The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-04-14
a DEAL IN PEANUT BRITTLE.

Bhe Trading Venture of Youthful Men,
Der of the Gratebar Family.
When they put tho price of peanut
Brittle down to IL cents IL pound in the
pig stores, Maudo Gratebar, tho oldest
of the Gratebar children, had an idea
Peanut brittle costs 20 cents pound in
sho grocery stores and confectionery
stores up around where the Gratebars
live Maudo's idea was to take some of
her money-sho is thrifty and always
has little money-and buy peanut brit
tie at oEo of the big stores at II cents
and job it out to tho children at 90.
She thought that she could rely OH the
trade of tho Gratobar household TO
che was well known, and tho |
showed that her confidence was mis-
placed.
Maudo bought three pounds of pea
nut brittle at - cents "a pound, SO cents;
oar fare added, o cents; total invest
mont, 46 cents. Sold ut 20 cents a
pound this would manifcstly bring in
80 cents, so that Maude expected to
mako Ii cents OH the deal Trade opened
very briskly. Philip and George and
Clara, the other Gratobar children,
.transferred their entire trade in peanut
tDrittlo to tho homo store. Maudo sold in
any quantity asked fora single ponny's
worth, if desired This made it very
handy for George and Clara, the two
younger children, who could run into
,heir mother room and asl; for Il penny
and then sCoot into Maudos room and
buy peanut brittle with it,
Maudo used Il toy scale and weights
shat had been given to one of tho chill
6iren as Christmas present. This WAS
0ad, for the weights had mover been
scaled, and despite her thrift Maudo is
generous, and what between tho UNI
sealed weights and her OWL generosity.
whenever the children bought ! cents
worth she really gave them nearer 2
cents worth, so that when the peanut
Brittle was half COMO, and she should
:>ave had 30 cents, she ,gcally had only
p. But this loss might have been re-
frieved and tic deal still closed at a
profit if Maadc had not begun to give
credit. Maudc knew well enough that
that wasn't business, but what could
eho do when little Clara camo along and
said mothcr'd Como out, and she wanted
cents worth OF peanut brittle and
asked Maudo to trust her for it till
another came in. Could Maudo refuse to
trust her own little sister Tor "a cents
worth of peanut brittle: Why, certain
iy not. She let her have it.
At the end of week George and
CLARA had run up joint account of 10
cents. Then Mau,lo Shut down on them
absolutely. No moro peanut brittle, cx-
copt for cash and tho payment of all
Back indebtedness That threw them mt
once back upon their mother Called
upon for 10 cents all at once instead OF
Tor pennies separately, Mrs. Gratobar
tnyostigatcd She found tho two young
or children i'll debt to Maudc, and
Maudc herself uncomfortable over the
situation. Philip had bought 10 cents
worth of brittle, SO that tho total cash
oecoipts had been 81 cents. But even
counting what tho little children owed
rs good there wasn't brittle enough 10.
;naining oil hand, oven if sold for cash
and Mt full price. to make good tho
original invostmout.
Things were getting complicated, and
Mrs. Gratobar acted promptly. Sho paid
tho childron's debts, and then at once
ounAht tho entire remaining stock of
brittle and divided it among all the
children Mrs. Gratohar paid 10 cents
Cor this remainder, SO that after all
Maudo closed ont tho deal ut a small
profit, but it wasn't enough to pay for
tho bother, and that would have been
sufficient to deter her from all such ven.
lures III the future, even if this had not
;Deen tho express understanding with
which Mrs. Gratebar came to tho res
cue. Now York sun.