The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-10-20
How he Bought a Sewing Ma
chine.

Just across the street from the Meth
odist Church, in the principal street of
Benton, is a small one.story house, con-
sisting of three rooms only. This is
occupied by Mrs. Cooper, 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 one of the first
to enlist. 1t was 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 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 while she OBJ
tanned pension of So month, which
helped her considerably. One-half of
it paid her rent and the other half paid
for her fuel and lights. But it costs
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
shce shops in 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 evillage schools
would allow.
One evening, just after tea, Mrs.
Cooper laid down her work with 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 will try to send
them over in the morning before he
goes"
"You don't feel well, mother, dc
you ?"
"No, | 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 tC
sew so much, ~ said Johnny.
81 sometimes wish had a sewing
machine" said his mother. "That
would enable me to do three times a
much work with less fatigue"
SHOW much does a sewing-machin'
cost 2'
81 suppose a good one would cos
not far from hundred dollars"
"a hundred dollars That is goot
deal of money!" said Johnny.
"Yes, quite too much for our means
OF course there isno chance of my bein
able to purchase one."
As Johnny went across the field t
Squire Bakers he could not help think
ing of what his mother had said. II
had hoped the cost of machine woul
not exceed twenty dollars, for in thu
case there might be some chance of hi
earning the amount in time. Occasion
ally the neighbors called upon him to d
| odd jobs, and paid him small sum
These in time might amount
n twenty dollars. But hundred seemt
quite to large for him to think of a
9 cumulatmg.
Q "Still, )" thought Johnny, "I've agoC
/, mind to try. won't wait for jobs
4 come to me I'll look out for them
have a good deal of time out of scho
70 when might be doing something.
!. don't get enough to buy sewil
Is machine, may get something else tn
G. mother will like"
IS The next day was Saturday and schC
,f did not keep. 1t was about the first
,e October. In the town where John
Of lived there were many swamps plant
s. with cranberries, which were now ri
I'd and ready for gathering. 1t was nee
s. sary to pick them before frost, sir
IN this fruit, if touched with the fro
nd will decay rapidly. AS Johnny v
CHI coming home from the store, he n
ed a school companion, who seemed to
be in hurry.
yo "Where are you going, Fred ?" he
in quired.
m. "I'm going to pick cranberries
full Squire Baker"
an "How much does he pay p''
1e- "Two cents quart"
ak DO you think he would hire me
ses asked Johnny with sudden thought
! "Yes, and be glad to get you. I