He awoke in the morning to find a foot of snow on the ground, and more coming down.
“Here’s my work all cut out for me,” he said gleefully. “Mother’s socks and Aunt Sallie’s gloves will just come in handy to-day. I’ll turn snow-shoveler.”
After he had cleaned the sidewalk in front of his own house, he shouldered the shovel and broom, and joined the army of men and boys that had begun to gather to clear away the frozen crystals that were still lazily floating down.
Whether the Christmas spirit induced householders to be more liberal than usual, or whether Tom worked extra hard he did not stop to consider, but the fact was he earned three dollars that day.
“This is better than working in a book store,” he said gleefully, as he gave his mother a handful of change that night. “I’d like this regular, I would.”
“But being in a book store is so educational and refining, Tom,” remarked his aunt.
“Shoveling snow buys more bread and butter,” answered the matter-of-fact boy with a laugh.
He resumed his search for work the next day, as there was no more snow to shovel, but everywhere he applied he met with the reply that there was nothing for him to do. All business seemed to have taken a sudden drop after Christmas.
“It will be better after New Year’s,” decided Tom. “I’ll sure get a job then.”
Anxiously he waited for January the second. He started off early that morning, taking some lunch with him, as he found he could get scarcely anything to eat in a restaurant for the money he could afford to pay. He bought a paper, and turned to the column “Help Wanted.”