St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-06-21
FOR CIR pnunn Folks
TOMS ACCOUNT SQUARED.


paper was covered with figures.
Finally he took a new piece and be-
gan again:
To yds. calico at II cts, II
And as he finished the last seven, his
father looked over his shoulder.
"Bills, Tom" he asked. That's
right. I only hope you will never
get as many as l have" And ne
dropped into the arm chair by the
fire, tired with the days work, and
glad TO be at home again.
Tom came over and leaned against
his father's knee, for the few min
utes talk before dinner that they
always had together.
Papa" he asked, when a man
does any work oughtn't he to be
paid for it ?"
Certainly" was Papa's reply, "if
he asks a fair price
Then they began to talk OF some
thing else, and papa forgot the ques-
tion and his own reply long before
dinner was ready.
The next day was Saturday, but
Tom stayed in the house, working
busily at his arithmetic. Mamma
was quite worried; she had never
before known the boy to study on a
holiday, or to refuse to go skating
with Ned and Jack. He worked all
the morning, lying in the cushioned
window-seat, and not until after
lunch did he give thought to the
new skates. Mamma told Kate
that she was afraid Tom was not
well, and she really looked relieved
to see him flying down the hill in the
afternoon. Wonder of wonders! he
was not late to dinner, but came in
early, and slipped into the dining
room, before any one else had come
down. He looked a little conscious
when a note dropped out Of each
napkin, and waited impatiently TO
see them unfOlded. Kate opened
hers first and glanced through it,
breaking out into merry laughter.
Tom looked cross. Kate always
laughed at him. He wished he was
would laugh a her all the time.
"Whv, Tom" she was saying,
"what perfect nonsense! Mother,
did you ever see anything like this ?
Tom has sent me a bill for helping
me yesterday
In the meantime papa and mamma
had opened their notes, and had dis |
covered that they too had received |
bills from Tom. Papa's ran this
way:
Mr.. E. W. ELLIS,
In account with Tom Ellis.
g 8 bringings of papers at 2 cts .O6 |
finding SLIPPERS at cts. .O5 |
Sum total, $13
Received payment,
Mammals was a little different, |
but these were the items:
To going to tell Bridget something
To 3 hurryings up when I didn't want
To 2 errands at Jones store at 10 cts 20 |
Total, 81
Kate had the worst of all. This is
the way hers read -
To going to N1o1Ee Browns at cts S 20 |
" 1 taking note to Professor at % cts 10 |
holding wosted cause hate it,
at 25 cts. .25 |
To taking books to Liberty at cts .oe
Total 90
Papa put his down without say
ing anything, and mamma looked |
at Tom with queer little smile, re-
marking, We'll, Tom, it seems that
the family owes you more than a
dollar"
Yes, ma am" said Tom, cheer
fully; land papa said if a man asked
fair price for his work he ought to
get it. And if you could pay up to-
night, l could get that dandy big
jack-knife on Monday-the one like
Ned's, you know
The family didn't say whether it
it intended to pay mp at once or
not, and Tom felt little doubtful,
when he found papa and mamma
talking in the study together after
ward, just how his plan would sue
coed.
However, at breakfast he found
beside his plate dollar bill, ten,
cent piece, and three pennies. and the
three bills waiting to be receipted.
He signed Tom Ellis" in big letters
to each one, and pocketed his money,
of the big knife that he was
going to have
The first thing he did when he
came home from school in the after
noon was to run to mamma and
show her the four blades-twO big
ones and two little ones-and she
was almost as much pleased as he.
At dinner-time he was quite surprised
to find in his napkin, this time, three
little notes, just like the ones he had
sent to papa and mamma and Kate
the night before. He didn't open
them until after dinner, because the
little doubtful feeling had come back,
and he thought he would rather be
by himself. When, finally, he did
look at them. this is what he found:
Ton ELLIS il account with
Mr.. E. W. ELLIS.
To l pair skates mended, S Is
pencils sharpened, 90 ,
% 1 St. Nicholas bought, rs