New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-11-29
CHARLES PLAN.

CHARLES PLAN.
Charles Somers was only an Grand
boy in a great West-end firm of art up
holsterers and decorative hangings-a
pale, big-eyed child, with brown hair,
dropping over his forehead, and a sensi.
tive little mouth; merely one of the bits
of human machinery which made the
great, glittering whole revolve 50
smoothly.
At the shop, nobody gave him a
second thought or a second look; but
here at home he was "Charlie," the
youngest and the pet. His chair in the
window-seat was kept sacred to him;
his little shelf of books was undisturbed,
and the ugly little terrier-dog by the fire
was petted and caressed, and treated to
occasional bones, because it was
''Charlie's." For even errand-boys &C.
casionally have homes and mothers!
''Why don't you eat your pie, Charlie? ?
said Mrs. Somers, watching the pro-
gress of his supper with true maternal
anxiety. II baked it on purpose for you,
and you are letting it get cold.'
''Just wait minute, mother" said
Charlie, who had darted away from the
table, and was scratching away with a
lead-pencil on bit of buff wrapping
paper. Zone minute! There, Elsie! !
thought could carry the pattern in my
eye. What do you call that?'' trium-
phantly holding up the piece of paper.
Elsie Somers-a tall girl, who was
stitching away at a roll of pearl-white
flannel, carefully enveloped in old linen
Leaned over to look at his trophy.
''Oh, how exquisiter' said she.
''Charlie, where did you get such a
pretty pattern?''
Charlie chuckled, and laying down
the paper, cut deep into the turnover
apple pie, and rewarded himself by a
mouthful thereof.
could you embroider it, Elsie,' said
he, ''in deep, deep almost black
ON an olive-satin ground, or old
gold?"
"Could I?'' said Elsie. ..Of course I
could. But what does all this mean?
What are you talking about, Charlie?"
''Just this" said Charlie, swallowing
a second mouthful of apple pie. '.Three
times two is six, amt it? And twice six
is twelve, and twice twelve is twenty
four, and ten times twepty-four is two
hundred and forty"
Charlie cried Elsie, ''are you
crazy?''
''Not bit!'' nodded Charlie. ..Now
listen-you and mother were crying as
l came in, because the rent was over
DIE and the landlord was insolent; and
I was wishing 1 was big enough to pitch
the fellow down stairs, or to earn
enough to settle with him, and move
our traps somewhere else. Now here's
the way to earn two hundred and forty
shillings. Twenty into that goes twelve
times. don't tp That's twelve pounds.
Say half of it clear profit
'.Charlie," said Mrs. Somers, II think
you must be dreaming.''
mo, I'm not" said Charlie, chasing
the last delicious crumbs of the apple
turnover around the plate, with evident
relish, before he pushed it back.
''Only hear me out. There was lady
customer at our shop to day, Mrs. Wv
yam, of Lowndes Square, looking at
that very pattern of curtain-light blue
fower-de-luce, all wreathed with dark
blue vine-leaves, on old gold satin, for
four windows. Hand-embroidered, Mr..
Sellers said-imported from Paris. And
she would have taken it at ten shillings
a yard, only Lady Southwood had Just
ordered it: for her boudoir. At least
that was what Sellers said. And couldn't
it be matched? Mrs. Vivyan wanted to
know. And Sellers said, no, not posi-
BILE. Now, Elsie, if you'll embroider
the design from these scribblings of mine
Pm go to Mrs. Vivyar and sell it for
you.''
''Oh, Charlier' cried Elsie, with a
gasp at the comprehensiveness of the
idea. ''But where on earth should we
get the material-twenty-four yards Of
satin?''
Get the Old Miser to lend it to you,
said Charlie, succinctly.
Elsie shrank back.
II couldn't ask him. said she.
''Then I will.'' said Charlie, s.if you
try the experiment, Elsie. Come
nothing ventured, nothing won. Say
yes"
EYES," whispered Elsie.
And away scampered Charlie, to un.
fold his schemes to an old wooden
graver who lived in the top story of the
house, and who. having been nursed
through a tedious attack of inflamma-
tory rheumatism by Mrs. Somers and
her daughter, was popularity supposed
to care somewhat more for them thar
for the other dodgers.
He was old, and he was shabby, and
he had small account at the savings.
bank, which three facts had won hin
the appellation throughout the tenement
house of the Old Miser, but his real
name was Jenkins.
LEND you FIVE pounds, ehp said Mr..
Jenkins, looking up at the lad through
his goggles like huge specimen Of til
lobster tribe. "Humph! that's 3 pretty
cool request, amt it? What should !
lend you five pounds forp''
Because we need it, Charlie al.
swered, valiantly. ..And because Elsie
and mamma are $3.50 poor! And b.
cause
Because said Mr.. jenkins, quietly,
they were good to me when was sick
and alone. That's the best reason Of
al. Well. what are Yor going to do