The Winslow mail., 1899-12-21
Bob's Punishment.
BY Lena Giltert-Fellows.
IVES, Bob was punished-that is, he


Bob was neutrality-suspicious. should
say subnewsboy-who dealt in papers
on a small scale, his whole stock rare
ly consisting of more than three at a
time. These few he purchased at whole
sale from a friend, who was 'reg'laI
newsboy," and sold them at retail in the
side streets; and when his small stock
was exhausted he hunted up this same
friend again, to make his wholesale pur-
chase.
He soon learned how to keep pace
with him, and "to strike him to an inch, -
as he expressed it; so that very little
time was lost in these frequent pur-
chases. Sometimes he sold as many as
20 papers in day, but, as his profit was
small. he could not lay by much.
One day, when the thermometer had
reached high point, Bob and his friend
met on the walk directly under an open
window.
'Reg'lar ole sumner, amt it?" was
Bob's opening remark.
'Jing! amt it, thought" acquiesced
his friend.
COAu Out lHQu QulT6Q DOD.
eyes, clean"
"My! don't L wish 1 could do a pipin'
business like that?'
''Why, hain't you sold out yet?'
Eyes; but that amt nothin' COM
pared to your'n. But let me git a-goin'
onc't, and you'll see a feller ash pile
up the tin. I'll be ridin' in a carriage
like that ere some day, if can jest git
a start. But you see all L git now has
to be put in with mothers. That don't
give any chance to lay up, and you have
to lay up in the start"
mo, you DON'T" replied Bob's more
experienced friend. You keep a-put-
tin it all right inter your business, and
that's the way you keep a-makin' more
and more"
"Hey?" queried the astonished Bob.
'Then when does the money git into
the banks?"
'Not until you git so much ahead that
you can't keep it all a-goin'."
The owner of the office under which
these two lads stood-the owner, as for
that matter, of the whole block-hap-
pened to be sitting just inside the win
dow; and he had started out in life a
poor boy.
So you may know that this brief
dialogue, which would otherwise have
been tame and interesting, naturally
drew his attention.
He now leaned forward that he might
see their faces, and as they continued
the conversation he watched them
keenly.
Il say, Stub, if 1 was ter git dol
lar of my own onc't, would that give
me a start?''
''Yes; that's twice more'n 1 had in
the start, replied Stub, encouragingly,
land I'm 'creasin' my business all the
time. l deal in a good many things
now"
And the boy drew himself up as an
assurance that he was attaining great
ness.
"Jimminy! We don't, thought"
Maybe not" said Stub, with exas-
perating GOODNESS. Maybe dreamed 1
was a-sellin' apples, and lemons, and
bananers, and oranges
Don't folks sometimes borry in the
start?' asked Bob, struck with new
idea.
Inside the window the keen eyes were
still scanning Bob's eager face.
Eyes, they do" came in clear, pleas
ant tone.
And Bob, instead of running away.
raised his face toward the speaker, at
the same time pushing back his cap
that he might get better view.
The gentleman took the action as
mark of respect, and at once put it
down in Bob's favor as credit mark
number one.
Would you like to borrow dollar?"
he asked, as the boy continued his as
tonished gaze.
Il don't know of anyone who would
be a-wantin' to lend me one," was Bob's
evasive reply.
''Well, my lad, am willing to lend
you one, and 1 will give you your
choice between two ways of repaying
it,"
Bob's eyes opened wider and wider.
me in money, or you may come each
day for ten days and do errands, and
thus work it out"
Bob took moment or two for con-
sideration, and while he is thus en-
gagged, you may learn something oi
his history.
His mother never had told him the
meaning of the two words, right and
wrong. So you may expect to hear thai
his purpose was never to repay the
loan. Not SO. Bob was what is called
politic-that is, he always took the
course he thought would bring him
the best compensation.
He reasoned: Now here's a chance
for lift, and if L foller it up, maybe
I'll git more of 'em." So he answered
this time touching his forelock in good
earnest:
III take the chores
"Very well. Here's the dollar Now
when would you like to begin?''
Il could come in now, eff you've got
any jobs you'd like to have DONE"
The gentleman invented some light
work for the occasion, and Bob was in.
itiated. Then he entered into conyer
sation with Bob's comrade, and the re.
suit was that he determined to civ,
him, too, lift. This he thought bes-
to do by making purchases of him, anC
Stub gladly agreed to come every day
with his basket of fruit.