San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-02-01

II L " !.
Colonel Ingersol says he keeps I
,ooket-book in an open drawer and his
children go and help themselves tc
money whenever they want it. They
eat when they want to; they may sleer
ali day if they choose, and sit up all
night il they desire. I don't try To co.
erce them. I never punish, neve,
scold They buy their own clothes and
are masters of themselves"
A gentleman living on Marshall
street, who has boy that is full of kit.
tepy as his father, read the article and
Wondered deeply. He knew that Col.
Ingersoll was . success at raising chill
dren in the way they should go, and he
thought he would try it. The boy had
caused him considerable annoyance,
and he made up his mind that he had
not treated the boy right, so he called
the boy in from the street, where he
was putting soft soap on a lamp-post in
order to see the lamp-lighter climb it,
and said to him: ~ 2 %" ~
any son, have decided to adopt q
different course with you, Heretofore I
have been careful about giving you
money, and have wanted to know where
every cent went to, and my supervision
has no doubt been annoying to you.
Now, I am going to leave my pocket
book in the bureau drawer, with plenty
Of money in it, and you are at liberty
to use all you want without asking me.
1 want you to buy anything you desire,
buy your own clothes, and to feel as
though the money was yours and that
you had not got to account for it. just
make yourself at home now and try and
have good time"
The boy looked at the old gentleman,
put his hand on his head, as though he
had got 'em sure" and went out to see
the lamp-iighter climb that soft soap.
The next day the stern parent went out
into the country shooting, and returned
on the midnight train three dam later.
He opened the door with a latch-key,
and a strange yellow dog grabbed him
by the elbow of hispants and shook him,
he said, "ike the agur."
The dog barked and chewed until the
son came down in bis night shirt and
called him of. He told his father he
had bought that dog Of a fireman for
81, and it was probably the best dog
bargain that had been made this season.
He said the fireman told him he could
find man that wanted that kind of a
dog.
The parent took off his pants, what
the dog had MOI removed, and in the
hall he stumbled over birch-bark Ca
noe the boy bought Of an Indian for 80,
and an army musket with an iron ram
rod fell down from the corner. The
boy had paid $6 for that. He had also
bought himself On overcoat with seal
skin collar and cuffs, and complete
outfit of calico shirts and silk stockings.
In his room the parent found the
marble top of soda fountain, and
wheelbarrow and shelf filed with all
kinds of canned meats, preserves and
crackers aid a barrel of apples. A wall
tent and six pairs of blankets were
rolled up ready for camping out, and a
buckskin shirt and pair of corduroy
pants lay on the bed ready for pulling
on. Six fish poles and basketfu of
fish lines were ready for business, and
an oyster-canful of grub-worms for bait
were squirming on thewashstand. The
old gentleman looked the layout over,
looked at his pocket-book in the bureau
dnwer, as empty as contribution box,
and said:
Young man, the times have been
too flush. We will now return to spe-
che basis. When you want money come
to me and I will give you nickel, and
you will tell me what you intend to buy
with it, or I'll warm you. You hear
me?'-SpripGtield Republican,.