The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-07-06
Fifteen Cents worth Of Happiness.

our own, to do as we pleased with, as boys
do now a-days. But one Saturday morn
ing as / was returning home from an er-
rand on which my mother had sent me to
one of the neighbors, | passed Esquire
Thrifty's field where himself and a num-
Der OF men were hoins potatoes. Halo,
Isaac, cried the Esqulre,-"no school to-
day? got any thing to do this afternoon
told him father was gone, and did
not know what work he had left for me.
Well said he, you 60 home and ask
your mother if she can spare you to come
and hoe potatoes for me this afternoon
With one smart boy more we can just
about finish tonight, and as Monday will
be the Fourth, I'm anxious to get through
this week. 1T you'll come and work smart
this afternoon, Ii give you fifteen cents
In cash to night
Fifteen cents ah, boys. you do Mt know
how large that sounded to me then, for
was year or two younger than either OF
you and had never been the possessor Of
as much money as that in my Life
You may be sure l wasn't long gong
home, and found to my great JOY, that /
could be spared to go and hell the Esqr.
/ could hardly wait till noon for my dan
ner, and after being assured for the third
time that could have all the money to
spend just as pleased, l started oif,-hoe
on my shoulder, about as fast as a grown
up man would care to walk and when
the men came to the field, they found me
one whole row in advance. The Esquire
gave me Il word of praise for my punctu
alIty, and with all the animation OF a mas
ter woman l applied my.eif TO my busi.
ness. he men told me several times
had better stop and rest a few minutes but
only laughed at the idea oil being tired.
| and urged on the harder | think in all
my life | never saw a longer halt day, and
If WAS ever thankful II WAS whe,. lust
before sundown, we finished the last hill,
and. gave three cheers in triumph ! re-
celv.d the prom, sed wages, and | venture
10 say, no general ever returned from n
GLORIOUS conquest with a more exalted
sense # his consequence, than swelied my
heart that night, returned home with
my earnings. 10 DE sure, under other car
cunstanc.S, | might have thought GER
tam painful SENSATION in The ieg.on cf the
back worth IN, ntIonlng-Out now was i
man, quite above noticing such tr.tes -
Ah, boys, that was vast sum II money
in my eyes. aud If could tell how many
times counted 1t oyeT, and how inany
| plans Of purchase were devised in one
IIttle Irdlu before my eyes were closed in
sleep that night, n afraid you d think
Grandpa WAS once s. very foolish LOy
The next day was sunday, aud | knew
il wa. wrong TO think OF nv money all
day, so counted it only one in the morn
Ing, then LAID it carefully away in a little
box, aud pu; it in the bottom OF my trunk
can tell you twas hard 10 keep 1t out OF
my mind, II had got II out OF my si-ht,
and ! WAS rejoiccd wnen the Sabbath >un
went down, that might count It over
with clear conscience, once u1Ole before
| slept
Monday ming came, the glorious an.
nIveisary Of American Independence and
obtained leave 10 20 - town ~ spend nv
money. consulted with ny mother on
the important question, and J remember
how Il stinctly, haw Zen Iy she advised
me to think well. and spend my iilst eara
Inss in a way that would make ne mos,
happy. Fifteen cent worth Of happiness
my dear boy, said she be sure and spend
II for that and you will never regret your
purchase And with = true mothers con
fdence, she left me 10 think for myself
| bless the memory oI my saiutsd n!oihsI
to-day for that loving counsel
Fifteen cents worth of happiness -
How many times that passed through my
/ mind during my three miles walk. and
though the caunors were firing and the
drums beating, my mind could not be dis
iracted from my all important business -
The ott-repeated teachings Of my faithful
mother, as 10 the nature OF true happiness
came very wildly 10 mind and as trey
grined ground, the lonccherished vision
of n pocket-knitc gradually disappeared.
] made my way through piles of tempt
! ing cakes, and q, such sweet looking car
dies, that they fairy made my mouth
water, and stood before counter with
only very indefinite idea of what wanted
| to purchase. The storekeeper came TO
| wait on me and with the frankncss OF a
! novice | TOLD him the amount | had TO
| spend, and that | wanted 10 buy present
| tor every one of our tamil. see you al {
lauS hing, boys but it proved very great
/ relief TO my mind. and in the end, no dis
! advantage RENE ibere,l hearing mother
! express regret on breaking her tape needle
7 a few days before, while fixing bother
apron; So made up my mind TO buy a
new one for her which felt sure would
be an acceptable present; then | got my
eye on some little tin trump-ts, and as
tried one, and found it easy to nant 20,
1 had one lad out for little Charlie my baby
brother. SIX cents Was the least price fol
that, and with two for the tape needle. my
money was more than half spent. What
could | get Tor my little sister Susan, toul
years old? Here the shop keeper was more
thoughtful than myself, and handed me
some ciiilds primer from which select
Ell one thought would please her best, ana
subtracted four cents more fom my pur
chase money. But the hardest selection
{ of for {,fh h.p ! q sc nj
combs mad not accidentally dropped from
the pocket Of bys,ander, don't know
how long it might have taken to decids
that purchase. Two cents for pair Of
combs, left just one cent more Some
gaily colored tops were standing in boz
| on the counter, and thought how we'll
! should like one myself, and took one uy
to look at it, but my heart failed INC as
saw marked on the cox twocents apiece.
The shop keeper observing me READ the
mark and lay tack the top, came up ano
told me ! could have for penny, if
wished. | thanked him, and told him
would like one.
My purchases completed, all the per
suasI0ns OF my mates, who were TO spend
the day in town, could not induce me t.
remain with them, bat with my precious
bundle in hand, and untold fulness of 10,
in my heart, marched proudly homeward
On my way home passed the house OF
poor German, whose only SOD, a lad 0
about my own age had accidentally iallel
from ladder and crippled himself for life
He could &c: round a little on his iscrutches
and seated himself near the gate to watcl
the people passing As stopped mo
ment with him, he looked SO sad auo
lonely, wished in my heart he could be a:
happy as myself But could not maxi
him well. SO he could enjoy himself with
his mates, no could not make him happy
| started on,-had gone two or three rod
when thought Of my top, and in an in
slant it flashed into my mind that Pete