The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-14
THE BOY WHO TURNED
BOOKS INTO FOOD.
HIS NAME WAS JOHN =. SMITH. AND
HE LIVED IN 4 LITTLE VILLAGE.

HE LIVED IN 4 LITTLE VILLAGE.
His name was John S. Smith and he
lived In a little village among the Berk-
shires near stockbridge I'm not going
to tell just where or you'd all be writing
letters to him asking him how he did 1t,
and he hates to answer letters.
John Smith was years old on one OF
his birthdays. He had also been s and 7
and whole DOT of other numbers, but II
was when he was . that he first discovered
his peculiar gift He was sitting in the
kitchen, reading, while Kate the hired
girl was making tomato ketchup. Wei,
you know how hungry the smell of that
good condiment makes a fellow, and John,
who had not eaten mouthful since
breakfost-and 1t was now nearly
ocloak a. m.-was naturally ravenous. He
held his book in HIS two hands and said
TO Kate, 81 wish had something good TO
eat" Then he felt something soft In his
hands, and 10 and behold his book was a
cake lie didn't stop TO think OF the con-
sequences, but he just ate It. and It was
lickin good as his aunt Penelope would
nave said. But after he had finished IL
he wanted to read again about the man
who wanted to SILVER; for 1t was Grmm's
Fairy Tales he had been reading. But he
couldn't do II, for the book was In his lit
tie stomach. Well, he didn't mind so very
much, because the book wasn't his--only
borrowed. But Kate was astonished to
think he could turn II into cake. She
was not much of a reader herself, and she
mated baking. Land sakes," she said
II thought | could get rid of baking by
turning your pas books into bread and
cake ia never light the oven again"
don't suppose you can" said John,
but | guess I can"
well, try it," said Kate.
Johns father was a minister and he had
Two or three hundred theological books IN
ms study. He was not at home that
morning, having gone to PittsleId 10 at
tend some convention or other So John
ana Kate went into his study and John
said TO her What do you need7"
wei" said she, IL was going to bake
bread this morning as soon as the ketchuD
was done. You might make me a large
loaf Of bread"
What bookH I take?" asked John.
"oh, any book. They all look about
alike. Hen never miss Il, he has so
many"
SO John reached IN and took down Fox's
Book Of Martyrs. lie held II In one hand
and said, 81 wish this was a loaf Of
bread" And then remarkable thing
happened. Both John and Kate were sur
prisod at ii. The book still continued to be
q book.
Why, that's funny" said John. Il
thought had the power" He grabbed
II IN both hands and again said II wish
this was a loaf of bread" and this time Il
became a warm, fresh lohf. Kate was
delighted go was John. What how
wouldn't be?
1t was such a large loaf that Kate
wouldn't need another for three days.
They had II for three days. They had Il
tor dinner and Mrs Smith complained that
IL was heavy, but what could YOU ex4
poet? You can't make light bread out of
heavy materials.
After 4hat at every baking" John con-
verified a theological book into bread for
the family, which was what his father had
been doing for many years, although not
so directly. But after a while Rev Mr.
Smith noticed that his library was grow
ing beautifully less and as he never loan
ed his books he wondered thereat At last
one Saturday after completing his sermon
he lay down upon the sofa to take nap.
but he was awakened by hearing light
footsteps Through half closed lids he saw
his son enter the room ana take down a
copy of The Growth of Congregationalsm
In New England and make a loaf out OF 4,
and as he was qulck-witted man he
realized what had become OF his library
and also fathomed the cause of the late
heavy bread. He reprmanded John SCI
verely until the boy told him that he had
only done il 10 ease Rates labors, and
then the old gentleman made her cease
her labors entirely. and retire 10 her home
| for an indefinite rest. 80 she learned that
a loaf has to be paid for sooner or later.
But although John never took any more
hooks to turn into bread he often amused
himself by making pumpkins out OF rocks
or candy out of twigs. and when the older
boys and girls of the village went on an
excursion 10 Bash Bish Falls they al
ways took the little fellow along, as IL
saved the bother Of putting up lunch. He
made lovely chicken sandwiches out Of
moss
One day Rev Mr.. Smith, his wife and
| John went down to New York to see the
sights and among the places that they
visited was Central Park. John was very
much interested In the ancient pottery,
| and the mummies and things that he saw
IN the Metropolitan Museum, but as most
OF them were underglass he did not do
any damage. as he might have done II
| he'd suddenly become hungry and turn
| ed an Egyptian mummy into a Welsh
rabbit or a Roman coin into Neapolitan