Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-12-26
Boys and Money.

Speaking of boys, and teaching them
the value of money, we know man
whose two boys had u pony, and, OF
course, wanted cart, and asked for
the money to buy it, not doubling that
their father, following his usual Gus
tom, would give them all the money
they asked. He had long been study
ing over the matter, having seen that
his boys were spending money with no
idea as to its value. He thought this q
good chance to teach them q lesson
both as to how slowly money actually
accumulates, and how valuable it is
after it is earned. So he told them,
"find out how much cart and the
harness will cost. Go to the factory and
shop and tell what you want and learn
what il will cost. Then will see about
it." The boys, not knowing how long
was the road before them, went joy
fully on the errand. They found that
cart and harness would cost eightytwo
dollars, and came back in high glee for
the money, with visions of a flashing
cart and a prancing pony dashing
along the highway under their
guidance dancing in their minds.
The father asked: "Do you want
the cart so very much?" and
the reply was, 1--WE would rather
have it than anything we have had in
our lives, and please, papa, hurry it
up" The father said: "Wcll, Wei buy
this cart new way, and so that you
will know how good thing it is and
how much it costs when you get IT. You
shall each have dollar week until
YOU have bought the cart. 1t will not
take you year to get it, if you do not
spend too much money" The little
fellows started out bravely, not real
izing how long it would take. But it was
not long till they saw it was slow mat
ter. Temptations came to spend part
of the sacred cart fund, and they were
told to spend any or all of it, only that
spending part of it would put the cart
oil that much longer. This considera,
ton would always tell, and good many
foolish expenditures were cut of, such
as ten cents worth of candy when five
would do as well, or q thirty-cent ball
when fifteen-cent one would do, and
two dollars worth of valentines when
fifteen cents worth would answer. 1t
was not three weeks till the older
one said: Goodness, | had no
idea money grew 80 slowly" and
till the younger one said: owe
must earn some money of our own TO
add 20 this, or Wen be too big for the
cart by the time we get it," So two
valuable lessons had been taught and
enforced in this way, and the little
chaps, realizing chow slowly money
grows" and how industry helps to
hurry it up, took TO hunting up work to
do so as to hurry up the cart. Friends
of the family, knowing of the matter,
and sympathizing with the boys as good
hearts always do, wanted to help out
the fund. But this was forbidden. Tho
parental idea of the lesson of the value
and the slow growth of money would
not allow it, The cart had to be earned,
and finally, and inside of six months,
by the endowment fund of two dollars
a week, and the earnings of tho boys
themselves, il was earned. II IL had
been made of gold il could hardly have
been of more value to the boys or to
the father. The practical lesson had
been learned, and ever since these boys
have known for themselves show slow
ly money grows" and how doubly
sweet is anything bought with money
you have earned yourself No boy
knows how big dollar really is until he
has earned whole dollar himself. -
Iowa State Register.