Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-04-11
THE NEW SKATES.

"ltis cold enough to frccz, ANYTHING,
] should think, bu. have you new
sknies?" 4
Eyes, father bought mo a beautiful
palrihls morning. come home with me,
and III show them to you"
"Aereed! boys let us all go h me by
Mr.. Hollands anI see Frei's new
skates!" . .f..
"Well, | will for ONE" "and I for
lwo," said another, and so, laughing,
and shouting the troop OF boys drew up
in IRON. of Mr.. Hollands handsome ,csi.
dence. ... H 4
Now for sight Of the new skate,"
"Just let NE put my books ia the
house, and then I'll bring them out TO
you,. said Fred, 81 know you will all
say 'hat they are we'll worth looking
at" 'N. t ..
"Oh, but they are granl ones,' was
the universal exclamation when Fred
reappearcd with his skates. "Why, |
never saw any like ,hem!'
"No;they are new kind Mr.. Smith
unpacked them last night, and father
bought the very first pair from the lot,
and he picked out the highest priced
par too; how glad felt when saw
lhem!'
"Well, if they ain't just the incest
skates that ever were seen, they must
have cost great deal thought"
"Fa,hcr never buys poor article; and
there is not such another pair Of skates
nearer than New \ ork city, said Fred,
hoastingIy.
"Oh, if Mr.. Smith received 10. of
them. | guess there are others os good as
yours" said Jenny Fritz, laughing.
81 tell you there ain'r, the others arc
very nice, but these cost half dollar
more than any Of them.'
You always think your things a lit.
tie better than other peoples; how much
are the olhcts!"
different prices, two dollars, "a dol.
lar aud half and some II dollar and
a quarter" ..t
1--we got a dollar and a quarter of
my own money, mean to have pair of
thcm"
81 mean TO coax my father 10 get me
pair"
Father has promised me new pair
this wi'cr. | lope he vii! ge, them to-.
night"
Just then TWO men passed by, and one
'aid 10 the other, sit is singing cold TO-.
night, | think the canal will be frozen
before morning." ,...
Good news!' cried Fred, clapping
his hands"
81 tell you what i, is boys, let all of
US who can raise SIX kates meet on The ice
right after breakfast, and skate till
school time"
"Well, that will be fnev'
"Yon will Somc. won't you Edwin
Merrick?'
81 wish could" replied Edwin sad.
ly, but ! havn't any skates"
Cant your father get you pail?"
asked one Of the boys. "He hasn', any
father" said another compassionately.
Hasn't he? didn't know that!"
All the boys felt SO sorry for Edwin
that they did not care to talk about
their SIX ,ting any longer. They wanted
10 sly something to comfort him, but,
boy.lke, they did not know how, so they
separated for their different homes, each
one thinking how hard il was 70! little
boy 10 have no father TO buy him SIX kates
and other fine things!
"Oh, those beautiful skotes" thought
Edwin as he walked slowly home, 81
do wish had pair wonder il mother
couldn't get them?" But when he wen.
into the house and saw his mother toll.
ing owe, her sewing, to get them needful
food, he felt that it would be useless to
ask her. IL wonder if there is no other
way in which can get them?" thought
he, and long after he had gone 10 bed
that night, he lay tossing and wondering
to himself whether he could not earn
the money 10 buy them" The .ext
morning he called at Mr.. Smiths store
to look at the skates, and saw pair for
dollar and half, which he thought
just Us good as those over which Freddy
had boas,ed so. "Nicc article, that
said Mr.. Smith, "is just about the lish,
size for you" raa, ~
"Mr Smith," Edwin began, and then
he cleared his throat two or three times
before he could go on, "Mr. Smith is
there any way in which | can earn mon
ey enough to pay for ,hose?"
Why, yes, the boy had here to run
OF errands and carry parcels home, is
sick, you choose to come and take his
place you can earn them in few days
IL should like to but mother wishe:
me 10 90 TO school,"
"And you wish to have the skatos?
"Yes sir"
swell, il you will come 10 me ever,
morning before school, and every even
ing when school is done, you shall have
the skates in two weeks. Do you think
your mother can let you?"
81 guess so sir-l'Il go home and ssl
her" His mother readily gave her as
sent, when she saw how anxious he wal
to get the skates. So Edwin began tc
get up early in the morning that he mig
finish all his mother wanted done BY
break fast time, and be ready to 60 ant
work for Mr.. Smith Immediately after
A hopeful spirit hath a light foot, ane
Edwin was so quick in doing errandl
That Mr.. Smith was greatly pleased will
Ia. 81 s--AH 4 n