thanksgiving and christmas and ebery ON ery one 0 n e connected te d with it ills haa to buckle down to work nights ns as well as lays days thursday friday and saturday nights none of the men went to bed at all at five in the morning they would skip ship over to a turkish bath for a plunge and re recline cillie on the divans tor for an hour but seven found them back at the studio developing drying and retouching negatives making proofs and getting them mailed to customers there can lie be no loafing on such a job as all the work must be done to order in n a short time and cannot be stocked up joe showed his pluck in sticking with the pang gang for the work was liard hard and no extra recompense went with it lie ile knew the extra work ids his pals would have to t do it if lie he should quit and so for them lie he stuck lt it out our such Is the christmas spirit in file alie shops behind the scenes where christmas joy Is made for others overnight and tired comrades stand la in line too loo courageous proud oid aud loving to desert each other though muscles ache and home ties call joe did not have to stay but did and got DO extra pay except the satisfaction of it all when at ten sunday morning the work was finished at lunch time monday noon miss alss ot of tho the studio found joe standing on a street corner and stopped to talk with him how do you like your new place she sliced 1 I one he be said and then in answer to her further queries auerle s for joe was never over civer talkative he added the beasts they said another boy had come last monday just after I 1 left there and as lie he could begin at once they took him on and had no place forme for me ive been to every studio in town and no one wants me now it Is I 1 too late tor for after christmas they have no more work I 1 dont know what ill do do exclaimed beechem Me echem do why come right back to the old studio with me where you belong they need you there we miss you terribly they cant pay you but s I 1 steen aud and a suro sure thing is better than this treachery they ine AKE beasts no ko ono one but I 1 miss jil I 1 s s BIe Ie echem could have ever dragged poor joe joa back to his old job but false pride could never withstand her arguments and a few minutes later joe was in the office ol of his former employer sir bangs was infuriated at the abuse the boy had had and called his competitor on the phone to tell him what lie til thought ought cut but first lie he sent joe out to work so EO that the boy would not hear the complimentary things thing lie he had to say nor the abusive language that lie he used to his competitor then lie slipped out of the studio for a few minutes and later that day there was delivered at joes jaes door a large mysterious pack package plainly marked not to bo be opened until christmas joe didiot did not have an increase then but ids his job was permanent and santa claus clylus had delivered at his door much better belter things than lie he could havo have bought himself even with the extra fqy that lie he had hoped to have i 0 1027 wes taini newspaper union |