Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-05
Che family Circle.
How the Sewing Machine was Bought.
BY3S. A. FROST.

ing upon her father s Knee " what pleaSes
YOU so much today? Yon have been smil-
ing to yourself all dinner-time."
- Something HIS pleased me today. Su
sy. If you and Johnny would like to hear
the story, draw up your chairs
"A story?n said Mrs. Weston, looking up
from ler sewing. May hear too?'
If you will be very good" said Mr..
Weston, smiling. Let me see; how old
are you, Johnny"
" Twelve, sir"
well, my story is about boy Just your
age. 1t is nearly a year since first saw
him. l was very busy one afternoon last
winter, when | saw Il little boy coming
into the warehouse, whose face attracted
my attention ut once. 1t was not Il very
handsome face, but it was earnest and
bright; II strong, good face, if | ever saw
one. The boy was poorly clad, bat his
clothes were clean and whole.
- May see the master?' he asked.
~ | am the MASTER | answered, what
can do for you?
- | want to ask the price of a tirSt-rate
sewing machne-not Il fancy one, sir, but
a good worker
a. Well. sir said, l can give you a
good machine for five pounds
- Five pounds. Well, master said
he, earnestly, 'can | work one out? |
have every afternoon from halfpast two
till seven. and | can run errands or do any
work about the warehouse. You see. sir
this is how it is Father died two years
ago, and mother wants me to stay at
school for a year or two longer, but she
has to work awfullv hard to keep me there
Father was a bricklayer and mother owns
the little house he almost built himself
but that is all. She sews. sir and She could
make twice as much if she only had Il ma
chine. But we never can spare five pounds,
sir, so | thought | would see if could
earn one.
- But it would take you a long time,
said; if | gave YOU half-a-crown week.
it would be forty weeks
VIII you give me that? he said, his
eyes fairly dancing. / can come ali day
Saturday,
".Ctn you? Suppose we say four shil-
lings, then? AMI if YOU do well, You can
have the machine little less than the re
tail price
- You see, Susy. was Interested al
ready in the boy, with his honest, frank
face. and resolved, if he was ftthfll in
his duties, to keep him on. SO we made
an agreement, he to give me all his sp re
time out of school, | to credit him et h
week with four shillings toward the pur-
chase of machine.
Every day he came punctual to the min
ute, rain or shine and he was the most
prompt and reliable errand-bov | ever
employed
Little by little the shllings rolled up on
his account, until one evening in the in
terim | WAS here after dinner, Just before
You and your mother came home from
the coun ~, when the door-b bell rang, ana
in walked Harry Cummings, my erranI-
boy.
- found this, sir he said, when |
was sweeping out the warehouse an he
handed ME a roll of sovereigns | had
thought was safe in my pocket. Please
see if it is all right, sir, he said. it was
under the counter.
80 counted the sovereigns, and then
taking out one, said:
- should have offered reward for
this, Harry, if You had not found it.
- am glad | saved You that, SIR he
answered. I'll bid you good night
- But You have earned the reward,
said, putting down the sovereign, will
yon take it or pass it to the machine
money?
Mine, all that! Oh, sir, pass it to
the machine. You see I'd have to tell
mother where l got all that money, and
the machine is to be a surprise
Il never spent a sovereign with so
much pleasure in my life, Susy! This was
IA great lift to the machine, and this after
noon, when Harry came, | told him to pick
out one for his mother.
1--WE selected first-rate one, handsome,
too, and l promised him one of our best
teachers should go to show his mother how
to work upon it.
When it was on the cart, ready to 90,
| invited myself to 90 with Harry and
see it delivered He asked me to write IL
note telling his mother the price was hon
estly earned, and l told him | would tell
her.
So away we went, and when we
reached the little house, the cart was Just
turning the corner of the street Harry
opened the door very softly, and the men
lifted the machine into the parlor Then
Harry led me to Il small sitting-room at
the back of the house, where pale wom-
an in a widows dress was sitting sewing
busily. She rose and offered me chair
and told her l had come to see if | could
obtain Harry's services in the store ut ten
a week. You should have seen
the boys eyes.
al He can 90 to an evening school, l
said, and will see that he has some time
to read and study. l cannot spare him
now, having had his services so long
"' My afternoons and Saturdays, moth
En- Harry said. Il told you / was not in
| WAS arning you present
Come and see.'
t" And he danced fairly into the parlor,
his mother and l following.
50 It's yours he said, dancing round
the machine; all paid for, and lessons on
it, too. Amt it beautful?'
E" His mother was as delighted as he
expected, and that is saying IL great
deal.
''Oh sir she said to me, he's been a
good son since his poor father died. Ev-
sry morning, summer OF winter, he's up
md makes the fire while I'm dressing, anu
while l get breakfast he brings up all the
;oal for the day, SO don't have TO go into |
he cellar; and every step he can save me
he does. But how he ever made all the |
money to buy II machine out of school |
hours cannot understand
81 got four shillings, mother, for er-
rands, and extra when there was an odd |
oh, and Mr.. Weston gave me sover-
sign.'
~ No, you earned that as we'll as the
est said, and his mother fairly broke
lown and cried when / told her about the
oil of money.
So, Susy. now you know what pleased
ne SO much today. Tomorrow Harry
ecomes my errand-boy. and l know he
7ill be faithful one. There Is the max
az of a noble man., Johnny, in the boy