The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-12
THE $4,000 WALL PAPER.
sr CHARLES BATTELL Looxs.


grandfather had been q miser and his
older brother had teen a spendthrift- AM
early in life he came 10 the conclusion
that the less said about money the better.
In course Of time Re married and had
two sons, twins. whom he named Pyg-
malion and Virgil. although he ought 10
have known better. WheE they were eleF-
en- years old they did not know money by
sight. o. course they had heard Of 1t In
their raadiLg. but 80 had they heard of
coral ard aluminium, and supposed IN a
vague way that II war product or i
manufacture and az they both hated such
dry things as products and manufactures
they let all reference TO money go IN at
one ear and out OF the other.
Il may be wondered how Mr.. Bnright
managed 20 keep house without money.
hut as his home vas miles in the country
from any store ard a. al his marketing
was done by letter and all his bills paid
by checks, il was comparatively easy 10
manage it.
One day Mr. and Mrs. Enright went
away 20 a wedding and the twins were
left in charge OF the housekeeper, Mrs.
Darby. The day after the Enrights LETT a
letter came for Mr.. EHright, and as Pyg-
mali0n had been authorized to open the
mail he read this letter. It was from an
old friend Of M Enright A lawyer in
the city, and il announced that Mr.. Thad-
deus Enright. their fathers uncle, had
left his nephew 5000, and that the
amount would reach him by a special
messenger next day.
Hello, Virgil" said Pygmalion. coming
into the sitting room where Virgil was
sdndpdperinE a hickory bar with which he
Was going to make trapeze. There's a
package Of money coming here tomorrow
for father"
That's like coral, isn't it?' said Virgil,
indinerentIy
No. | don't think So" said Virgil
Swapping his handkerchief at logy wasp
that had just come out of winter quarters.
Il think it's something people give Don
you remember that story We read IN the
Youths Friend where some one gave IaOn-
ey 10 poor woman and she was very
much insuted. She said: 1 don't want
yonr money. I'm nc begsar'"
Well neither is papa beggar. SO he
won't want IT,"
Here's what the letter says" said Pyg.
mJlion, reading:
BY the terms Of the late Thaddeu,
T Enright's will. the money is TO be deliver
cd 10 you by special messenger in a box
and VIII reach you tomorrow. 1t is in
sreenbacks, also by order of your deceas.
ed uncle.
Remember me 10 your wife and tC
. those boys l haven't seen since they were
/ babies. / suppose that with your ideas
about money. you will give them tn,
/ greenbacks t. put in their scrapbOoks.
Congratulating YOU upon your good
! fortune, l am, yours, cordially,
'SOLON SALTONSTALL.'
Money must be pictures if it's some.
/ thlnS that we can put in scrap books,
said Virgil. Isn't this dandy and smooth.
/ BetteT'n that old maple bar we had.
wonder what makes hickory wood 50
heavy"
/ Give it up. said Pygmalion Say
come out and let's put up the box kite
NO, not till I've finished sand papering
/ this. Anyhow there's no wind"
I Pygmalion put the letter in his father,
desk and went OUt by himself to raise Tho
kite, and in spite Of there being very little
wind he soon had ii flying to the fui
length of three balls of Irvine. for he was
d born kite flyer.
/ The boys united each day OF a letter e
]
sidcred the legacy OF sufficient importance
to speak of it-or maybe both of then
forgot.
just at noon Of next day a Concord
wagon was driven up to the door and q
young man alighted. Both the boys wert
out putting up the kite, but when he call.
ed TO them they tied the string to the
front fence, and this time there was sucf
-, ~
! stay mp.
Does Mr.. Enright live here?"
Yes, but he's away" said Pygmalion
| We're his sons
Well have a box for him. Who car
/ sign a receipt for it?"
Both of us can. Did you think ",
! couldn't write?''
! This was not said insolently, but in
/ tone that disarmed offense.
II didn't know. Andrew Johnson wa!
/ twenty-one before he learned to write anC
+ Yet he became President"
He might have become President soon
or if he'd learned to write sooner" saiC
! PygmaliOn. What's in the box"
"Oh, something for your father" saiC
/ the young man. 1t ought to be put il
a safe place"
Wen put it in papas bedroom. Hell
be back in a day c. two"
The young man lifted the box out o
the wagon and put il in the front hall
Pygmalion signed the receipt for il. an,
then the young man got into the wagor
and drove off. As far as he knew tn
box contained nothing but law papers.
Pygmalion and Virgil carried the bo,
up TO their fathers bedroom and then sa
/ down to rest.
This is the box that Mr. Saltonstal
wrote about The receipt said il wa
from him" said Pygmalion. Lets opal
il and see what money is like"
All right You go and get the hamme
and chisel"
No, you get IT," said Pygmalion.
No. you get it."
Lets both get it," said Pygmalion, VIII
was generally able to avert d quarrel b,
/ a compromise. and in a few minutes the,
had the top off the box. There lay TWEEN
/ ty-five packages Of twenty-dollar bills. a
( fresh and crisp as lettuce.
Pictures" said both boys in contempt
And such pictures" said Virgil "Wha
would papa's uncle suppose he'd want wit
a lot OF little pictures like that"
And they're all the same" said Pyg
malion, who had broken a package an
had examined them.
Maybe each package has a differen
picture" suggested Virgil; but no, the
| wer- all alike.
well. Of all the silly things | eve
heard Of" began Pygmdlion. but he wa
interrupted by Virgil, who said: Say
lets Daper our bedroom with them
oh. bully" said his brother
The BOYS bedroom was papered wit
pictures Of one size cur from various Il
! Illustrated weeklies.
Mamma said our room was 10 be re
papered this spring, said Pygmalion, a
if he were excusing himself for what the
proposed doing
And papa certainly won't care II "
| use these pictures. because We can leaV
= half dozen. and VINO ever heard O
having more than six OF the same kin
Of pIctures.'' said Virgil. also in the ton
nj one who is giving valid reasons for a
act.
shall We ask Mrs. Darby If we can?
said Pygmalion.
No what's the use? She's busy put
/ H. ~, ,,,sseryes Well make u pail Q