The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-06
WHAT TIM ANDJESSDID
By EBEN Z. REXFORD.

- BY EBEN Z. REXFORD.
Tim was on his way toward home one
night when q ''grand idea" came to him.
He was thinking about his mother. Tim
was different from good many boys in
one way. He thought good deal more
about his mother thaa he did about
himself. He was wishing that she
didn't have to work so hard. She took
in sewing for living. 1t was stitch,
stitch, stitch all day, and more than
once he had walked up at midnight aud
found her still at work.
"Oh, mother, do stop sewing aud go
to bcd," he would say at such times. "
t'You must be tired out"
"les, Tim, I'm going to bed very
soon, now," she would answer. II just
want to finish this seam, first"
As I have said, Tim was thinking
about his mother as he went homeward,
and just as he was wishing that he could
do great deal more that he was doing
to make her work lighter and life less
wearisome, he came to a place where
some men were unloading a lot of sew
ing-machines. :.
'.Must be going to start shop here, "
he thought, and stopped to watch them
at work.
my! don't wish I could buy one of
tn m machines for mother" thought
Tim. 'If she had machine she could
do more. work in four or five hours than
she can do now in all day, an do it
easier; an Jess an could help her lots
O. times after we'd learned to run the
thing. Iwonder how much one of 'em
costs. Most fortune, I s'pose, with a
little sigh.
'.Here, you boy, if you hain't any
thing else to do, lend hand an help us
get these machines inside before it be-
gins to rain," said the man who seemed
to be owner of the stock. "Iou Gun
earn ten cents in next to no time"
''All right, SIR" said Tim, with alac-
rity. Ten cents would help good deal
in poor family, and he was just the lad
to nos let such changes slip.
In little while they had the machines
inside, and the drayman drove of and
left Tim with the machine man.
dispose, sir, one O. these machines
costs a good deal, don't it2" asked Tim.
,.j"Not such great sight" answered
the man. "New ones come higher'n poor
folks like to pay, but second hand ones,
like this, now"-ind eating a machine
that looked about as well as any of the
others as far as Tim was able to judge
''this Que l could sell for fifteen dollars
an warrant it to be est as good as q new
one that you'd have 20 pay double that
for. 81 take old ones in trade, you see,
IT,, 30 hnp von6
bein' tinker, an 1 sell 'em cheap.
Want to buy"
''Id like to-" sain Tim, with longing
in voice and eyes. "ButI don't happen
to have fifteen dollars"
"Work an earn it, " said the man.
II work an earn all can, now," said
Tim. Il sell rapers, you see, an it
takes all mother'n l can rake an scrapc
to live on, so cou' 'dn't save anrthing to
buy machine with. But Id like to,
all the same. Mother, she sews. but she'd
never'd run in debt for machine.
just wish could buy her one"
"Do extra jobs an save W what you
get for 'em, an you could pay for ms
chine" "said the man.
"I-I don't s'pose you could give me
jobs, could you." asked Tim, eagerly
.'Well, l might, now an then" was
the reply. "I'l tell you what III do.
I'm one o them folks that's always
willin' to help folks that'lt try to help
themselves. I'll give you all the chorin'
round I have to have done, at ten cents q
job. I'll give you credit-slip for each
one, an if you pay in ten cents in cash
any time, I'll give you a slip for that,
too, an you can keep the slips till they
come to the price of a machine, an when
you've got fifteen dollars worth of 'em,
you can have your pick of any second
hand machine in the store. What dye
say"
"I-:.'ll do it," said Tim, with q kind
of gasp. The magnitude of the transac.
tion almost took his breath away.
call right, then" sad the machine
man. "Do you want slip for the jol
you've done tonight, or the cash2"
'Tll take Slip" said Tim. "If I'm
going to buy machine might as wei
begin to pay for it on the start"
"That's business" said the man. HI
wrote on q card: 'Due to bearer ter
cents on account" and Tim pocketed i,
with feeling of importance. 1t was al
most like putting money in the bank.
"You can drop in when you CONF
along nights or mornin's. an see i
there's anything to do," said the man.
81 WILL" said Tim, and started of
home on run.
"Oh my, but sin't in for it now
tho" thought he. 81 wonder wha
mother'd say if she knew2 But 1 won
tell her thing, for something nigh
happen an the machine not come afte
all. Eut I'll tell Jess, and let her keel
the slips for me-"
The lad had such bright, excited
look that his mother asked him wha
had happened to him as they sat dowr
to supper.
sch, nothin'," answered Tim, with {
chuckle that made Jessie look at hin
with suspicion.
After supper he watched his chance
and whispered to Jess to ''come out, he
wanted to till her something" in low
and mysterious tone that aroused all tha
Young damsers curiosity at once.
"What is it, Tim!' she asked, as soor
as they were in the hall, out of any
body's hearing. "Have you got some
thing for me2"
"Yes; I've got something for you t.
keep" answered TIM, producing hi
slip ''You see, Jess. I've made bar
gain for sewing g-machine," looking a
her keenly to see how she was impressed