Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-03-12
QJSoufh's Column.
THE BORROWING sCHOOL-BOY

THE BORROWING SCHOOL-BOY.
The boys were out on the play ground
one day when a man came along with
pencils to sell. They were a very good
sort of pencil, with knife-blade at
tachment, and eraser, and several other
combinations which looked very handy
to the boys.
Ned Archer bought one, as he always
had plenty of money, and Charles Frazer
took his last quarter for the purpose
Louis Mead hesitated little, but con-
cluded he did not need it, as he had
plenty OF pencils. SO declined to pur-
chase.
"Lend me quarter Ned p asked
Will Pine. in great hurry, II do want
one of those pencils so bad, and I'm all
out of money" Will generally was
out.
Ned handed out the quarter, and Will
was in great delight over his new pos
session all the forenoon He tried it in
all its points, over and over again, and
fully tested them all, much to his salts
faction. 1t was nearly noon before he
was satisfied to let it rest in his pocket.
AS he was sitting at his desk in the af-
ternoon, he began to have a littls mis-
giving as to how that quarter was to be
paid. He had very few of them to spend
on common occasions, as his parents
found it pretty hard work to pay his
regular bills. Then he thought, with a
twinge of conscience, that he had not
yet paid up the twenty cents he Dor
rOwed of James.
81 wish l had not bought the old
thing" he thought impatiently. Il had
enough pencils. wish l could sell it
to some of the boys"
But he could not. All had bought
of the man, who cared to invest. He
even offered it for twenty cents, so he
could pay James, but was not successful
in making trade. Those two debts
worried him constantly, because he saw
no means Of payment any more than he
would if they had been twenty and
twenty-five dollars.
Gvn nnnts to Bob fol
candy | bought down town one day, nifty
cents in all, and | should like to know
how | am ever to pay it.
There was but one resource, the ole
one of borrowing. He button-holed one
of the day scholars, and prevailed OF
him to lend him quarter, as they wer,
walking along down to the post ofic,
after school.
ii Will pay the five and twenty will
that, he thought, quite restored to gooC
spirits. ne aImOsV- ruA-r>,-.
earned quarter. 1t was such salts
faction to have a little money in hi
possession once more, he congratulated
himself as he walked along, on his gooc
: luck.
> Just then his companion babe hir
good night, and Will walked on alone
: A beautiful toy-shop, brilliantly fitte
up for the holidays, attracted him for
long time. A tempting display {
sweets in one window drew him almos
ANONYMOUSLY inside, and almost befor
he knew it, fifteen cents were gone and /
was walking along munching paper
: cream chocolates.
u 81 can't pay James anyway, now,
he thought, 80 I'll just have a fe
/ soft-shelled almonds. l never have an
~ of those things hardly, and other boy
&c can get their pockets full" and he fe
} himself rather hardly used by the worl
generally. Will ought to have gone @
u the plan of a young man who called
~ a post office to get a money order
i0 sen1 to certain place. He wished
l. addressed to himself at that distal
&c city.
= "Why don't you take it yourself,
y you are going there" he was asked.
{ THAT is just it," he said. "If
C. take it with me, shall not have
% when | get there. If l send it, l C;
. draw it out to use after ] arrive"
As Will had found out how untrus
worthy he was in money matters,
should have taken pains to circumve
himself, and place it out of his pow
- to spend money, particularly when it W
10 not his own to spend.
- This borrowing went on all throu,
= the term. keeping him in metaphoric
~ shot water" about his payments, uni
u at last he sold his pretty writting-des
q a gift from his aunt, and paid off /
= scores. He felt bad enough to lose
a. desk. He knew his folks would n
- like it 1; but the ease of mind it ga
N him, with regard to these little be
- rowed sums, was a luxury.
He ought to have pro6ted by the i
u son, but he did not He became know
r as "the borrowing young man." al
many people would 60 around bio
:, to get rid of meeting him. He was