Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER HI Becomes a printer's boy. Mr. Messenger and his assistant were in the act of closing the office for the night, when they wefe startled by a most singular apparition which, unannounced, presented itself before them. A rough, white-haired, bashful, awkward-looking boy, clad in homespun, whose hands seemed always in the way, judging by his nervous movement of them, and whose feet seemed much too large for the remainder of his body. In his hand he held a small bundle, and as he, with native politeness lifted his hat, disclosed a large, finely formed head, but covered with hair of the most peculiar indescribable hue. His light gray eyes had an honest, fearless look, while his mouth gave every indication of his intense love of fun. "Well, my lad, what can I do for you?" kindly asked Mr. Messenger. " Give me work if you please, sir," answered Mark. " Work!" laughed Mr. M. " What can you do ?" " Anything, sir!" " Anything ! very good. Can you cut wood, draw water, and do other chores ?" " Yes, sir, I can; but — 1 don't like to." " Frank! certainly," said Mr. Messenger. " Well, what would you like to do ?" " I would like, if you please, to learn the art of printing, and I am willing to do anything connected with the trade." " Hem ! What pay would you expect, young man ?" " That question you must decide, sir; for, I suppose, you were once in the same position yourself that I am now, and you know what wages you had, and what you- would have liked." Mark knew, even then, how to speak to the heart, and as- he spoke the book of memory unclosed its "pages; and Mr. Messenger thought when he too searched for work, and he determined to befriend the lad, and so he said: " Truly spoken, my boy! but suppose we do not need your services, will you r...