Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-07-11
EARNING A WHEEL.

saw-pneumatic tires, cork handles,
latest thing in every way-and Brown
will sell it for eighty dollars, cash
down tonight-says he must have
money today. o father, can't we raise
it somehow
Doctor Thatcher and his son Earle,
boy of fourteen, were washing a bug
gy encased in mud toa degree seldom
seen except on country doctors vehi-
cles. The doctor stood with a drip
ping sponge in his hands, frOwning
thoughtfully, while Earle scrubbed the
dashboard, gazing an1iously at his
father.
at is very unfortunate, Earle, but
you know how things are-all my
spare money gone to help your brother
out with his wretehed debts You
can't want the wheel more than your
impoverished father wants it for you,
but we must give it up.
Doctor Thatcher's eyes were so sor-
rowful that Earle forced back some
tears which were coming to the front
in his own eyes, and said, bravely:
"All right, father, don't you mind
And, say Suppose we don'ttell NAM
ma about it? She feels badly enough
about Toms debts, anyway"
Earle, you're man. Now don t
be too hopeful, but an idea has struck
me. Come into my Office, the buggy
is clean enough"
From his desk in the office Doctor
Thatcher took some papers.
"These," he said, "are three bad
bills-probably hopelessly bad--but
all three persons could pay, and ought
to. Ifyou can collect enough on them,
the bicycle is yours. It's poor chance,
but your only one. -"
Earle eagerly looked over the pa
pers. Mrs. Betsy Nixon-that's for
eighty-fve dollarsl'
Eyes, eighty-fve visits during the
last twelve years, and always on the
stormiest nights l send her the bill,
with additions, every year.
"Wat Timms-he's that old man
who used to drive the rag wagon
"Yes, he owes me twenty-six dollars.
He has fine market garden now, but
he won't give me even cabbage Num-
Der three is Mr.. Whistler, up on the
hill. You remember the trouble | had
with him last winter? That bill Is an
even hundred. I've thought of suing
him, but l dislike that sort of thing
81 suppose it's worth trying but
whew it scares me! What shall say
to them p
"Well, my boy" said the doctor, 81
can t tell you what to say, for every
thing that could think of to say has
failed. Go on your own ideas you
may think of something new. And
you'll have to start, for its nearly two
o'clock now.
Earle dressed himself with great
care, and when he went to his mother
for finishing touches" he told her
that he was going to try to do some
collecting for his father, but said not
a word of the bicycle. He knew that
his mother had long wanted pretty
easy chair, and he hoped to be able to
buy it for her.
Mrs. Nixons house, the nearest OF
the three, was mile away on smooth,
level road which made Earle, as he
trudged along its dusty length, wish
more than ever for the wheel.
1t was green tinted frame house.
surmounted by a cupola. The win
dows and doors were wide open, and
Mrs. Nixon, a sweet-faced old woman
of seventy years, sat at her parlOr win
dow, where she could enjoy the fra
GRANGE of her thriving fower-beds, Tc
Earles great relief, she spared him the
trouble of explaining his errand.
"Why, if that isn't Earle Thatcher!
she exclaimed. "Come right in-don't
mind the dust on your feet My house
is for living in, and l don't keep my
parlor shut up four-ffths of the year
Now, did you happen to bring yOul
pas bill?"
"Ah, YES. there It's" she went on