The Penn's Grove record., 1883-10-20
How he Bought a Sewing Ma
chine.

0thsts~ M G
Just across the street from the Meth
odist Church, in the principal street OF
Benton, is a small n story house, con-
sisting of three rooms only. This is
occupied by Mrs. Cooper, a widow, and
her only son, Johnny, with whom it is
our purpose to become further acquain-
ted. When the great rebellion broke
out, Johnny's father was n of the first
to enlist. 1t was a great trial to him
to leave behind his wife and son, but
he felt if his duty to go. For more than
a year he wrote cheerful letters home
but one dark day there came over
the wires tidings of the disastrous
battle of Fredericksburg, and in the
list of killed was the name of James
Cooper.
1t was a sad day for Mrs. Cooper ;
but she had little time to mourn. The
death of her husband threw the burden
of maintaining herself and Johnny upon
her shoulders. After a while she OBJ
tanned a pension of S. a month, which
helped her considerably. One. halt of
it paid her rent and the other half paid
for her fuel and lights. But it costs a
good deal to buy food and clothes for
two persons, and she was obliged to toll
early and late with her needle to make
up the requisite sum. Johnny was now
II years old, and might have obtained
a chance to peg shoes in some of the
shoe shops i'll the village. as indeed he
wanted to do; but Mrs. Cooper felt that
he ought to be kept at school. AS she
would not be able to leave him money
she was resolved at least to give him as
good an education as the village schools
would allow.
One evening, just after tea, Mrs
Cooper laid down her work with a little
sigh. "Johnny," said she, 81 will get
you to run over to Squire Bakers and
say that l shall not be able to finish his
shirts tonight, but l will try to send
them wei in the playring before he
goes"
"You don't feel well, mother, do
you Z"
"No, I have a bad headache. / think
| shall go to bed early and see If ] can't
sleep it off"
81 don't believe it agrees with you to
sew SO much, y said Johnny.
Ct sometimes wish I had a sewing
machine" said his mother. THAT
would enable me to do three times as
much work with less fatigue"
"How much does a sewing-machine
cost 20
II suppose a good n would cost
not far from a hundred dollars
"a hundred dollars That is agood
deal of money" said Johnny.
Eyes, quite too much for our means
OF course there isno chance of my being
able to purchase one.n
As Johnny went across the field to
Squire Bakers he could not help think
ing Of what his mother had said. He
had hoped the cost of a machine would
not exceed twenty dollars, for in that
case there might be some chance of his
earning the amount in time. Occasion
ally tie leighbors called upon him to do
odd jobs, and paid him small sums.
These in time might amount to
twenty dollars. But a hundred seemed
quite to large for him to think of ac-
cumulatlng.
s'Still, thought Johnny, "l've agood
mind to try. | won't wait for jobs to
come to me ; I'll lock out for them /
have a good deal of time out of school
when l might be doing something. If
l don't get enough to buy a sewing
machine, l may get something else that
mother will like"
The next day was Saturday and school
did not keep. 1t was about the first of
October. In the town where Johnny
lived there were many swamps planted
with crauberries, which were now ripe
and ready for gathering. 1t was neces-
sary to pick them before a frost, since
this fruit, If touched with the frost,
will decay rapidly. AS Johnny was
coming home from the store, he met
a school companion, who seemed to be
in a hurry.
"Where are you going, Fred ?" he in
quired.
"I'm going to pick cranberries fol
Squire Baker"
"How much does he pay ?"
1.-TWO cents a quart"
do you think he would hire me p
asked Johnny with a sudden thought.
! Eyes, and be glad to get you. He'l