Barney boy. I hired him to keep this dumbed office clean so's my old
woman wouldn't raise such hell every time she steps in here. I'm
goshed if this here stove don't get fuller of ashes quicker than any
other stove in Green Valley. And you know the boys who come in here do
spit about careless like and that dumbed screen door is always open and
the calendars do get specked up considerable. And the old woman is
just where I don't want her being upset about anything.

"Well, I hired that Barney boy to keep the place clean. You know that
So-and-So (we won't mention any names) fired him because he said the
kid stole money. Well, now--Grandma, you know that's a hard thing to
start out a boy in life with in a town of this size, especially a
little spindle-legged one at that. I felt real sorry for the young one
so I calls him in here day before yisterday and I says:

"'Look here, Barney, could you keep this place clean?'

"'Sure,' he says.

"'All right, then sail in now. The broom's right behind the door
somewheres and scarcely used and there's sawdust and rags somewheres in
the barn. Ask Hank about them. And Barney,' I says, 'here's the money
in this right-hand drawer. Sometimes people come in when everybody's
out and you might have to make change.'

"The boy kind of flushed but I didn't let on I noticed. I only said,
'You know, Barney, I'm just beginning this business and I'm poor so you
keep a sharp eye on the change and help me get this business going
lickety-split so's we'll all be rich together. For when the profits go
up here the wages are going up. It isn't just my livery barn, Barney,