6 J. COLE.

“*Praps he did somethin’, and they giv’ ’im
the sack,’ murmured Joe; “he was a flat!”

“ But about this character of yours,” I said;
“if I decide to give you a trial, although I
am almost sure you are too small, and won't
do, where am I to go for your character? Will
the people where your brother lives speak for
you?”

“Oh, yes!” cried the little fellow, his
cheeks flushing; “I know Dick’ll ask ’em to
give me a caricter. Miss Edith, I often cleaned
er boots. Once she come ’ome in the mud,
and was a-goin’ out agin directly; and they
was lace-ups, and a orful bother to do up
even; and she come into the stable-yard with
’er dog, and sez: ‘Dick, will you chain Tiger
up, and this little boy may clean my boots if
he likes, on my feet?’ SoTI cleaned ’em, and
she giv’ me sixpence; and after that, when
the boots come down in the mornin’, I got
Dick always to let me clean them little boots,
and I kep ’em clean in the insides, ike the
lady’s maid she told me not to put my ‘ands
inside ’em if they was black. Miss Edith,
she'll giv me a caricter, if Dick asks ’er.”