Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-22

lnV lOOh NHC ShAS-- 81.
A." You may charge 'om, Bob. maven
any pennies this morning."
Bob looked doubtful moment. ihen;
sure that Mr.. Burton would pay SAID "Aii
right" and Harry ran off. -
That very evening Uncle John drove
over from Cornish and gave Harry hVe
cent piece, and the small debtor, VINO mao
been q good deal worried through the day
oher his mornings work, went to Ded
happy. Bob was paid next morning and
more dates bought, and then. seeing some
fresh lemon drops, one cent over was
charged on Bob's slate.
So it went on. The bill grew slowly
but surely, Harry sometimes catching up,
but oftener not, and hardly realizing how
surely till one morning Bob, with very
sober face, handed over IA dirty slip oil
paper. :, .,u
easily. What is it?
its your bill. boy. High time you
paid up!
How much is itP" asked Harry, family.
Twenty eight cents, and you had bet
ter pay to-day, because | want all the
money can get in
"Well, Il pay it pretty soon." Harry
said slowly, but his heart sank within him
AS he turned away and walked down the
70 ID.
Harry walked on till he came to the
wood path, into which he turned, and
went on till he came to an old log near
the spring, over which grew clump or
alders. lie sat down here and began to
think Twenty eight cents! What would
his mother say, and grandfather tooP How
long would il take to pay at three cents
week? Harry thought it out slowly. Nine
weeks and little bit of another! Would
old Bob wait, and what would Amy think
if he stopped treating? The school bell
was ringing, but he could not go there.
How was be To learn a spelling lesson or
Il table when over aud over in his head,
seeming to say itself, he heard:
"Twentyeight cents! Twenty eight
cents!"
81 hate an allowance! hate it," Harry
said pt>sionately, throwing himself upon
the ground and beginning to cry Il
wish hadn't never had one! What shall
do? o dear, what shall do?'
Down the wood pa h came tail figure,
with hands clasped behind and bent head.
1t was Mr.. Osgood, the village minister,
who very often walked here, and who
stopped now in surprise as the sound of
sobs fell on his ear. He looked for mo-
ment, then went on softly, sat down on the
log and said:
-" Harry"
Harry sprang up with a cry. Then see
ing who it was, ran right into the kind
arms he had known ever since his baby
hood, and sobbed AS if his heart would
break. Mr.. Osgood waited till he wa:
quieter, then said gently:
Now, Harry boy. What is it all aboutP'
81 hate my allowance! don't want tt
have an income began Harry, incoher
emily. Il m in debt awfully. | never
can pay it, not till nine weeks and day
and Bob'll put me in prison may be. {
dear, what shall do?"
, Little by little the privately much-as
tonished Mr.. Osgood heard the whole
story. and smiling in spite Of himself, a
Harry looked up pilifulIy, said:
There are two things to be done,
seems. First to tell mammal; then It
think of some way to pay the debt"
a Then don't you believe Bob will wan
v to put me in PRISON." Harry said.
I Not at all But you must pay hin
just as soon rs possible, and | think | know
a way. We will go now and see wh'
Il mamma thinks of it. On the whole, Har
ny, | am rather glad that you have ha
= this trouble"
e Glad?' repeated Harry. How coul
}. you he9"
q Because think you will hardly wan
to run in debt to anybody again. To do
Il when you don't know of any way of payin
n is almost as bad as stealing, though
h know very few people think So"
,, Half an hour later Mrs. Morrell locke
a up in surprise as >he saw Mr.. Osgood an
@ Harry coming up the steps. Harry toI
his story in II very low voice and with
v very red face, while Mr.. Osgood wake
n around the garden with grandfather con
r ing back when the confession had ended.
/" am very glad it is no worse" man
v ma said Earning the money to pa
a your debt will be the only punishment 20
a will need. and | shall be very glad if Nj
l. Osgood shows you n way"
q at is hard work, Harry. Back hreal
10 ing work, for my back, at least said NJ
d Osgood MY little onion bed is full
II weeds, and if you can pull them out yc
d will earn yonr twenty eight cents vel
% honestly. Are you willing to come Il lit
" while every day till it is done?"
(. :" | guess am, said Harry, grateful
y. " I'm glad I've got The chance"
o. So. for several days Harry went dow
+ every afternoon, weeding Il row eat
IT time. 1t WAS hot, hard, tiresome wol
~ but he persevtred, nnd in week had ii
ii iShed the -four long rows, one II day ber
h all that Mr.. O,good thought it well for
10 small a hoy 10 do. Seven cents row, al
"A four rows, fixed four times seven once f
all 10 Hrrv's mind. and the afIerno,
p when he walked home with twenty-eigl
d bright pennies, juggling them all The wa
h WAS one of the proudeSt in his life
It You have earned IL great deal mo
II than twenly-right cents said mamma,
she counted the shining pile. Niue
more than you would understand If | to
J. you now. Patience and perseverance ar
) honor more than | was sure my little be
IL had. Now you want to pay Bob, and
sr think you will be happier than you hl'
been for Il long time"
,. Harry ran off, and burst into Bob's qua
ers with IL sort of war whoop, who
=. brought out the owner ut once.
is Here's your money" said Harry, pu
Is ting down the pennies with such energ
that some rolled on the floor.
t Your mt gave it to you?" said Bo
"or your grandfather, maybe?"
\. mo, they didn't, earned it," sal
!. Harry, and that was all that Bob cou
ID ever make him tell.
m To Amy he coniided his troubles, an
ID the fact that he should not do so muc
s. treating hereafter, and was greatly relic,
ed when Amy declared that she shoul
not mind one bit. SO the trouble ende
4. for that time, and if Harry Was ev,
rs tempted 10 say charge it, at any tim