The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-07-29
PATCHED ELBOWS.


"Look, mother, those interesting el.
bows are out againl don't know what
old Toppleton will say
AS he spoke, lavo Baldwin turned
aIout and showed his mother the rents
whoo two very active elbnws had
worked themselves out of prison. Mrs.
baldwin wns frying griddle cakes for
Dave breakfast. Sho looked up and
said in her pleasant way.
"WCll, Dave, the thing that made the
trouble will cure it, Work did it, and
work will cure it, and next month OIL
will be ale, from your earnings, to
have a new cont, so that again YOU can
say, what made holes will cover them.
In few minutes | will sew up those
holes
Sorry to make you so much trouble,
mother. I'm an awful 10y"
Ttercapon other Baldwin told him
she wO Id stop his mouth with a griddle
cake il he did not stop that style of
talking.
u shoullnt I Oh ect, mother, to look.
ing as well as Frank Thompson.
u should if thought you got your
clothes the same way. i was at the
IhOmpsons the other day, and Mrs
Thompson groaned and said sho should
be glad when Frank got his bills paid,
but clerks liust dress in any store, sho
supposed Pefore you and Frank went
INTO TGpplCton 5 store you and he were
glad to PICK greens in tho city lots and
bring them home for dinner, and /
would rather you'd be q dandrlion.
picker for life than have you owing
everybody and never paying them.
To this sentiment Mother Baldwin
gave emphasis by the vigorous landing
OF another griddle cake On Dawes plate.
u think Young people ought 10 grow
up with u horror Of debt for it is one
kind of dishonesty il you owe people,
because you have bought something you
know you may not pay for Then IL
you expect when you buy TO bo allie to
pay, hut still don't pay, and so keep
people out Of their uSt due, after a
while conscience gets easy on this debt
subject, and says; oh. any time will
Ito, and who knows If / ret easy
about what ! owe n man, may got
easy on VlIe subject of taking something
outright from him. No, Dave, | want
to bring you up right"
Still again did Mother Baldwin give
emphasis to her words by the pro nit
and hearty landing ola griddlc,cake ou
the hungry Toys plate.
"Ihat COOL mother. Yon givo EN-
big and hot. promise to bc hon.
est. "
"lf YOU don't, young man" said
Mother baldwin, with ringing laugh,
you may speak for another cook. fhe
very i,rt evening possibly can, l will
engage to cover those active elbows with
two as neat patches us | can put on
They will do till YOU can buy a new
coat
Daye and Frank that morning walked
together 10 rOppIeton's Dry Goods
ta2ar," where they were clerks.
"Ch, that is q beauty!n exclaimed
Fave, noticing one Of ranks sleeve.
buttons The style was that of blue
stone in a cross form set within a rich
gold band.
Like III" asked Frank. "The ladies
all think II very fine. When | sell EN-
piece of silk, | Just carelessIy Law nv
hand Oh it and say: 1T shows well
against iicwelry, and it is just-just-
irresistible"
"Must have cost something"
"lICm- well. Taint paid for vet
but that is all right. liy wearing it I'm
advertising ewelry for tho firm where /
got it, and that is pay"
Don't know about it, hut seems to
me feel easier when pay for a
thing"
"Gh, nonsense" replied Frank,
sharply. lie did not wish TO be re-.
minded OF the subject OF debt, AMI why
should his old companion in DAYS Of
dandeion.picking worry him with his
sensitive conscience!
That night Dawes mother covered his
"enterprising elbows with two very
neat patches. Only pair OF sharpeyes
would have detected these honest
covers.
lay, Fave" said Frank. the noxt
day, eyeing closely his fellow clerk,
are those patched elbows paid forf'
"l'atchCd clbows' asked jim Blake,
q clerk with rough voice. "Paid rorl
Has Dave any strange notions about the
subject o debt"
"ics, said Dave, coolly and pleas.
Nntly, and | am not ashamed of them,
or my clothes either"
"lnlccd.' said Frank, cOntemptu.
ously.
g omo boysI Attend to your work."
exclaimed a voice.
The clerks all looked up, ltwas Top.
pIoton himself there was nm awful 81.
lCnco in that part of the store.
Guess ! made q mistake" exclaimed
Frank an look out for the old man
next time.
A very serious mistake, that night,
Topplcton thought somebody was max.
Ing, Alhost all Of his clerks had loft.
CHANGING to look out Of his counting.
room, lie saw an arm that, reaching
round the corner Of Il sCt of shelves on
which were expensive broadcloths alb.
straCiCd n fragment and then was
quickly withdrawn
Indeed thought 1'oppIeton. "That
was q neat operation Look hero
What did | see on that arm, or the
wrist, rather ONE hing blue! Ilumph /"
The next day the clerks wondered why
TopplctOn seemed 10 he bowling so much
when near them, STOPPING down to tho
level Of their hands.
Funny" said Jim Blake 'lthoupht
TopplCtOn would turn cannibal and mi
my hands to-day"
~ thought he was going off with nv
sleeve buttons, remarked Frank. "Ho
said they were q pretty pattern, and
eyed them COvGtOuSIy."
ropplcton himself said, "lf that thief
is round tonight, fishing cloth oil from
that shelf, ho may have an unexpected
bite
That night, when almost all tho clorks
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