The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-04-21
HOW JOHNNY WENT SHOPPING.

Il want you to do an errand for me,
Johnny" said his mother.
"Wll it be in a paper sack, mammaP'
Perhaps not think it will be in
tin box"
al like tin boxes. If you squeeze
'em they don't mash, and if you drop
'em they don't break, and if you get
'em wet they don't go all to pieces.
But paper sacks hate"
Johnny did not like paper sacks. A
week before he had been sent to order
a sack of corn-meal, to be sent home by
Its too heavy for you." said Meier.
the grocer's boy.
put the sack on his shoulder and off ne
went. feeling every inch a man. But
on his way he fell in with knot of
boys who were busy trading marbles.
He set his sack in q fence corner with
damp from rain. the night before. Half
an hour went by before Johnny found
tina. his whole stock of seven commys,
three potteries and four crystals would
not buy beautiful carnelian he wanted.
Then he went for his meal-sack. If
it could have gone quietly. it might
have reached home safely, but the jerk
with which he heaved it to his shoul-
der broke hole in the damp paper.
And as he trotted briskly along q little
stream of meal went down his back. and
made q zigzag streak .on the sidewalk.
When he got home his load was very
light, but his heart grew very heavy,
as he heard his teasing brother Tom
laugh, and his mother shook her head
at him for lettering when sent on an er-
rand.
The next day Johnny tripped and fell
with q sack of eggs. This time he
went home too slowly, peeping ANXIOUS
ly in TO see how much mischief was
done. So the wet had full time to soak
through. and as he reached the back
porch, broken and whole eggs went
down together.
No wonder Johnny hated paper sacks.
To-day he was so busy thinking
whether he would offer his top or his
book-strap for that carnelian. that he
quite forgot the name of what he was
sent for before he reached the store.
He looked all around on the shelves to
remember.
"What was it likeP' asked Meier.
Johnny. "It's something they have al
the table. and it's yellow, and it bites"
Meier was puzzled. He was a big
slow wav of speaking.
Couldn't be dog, could it?" hs
presently said, hopefully. "He's yallar
| YOU see, and he bites
"They don't have dogs at the table
| I guess" said johnny, in great con
tempt. "But what's that? My! OH
| Just look at that peacockr' Meier re
covered himself at once.
''Haint he beauty, thought That
'ere's q prize chrome. 1t goes witt
that ERE box o. chewin gum. You buy
stick O. gum for two cents, and ther
| you gets the chrome for nothin'-tha1
is, if you gets it."
Johnny was dazzled. Then arose tn,
question what should he do? He wa
never allowed to buy or chew gum, ant
he knew he was never expected Il
spend any of his mothers money. Blu
if he took time to run home and asl
leave, some one else might jump at tn,
| chance of securing such a work of ar
for two cents. 1t was not to be sup
posed that such a treasure would 2,
begging. Hhe lost it he should alway
regret it, and how sorry his mothe
would be when he told her.
| "Pn take it, he cried. He lait
-down his two cents, received the gum
and held out his hand for the chrome
'Wait till I see if you've drawed it.
said Meier. looking over some number
"No, you amt drawed it."
cain it miner" asked Johnny, II
dismay.
"No. P'raps the next feller IL b
the lucky one"
| Poor Johnny could hardly be made T.
realize that he had only been buyin,
chewing gum. How could he tell hi
motherp
"rn try again, and perhaps I'll ge
il yet" And he did try, and again
and again-and again-and again an
again-and again-till at last, with six
teen cents gone, he stood the happ
owner of eight sticks of gum and tn
beautiful chrome.
"It's worth q dollar or more,
know" he said, as he rushed home
But as he held up his prize before hi
mother, he did feel some misgivings a
he saw that she did not seem ut all OK
cited by it.
He told his story, feeling less and les
elated as her face grew grave.
"Don't you think it's splendid, mann
ma? Just look at the red in that pea
cocks tail-as natural as life, isn't ite'
"a great deal more so, I think. John
n.y."
..And you'll have it framed and hun,
in the parlor. won't you, mammal"
"Well, don't you want it in your owl
roomp"
81 thought it was too handsome TO
that. You are not angry with me, ar
you, mammal" She laid her hand OF
his head.
| Whose money have you been spend
ing. dearf'
| "Yours. ms'am." Johnny hung hi