Sharp County record., 1881-05-26
CARELESS JOHNNY.

" want you to do an errand LOT me-
Johnny" said his mother.
win it be in a paper sack, mamma"
perhaps not. l think it will be in
tin box.n
Like tin boxes. If you squeeze
EN- thev don't mash, and if you drop
EN- they don't break, and if you get
EN- wet they don't 60 all to pieces.
But paper sacks l 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
the grocer.
ITS too heavy for you," said Meier,
the grocer's boy.
mot Bit" said Johnny. Meier
put the sack on his shoulder and off ne
went, feeling every inch man. But
on his way he fell in with knot Of
boys who were busy trading marbles.
He set his sack in a fence corner with
out noticing that the ground was very
damp from rain the night before. Half
an hour went BY before Johnny found
thai his whole stock of seven commys,
three potteries and four crystals would
not buv 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 a hole in the damp paper
And as he trotted briskly along little
stream ofmeal went down his back, and
made a zigzag streak on the sidewalk
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 earneliaR, 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 Hke?n asked Nezer.
at was to be in a tin box" said
johnny. Its something they have at
the table, and it's yellow, and it bites. :"
'Nezer was puzzled. He was a big
headed boy, with very short hair, and a
slow way of speaking.
Couldn't be a dog, could it?' he
presently said, hopefully. "He's yaLar,
you see, and he bites -
"They don't have dogs at the table,
guess" said johnny, in great con-
tempt. "But what that? Ny. oh
just look at that peacockr Meier re-
covered himself at once.
"Haint he a beauty, though? That
'ere's a prize chrome. 1t goes with
that ere box o chewin gum. You buys
a stick o gum for two cents, and then
you gets the chrome for nothin' that
is, if you gets it.
johnny was dazzled, Then arose the
question what should he do? He was
never allowed to buy or chew gum, and
he knew he was never expected to
spend any of his mothers money. But
if he took time to run home and ask
leave, some one else might jump at the
chance of securing such work of art
for two cents. 1t was not to be sup
posed that such treasure would 90
begging. If he lost it he should always
regret it, and how sorry his mother
would be when he told her.
"Tll take it," he cried. He laid
down his two cents, received the gum.
and held out his hand for the chrome
"Wait till see if you've drawed it, "
said Nezer, looking over some number
"No, you amt drawed it.
Ain t it mine?n asked Johnny, in
dismay.
mo. P'raps the next feller III be
the lucky one
Poor johnny could hardly be made to
realize that he mad only been buying
chewing gum. How could he tell his
mother? ..
"Ill try again, and perhaps I'll get
it yet" And he did try, and again
and again-and again-and again and
again-and again-till at last, with six
teen cents gone, he stood the happy
owner of eight sticks of gum and the
beautiful chrome.
"It's worth dollar or more, l
know" he said, as he rushed home
But as he held up his prize before his
mother, he did feel some misgivings as
he saw that she did not seem at all ex-
cited by it.
He told his story, feeling less and less
elated as her face grew grave.
Don't you think it splendid. man.
ma? Just look at the red in that pea
cock s tail-as natural as life, isn't itP"
"a great deal more so, think, John
N.Y. :
"And you'll have it framed and hung
in the parlor, won't you, mammal"
We'll, don't you want it in your own
room?"
81 thought it was too handsome for
that. You are not angry with me, are
you, mamma" She laid her hand on
MS head.
Whose money have you been spend
ing, dear?"
Yours, ma'am." Johnny hung his
head. But. dear mamma, 1 didn't
think you'd care when l told you all
abOut il ~