The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-06-20
Select Story.
MERCHANT CARL.

1t was Carls first business venture that is,
in mercantile way. To be sure, he had
swapped jack knives, invariably getting the
worst of the bargain had bartered marbles,
| tops and whips, ever since he became so far
advanced as dog, COW. | remember, on
one occasion he traded his new Sunday suit,
sent home from the city the day before, hat
| boots and ALL for small music-box, of the
| handorgan stripe For days thereafter the
| neighbors were entertained with the inspir.
ing strains of "Old Dan Tucker" the sole
tune played by that music. box, which, after
ncessant grinding, probably got disguised,
| for it refused even to squeak out its only air,
doubtless much to the delight of the same
neghbors. So the box was consigned to the
attic where TO this day the dust falls quietly
upon, and the spiders weave their filmly
webs peacefully about it ; just as the dust
and cobwebs of oblivion have covered the
whole transaction so far AS Carls remem-
brance of it is concerned. You see he tries
to believe he has entirely forgotten it, yet
we notice he does not like to hear it men
| toned
began to tell you about Carl's first ex-
perience as a merchant, but first let me tell
| you about Carl himself.
He is really, truly live boy, short and
stubby, with elbows and toes that have the
greatest faculty for poking themselves
through the cloth and leather. He has the
blacklist eyes and hair, curling in little rings
all over his merry head, the roundest, red
dest cheeks, and freckles--who ever saw
boy without freckles Carl has a temper too
and very often in years past, occasionally
now, grieve to say, his black eyes snap and
flash, his red cheeks grow redder yet, his
fists clench, and his feet fly against anything
that is within reach of them. Still we are
not sorry that he has a temper if he but
learns to control it. Then he teazes the
little girl across the way. Carl has no sis.
ter or brother, and ne eats candy and green
apples Just like any other live boy.
However, during this particular summer
Carl had not eaten much candy, simply be-
cause in the first place he had none to eat, ,
and in the next had no money to buy any
with that is, no money where he could get
at it. There was a little red bank in one
corner of the mantle, with a most n tural
looking frog crouching on its roof; it was
such fun to see the greedy fellow take FIVE
cent piece into that wide-open mouth of his
and gulp it down as if it was the most de-
licious of real flies and he the most hungry
of real frogs, that Carl quite forgot candy
until too late, for the frog never gave back
anything he once had swallowed and the
bank was not to be opened until the fourth
of July, Carls birthday, when he would be
ten years old.
so the bank got richer and heavier day by
day. Carl had lots of aunts and unces who
were always pinching his red cheeks tweak
ing his hair, pulling his black curls, and
then giving him five cents to buy candy
with. Carl rushing through the sitting
room on his way to the store could not help
seeing the frog perched disconsolately on
the bank, with wide open, hungry mouth
1t drew the fl ,e cents like a magnet, ever
though chubby and very often am sor'
ry to say, dirty little hand was clasplng u
closely, Carl couldn't resist the temptation
of seeing how far down the iron throat th,
five cents might get without leaving hi
fingers. In moment he would pull then
out, the mouth would fly open again, Carl
face would wear much aggrieved expires
sion for ten minutes, and then the perfor
nance was all ready to begone through will
again whenever Carls fist was closed owe
another bit of silver. Still think if temp
tation must needs be- that was very GOO,
way to be tempted, and if l could have m
will, | would give every little boy none
box with frog to swallow the pennies A
iron frog you know, that would give tn
pennies back again lin good order and con
dition."