Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-01-19

| That is what l said. Now, how mucli
did they have left?"
''Nobody ever bought q knife that
way"
''Probably not, but that is applied
mathematics, applying principles to
everyday transactions such as you will
engage in when you get older. Still,
! perhaps, that is little too far along
for your
''Oh! l can do it easy enough" said
Alan, and he went to work. In a few
minutes he began to look puzzled; then
he asked: What do you want to
know"
"How much they had left?"
The puzzled look grew as the figures
multiplied. Why" said the boy, final
ly, ''they wouldn't have any thing left.
They would owe, or James would owe,
1 5-6 cents on the knife, or John would
have to give up some of the apples"
''Eh?" said uncle, with a start; shows
that?" -.
Alan went carefully over the problem
step by step, and, as he proceeded,
uncle's confidence in himself disap-
peared, and in it's wake ran embarrass-
ment and humiliation. But uncle has
not lived two score and more years in
this world of perplexities for nothing,
and when he was led to see that Alan
was right uncle was himself again.
"Ah, yes" he said, you are quite right,
my boy, entirely right. was wonder
ing if you would find it out"
but don't understand how there can
be any thing left"
''There isn't" said uncle, composedly.
81 didn't intend there should be. You
may remember that told you this was
applied mathematics applying princi.
Piles to everyday transactions were, |
think, the words used. 1t is nothing
uncommon for men to buy more than
they can pay for In this simple prob
lem you have gained an insight into one
of the great principles of business life.
1t is well for you to mingle theory with
practice, an excellent idea, indeed"
The paper behind which the face of
Alan's mother was hidden was shaking,
and there was a look on her face of
merriment struggling with mild indig-
nation. Uncle settled back in his chair,
laced his fingers again, and realized
that he had crawled through a very
small hole and saved all the buttons on
his waistcoat
''Let me give you an example. uncle"
said Alan, thoughtfully. mot made
up one, but one from the book. I'll
come to them pretty quick and would
like to know how to do them"
"Er-perhaps you had better wait till
you get to Them" said uncle. 1T is
Just as well not to cross n bridge"
Just then the eyes of Alan's mother APP
peared over the top of the paper and
looked straight into uncle's. That gen
tleman cleared his throat and said,
hastily: "All right, my boy, all right;
let's have it,
Alan turned the leaves of his arith-
metic and then read:
"a father left his eldest son three-sevenths
of his estate, his youngest son four sevenths of
the remainder, and his daughter the remainder,
who received Sl,723H less than the youngest
son; what was the value of the estate!"
"Please read that over again." said
uncle, nervously. Alan did SO.
'Well, the first thing to do" said
uncle, sis to find out what is the value
of the estate"
''That's the last thing in the book"
"Eh? / am afraid l did not under
stand the example. You should learn to
read more plainly young sir"
Alan read the example again and
uncle said:
sob, yes, l see. Please get me some
paper and a pencil; you might get sew
eral sheets of paper so we will be sure
to have enough" While Alan was get