The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-08-18
OIN'to the fair,

cents to get there, half fare; twenty
five cents to get in"
And this is an awful place to get
anything to do in"
Awful"
The two boys resigned themselves to
It least Il half minutes reflection on
the gloomy outlook. Both were kept
at school, had a comfortable home,
with enough of wholesome food, n
clothes which wee warm although
not fine. But a cent to spend, which
was not of their WI earning, neither
of them ever thought of having.
And over in the next town was to be
held the county fair. with delights and
wonders in the way of fine horses and
cattle. big pumpkins. splendid fowls,
merry-go-rounds, trotting, crowds,
band music and a balloon ascension.
Does anyone know a medium-sized boy
whose heart would not be heavy with
despair at thought of missing it?
Il could get a job pickin' up taters
at Farmer ~Capron's," said Bill; u
it's too much work for the money"
How much?" asked Johnny.
Cant make more'n five cents a day
workin' all the time out of school,"
And it's a week to the fair.
Wouldn't Farmer Capron let you have
enough to go on, ami make it up after
wards?"
Il s'pose he would. but l didn't ask
him. It's too hard work Why"
Bill Strengthened himself up and spoke
with enthusiasm, ''once there was a
man who got me to carry n valise to
the station for him, cause he was 'fraid
he'd lose his train, and we had to run
like sixty. And he paid me fifty cents
for it. Fifty cents in less'n half al
hour"
Yes" said Johnny, who had often
before heard the fifty-cent story. but
what we want t. know now is what
we can do now. If | lived to your end
of town and could get so easy out to
Capron's I'd pick the taters."
Il won't" said Bill, stoutly. Come
on! I'm goin' down street to watch
for some kind of a job. If we take all
this Saturday afternoon to it it's a
pity if we can't find something"
The boys hung around for a while,
to become at length discouraged at
finding how few things seemed wait
ing for a boy to do for which anybody
cared to pay any loose change.
They came at length to where a man
was laying a brick sidewalk.
Want any help?" asked Johnny.
SWELL, yes, l do" said the Il
expected to have my hoy to wheel
sand ard brick to me. But when | got
home to dinner l found he'd gone fish
ing. So I'm getting along the best 1
can without him."
"Whatrl you 'pay"" asked Bill
eagerly.
We'll, l can't pay much. Ten cents
apiece from now till teatime."
ITO wheel brick and sand all that
time? Why, one day a man gave me
fifty cents"
''Oh, go long with your fifty cents"
said Johnny, with a good-humored
laugh.
You wouldn't find such a chance
more'n once in a year, if You did then"
well, / shan't work all the after
noon for ten cents said Bill. iii
look round for something else. I'll do
a errand or something thatll make
me twice as muchs and won't take half
so long"
Johnny before long was obliged to
confess to himself hat he. too. would
far prefer to earn money a little more
easily. The afternoon was hot, the
bricks and sand heavy, and the way
over which he had to wheel them
rough. He grew tired, and his back
ached long before it was time to stop.
But he worked away with sturdy
~cheerfulness, feeling glad of his good
luck in getting anything ct all, and
settling within himself that a saying
he had once heard: 'If you can't get
what you want you'd better take what
you can get" was a very wise one, and
one which boys would do well to heed.
From brick pile to sidewalk he
wheeled, occasionally getting a few
moments in which to sit on a handle
of the barrow while he took breath
and chatted with the man, of his
hopes of making, within the next
week, enough money to take him to
the fair.
We'll, you're q linton worker" at