The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-10-12
The Odd Minutes.


Grandpa Bogardus, polishing his
glasses and looking with twinkling
eyes, at Clarice.
"What in the world can it be2" in
quired Clarice breathlessly; for it
was the eve Of the New Year, and
she had heard the crumpling of pa
pers as she darted along the hall.
~ have parcel which | want ex-
amined; it is rather bulky and will
require time; what do you say to
looking over it2"
81 think | should like it," replied
Clarice, a little perplexed.
"That l cannot answer for; you
may like it and you may not; but if
we undertake thing it is proper to
finish it,"
Grandpa Bogardus polished his
glasses very hard and looked inquir-
ingly at Clarice.
81 might try"
.'That sounds better, something
better; but this thing requires time,
patience, perseverance, and l shall
expect it to be completed, if begun"
"What can it ever be?" thought
Clarice, gravely.
81 do not expect it done in day,
but will expect you only to make
use of your odd minutes; do you
ever have odd minutes?"
81 never thought a bit about it,
Grandpa, dear; but believe | do"
swell, what do you say about max
ing a bargain, giving your odd min.
utes to me if 1 give something in
return to you?" Er
~ cannot think what it all MEANS"
81 mean if you will take your odd
minutes to look over the parcel, |
will give you the contents of the
parcel in exchange"
"Oh, how charming! Where is it?
Is it here?p
"stay; come here, little daughter;
1t will not be charming"
"Won'tit, grandpa?"
"No; you will sometimes get tired,
and many times find it dull work,
and will plenty of times feel dispos.
ed to give up the bargain altogether"
"But do not think | will Ionce
decide to carry it through"
mo, you must not; that is it.
Think about it, and if you decide to
undertake it, carry it through. The
New Year is the time for making
stout resolutions, but the great thing
is to keep them"
Dear grandpa, won't you show me
the parcel?"
Eyes, for want to let you see what
think can be done by saving some
of the odd minutes of year"
SO Grandpa Bogardus led Clarice
to an alcove where the porter had
deposited the parcel, and there, in
the richest bindings, were twelve
books-a course of profitable histor.
ical reading in such beautiful type
and covers that Clarice exclaimed in
delight;
Grandpa! Grandpa dear! you can
not mean them all for me-"
"They are mine until you have
earned them. There is one for each
month in the year; portion SO many
pages TO each day, and you will find
how many odd minutes you will
nave IN which you eau read few
pages at a time. At the end of each
month, if you have won the book, |
will write your name within it,"
"But, grandpa, l never could do it.
l never read such books in my life;
they are very grave and large."-
Clarlce was glancing through them.
This house is large; it could not
have been built in day, but it was
finished stone at time; you will
read but page at a time when YOU
have an odd minute. There are
great many odd minutes in a year."
"But would | like them; mean,
would | understand them, Grandpa,
dear?"
"The more you read, the better
you will like them.p
"But could not get through them,
four hundred pages! five hundred
pagesl7it would take me year to
read one."
Clarice shook her head despair.
ingly.