Joes Luck | Page 3

insulted me, calling me a ragamuffin. I told him that, if I was a
ragamuffin, it was not my fault."
Major Norton looked disturbed.
"Oscar was inconsiderate," he said. "It seems to me that your clothes
are suitable to your station in life. It is not well for a boy in your
circumstances to be 'clothed in purple and fine linen,' as the Scriptures
express it. However, perhaps it is time for you to have another suit."
Joe listened in astonishment. Was it possible that Major Norton was
going to open his heart and give him what he had long secretly desired?
Our hero's delusion was soon dissipated.
Major Norton rose from his seat, and took from a chair near-by a
stained suit, which had not yet attracted Joe's attention.
"Here is a suit of Oscar's," he said, "which is quite whole and almost
new. Oscar only wore it a month. It cost me thirty-four dollars!" said
the major impressively.
He held it up, and Joe recognized it at once.
"Isn't it the suit Oscar got stained?" he asked abruptly.

"Ahem! Yes; it is a little stained, but that doesn't injure the texture of
the cloth."
As he held it up the entire suit seemed to have been sprinkled with acid,
which had changed the color in large, patches in different parts. The
wearer would be pretty sure to excite an unpleasant degree of attention.
Joe did not appear to be overwhelmed with the magnificence of the gift.
"If it is so good, why don't Oscar wear it?" he asked.
Major Norton regarded Joe with displeasure.
"It cannot matter to you how Oscar chooses to dress," he said. "I
apprehend that you and he are not on a level."
"He is your son, and I am your hired boy," said Joe. "I admit that. But I
don't see how you can ask me to wear a suit like that."
"I apprehend that you are unsuitably proud, Joseph."
"I hope not, sir; but I don't want to attract everybody's notice as I walk
the streets. If I had stained the suit myself, I should have felt bound to
wear it, but it was Oscar's carelessness that destroyed its appearance,
and I don't think I ought to suffer for that. Besides, it is much too small
for me. Let me show you."
Joe pulled off his coat and put on the stained one. The sleeves were
from two to three inches too short, and it was so far from meeting in
front, on account of his being much broader than Oscar, that his
shoulders seemed drawn back to meet each other behind.
"It doesn't exactly fit," said the major; "but it can be let out easily. I will
send it to Miss Pearce--the village tailoress--to fix it over for you."
"Thank you, Major Norton," said Joe, in a decided tone, "but I hope
you won't go to that expense, for I shall not be willing to wear it under
any circumstances."

"I cannot believe my ears," said Major Norton, with dignified
displeasure. "How old are you, Joseph?"
"Fifteen, sir."
"It is not fitting that you, a boy of fifteen, should dictate to your
employer."
"I don't wish to, Major Norton, but I am not willing to wear that suit."
"You are too proud. Your pride needs taking down."
"Major Norton," said Joe firmly, "I should like to tell you how I feel.
You are my employer, and I am your hired boy. I try to do my duty by
you."
"You are a good boy to work, Joseph. I don't complain of that."
"You agreed to give me board and clothing for my services."
"So I have."
"Yes, sir; but you have dressed me in such a way that I attract attention
in the street for my shabbiness. I don't think I am very proud, but I have
been mortified! more than once when I saw people looking at my
patched clothes and shoes out at the toes. I think if I work faithfully I
ought to be dressed decently."
"Joseph," said Major Norton uneasily, "you look at the thing too
one-sided. You don't expect me to dress you like Oscar?"
"No, sir; I don't. If you would spend half as much for my clothes as you
do for Oscar's I would be contented."
"It seems to me you are very inconsistent. Here is a suit of clothes that
cost me thirty-four dollars, which I offer you, and you decline."
"You know why well enough, sir," said Joe, "You did not tell me you
intended to dress me in Oscar's castoff clothes, too small, and stained at

that. I would rather wear the patched suit I have on till it drops to pieces
than wear this suit."
"You can go, Joseph," said Major Norton, in