River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-11-11
MERCHANT CARL.

sure, he had snapped jack-knives, in
yariably getting the worst Of the bargain;
bartered marbles, tops and whips, ever
since he became so FAR advanced as
dog, COW. ] remember, on one 0c-
casiOn he traded his new Sunday suit,
sent home from the city the day before,
hat, boots and all for a small music
box, of the hand-Organ stripe. For
DAYS thereafter the ncighbors were on
tertained with the inspiring strains Of
"Old Dan Tucker. the sole tune played
by that music-box, which, after inces-
SAINT grinding probably got Disguised,
for it refused even to squeak out Its only
air. doubtless much TO the delight of
the same neighbOrs. So the box was
consigned to the attic where to this day
the dust falls quie.ly upon it, and the
spiders weave their tilmly webs peace
fully about it; just as the dust and cob
webs Of oblivion have covered the
whole transaction 50 far as Carrs re-
membrance of it is concerned You
see he tries to believe he has entirely
fOgOtten it, yet We notice he does not
like to hear it mentioned.
| began to tell you about Carls first
experience as Il merchant, but first let
me Tell YOU dDOLl NttfI llliilStII.
He is a really, truly live boy, short
and stubby. with elbows and toes that
have the greatest faculty for poking
themselves through cloth and leather.
He has the blackest eyes and hair, curl
ing in little rings all over his merry
head; the roundest, reddest cheeks,
and frcckles-who ever saw boy with
out freckles? Carl has temper, too,
and very often in years past, occasion
ally now, grieve to say his black eyes
snap and fash his red cheeks grow red
der yet, his fists clench, and his feet fly
against anything that is within reach of
them. Still we are not sorry tnat he
has a temper if he but learns to control
it. Then he teazes the little girl across
the way. Carl has no sister OF brother,
and he eats candy and green apples
Just like any other live boy.
However during this particular sum
mer Carl had not eaten much candy,
simply because in the first place he
mad none to eat, and the next no mon
ey to buy any with; that is. no money
where he could get at it. There was a
little red bank on one corner of the
mantle, with a most natural 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 rs if it was the
most delicious of real flies. ard 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,
Carts birthday. when he would be ten
years old.
so the bank got richer and heavier
day by dav. Carl had lots Of auntS and
uncles who were always pinching his
cheeks, tweaking his hair, palline
his black curls, and then giving him five
cents to buy candy with Carl rushing
through the sitting room on his way Il
the store could not help seeing the frog
perched disconsolatcly en- the bank
with wide open, hungry mouth.
1t drew the five cents like a magnet
even though a chubby and very often
am sorry to say, dirty little hand was
clasping it closely. Carl couldn'tresi-t
the temptation Of seeing how far down
the IRON throat the five cents might get
without leaving his fingers. In a mo
mcnt he would pull them out, the
mouth would fly open again, Carls
face would wear much aggrleved eX
preston for ten minutes, and then tho
performance was all ready to Toe gone
through with again whenever Carls IFS
was closed over another bit of silver
Still, | think if temptation must need
be, that was n very good way to bC
tempted, and if | could have my will
| would give every little boy money
box with Il frog to swallow the pennies
An iron frog, YOU know. that would give
the pennies back again in good order
and condition.
30 the bank grew heavier, and til,
Fourth Of July was coming. and Car
had an idea, not an original one, per
haps-hc wanted TO make some
money. Surely that's not original. s.
he thought and thought and at last
50 Father, wish you'd say YES.
ITO what, my boy?'
" To-cau | have a store Just lk,
you DO, day after tomorrow and sci
candy and apples, an pies, an things
And have Il big ledger-book to keel
count in Take the money ats III my
frog bank; You know you always salC
I'll have to he a mCrchant-man. Cam
begin. p-l-e-a-s-e, father
Carl wasn't too much of Il man dc
spite his tcu-vear-old next Foth o
July sir" to put his arms right rounC
his fathers neck and give him good
sounding smack.
His father laughed ana said;
'' Yes. | guess So; how much money
has the frog swallowed p"
Carl didn't know; so the bank wa:
Il. I, ~
the room while the frog was made t
disgorge Carl wasn't allowed to Sc
the process. lest he might try it for him
self some time. When he came II
again. , glitteriug little heap of sllve
lay on the table; the bank was empty
the frog perched innocently upon
with mouth wide-open rs ever. Nhel
the money was counted, Carl iookln:
over his fathers shoulder and eroakln:
lie can't sing a notel -
The King in the parlor counting cut 9lS money
The Queen in the kitchen eating bread an
honey.
all through the operation of putin:
the tive-cent pieces in little piles o
twenty. and the quarters into little pile
of four When all was done, there were
lust ten piles of iives and three over
four piles Of quarters and one over
three halfdoliars and eight great hi:
soppers. How much money wa:
there?"
Fifteen dollars and ninety eigh
cents. seemed quite fortune T. Carl
and the chance of, perhaps doubling
bv investing it in candy an, apples
an pies an things" No wonder Carl
swapping black eyes shone big ani
bright with joyous anticipation.
And you'll have Aunt Pattie Field
to make en- for me,-cakes, yol
know, an pies he said, throwing I'M
arms around his mothers neck, nearly
choking her in his earnestuess.
Aunt Patty Fields. so-called by al
tho village people though she hat
neither kith nor kin among them, has
in her younger days been pastry
cook in famous big hotel in the fa
nous big city Of New York; SO, sine
she had at one time kept house tire,
weeks for Carl's mother, ana Carl, had
with her permission. stuffed himsel
sick With delicious tartS and cake an,
pie, he had come to be her fast frien,
and to believe devoutly in her abilit.
to uoneoct anything IN the eooGin
line