The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1884-05-27

If he spent any money now, it would
take him so much longer to earn
enough. He ha! jus, two dollars and
seventy-five cents, anu it would take
three dollars to buy the "Young
Folks Cyclopedia," the book he want
ed. He had waited for it so long,
too. He wished he had it already.
1t told about nearly everything. 1t
would be something 20 read every
evening when it was cold And how
he'd hunt up answers to some Of the
things the teachers asked about some
times. Then the little house and its
poor fororn room came up before
him, and after a willie the generous
spirit conquered.
81 ought to go down there anyway
to take the money back if ! didn't
get any potatoes, so might as we'll
buy some to take along. Ill take
bushel, for they live so far from every
body maybe they'd starye before any
body else happened to go by"
Early next morning he went to Mr..
Maphet's, bought the potatoes, put
them Oh his express, aud started for
t! e lonely little house at the edge Of
the woods. He could not make mp
his mind as TO the best way Of giving
them to Miss Watson. He was too
bashful to go in aud say he had
brought some potatoes when she had
not sent for so many. At last he
stopped to think. Suddenly he re-
memtered something and began to
tumble in his pockets. In one, among
other treasures, he found piece Of
dingy, white paper full of creases,
and in another a very small stub OF
pencil. With some trouble he wrote
in his large school-boy hand, "Miss
Libbie Watson, April-fool."
"It is an April-iool cause she want
ed dimes worth and here's bush
el."
He tucked the corner of the paper
under the string that tied the bag,
and, as he was near the house, SHOW
el his express i'll fence corner, took
up The potatoes and put them down
carefully On the step, knocked aud
then ran away in as much of hurry
as if he had been a naughty boy try
ing to play trick on some one.
Miss Watson caught sight of him as
he hurried down the road with his
noisy little express. That day the
Watsons had enough to eat. 1t was
the first time in many days.
Before Charley reached home a la.
dy engaged HIM to so over to the sta
ton for packages she had left there
the day before, for which he received
a dime. Later in the day another
errand took him to the store, and
while there Mr.. Maphet engaged
him for every Saturday to do errands
for him at twenty-five cents a day.
So many people needed Charleys
help in the next few weeks that the
little savings soon amounted to three
dollars, and the lopged-for book was
bought.
"Mother," said Charley one day
while looking at his treasure. 81
think I've been real lucky lately 'bout
earning money. l thought few
times Ia never get enough to buy
it,"
II was at Mrs. Maphe:'s TO day." !"
said the mother. "Libbie Watson
is there helping. She's better of the
rheumatism She was telling about
an April fool she had last month. -
Cllarley's face turned very red.
She said it was the best April-fool
anybody ever played The dime she
gave you was the last cent she had.
Libbie said she really believed they
would have suffered if they hadn't
had those potatoes.
GLOW did you happen to think of
taking them p
.sOh, I don't know. They looked
so uncomfortable there. She said
they were out of things, and | knew
not many people went by there in
bad weather, and then she was toe
lame to walk much y
"You said just now" returned the
mother. "that You had been lucky
lately, but | think God remembered
you to get what you have been try
ing for.'
at wasn't easy to do, MOTHER y
said Charley, soberly "but I'm SO
glad | wasn't selfish "