The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
TAlES0F YANKEE EMcHAN1MEMT
MELCHISEDEK JONES AND THE
SHAFTLESS CARRIAGE.
ness In Life Not to Allow People to
Impose ON Each Other.
Copyright. 1907. BY Ch1r',s RdteH Loomia.

Melchisedek Jones could not bear To- see people
imposed upon. lie was only II years old when
he took his putty blower. his bean shooter and his
sling and started out 10 walk from Waterbury
To New Haven in order to right all wrongs that
he might come across, Whenever he saw a man
who looked cruel or mean or selfish he peppered
him with his putty blower And il he still looked
mean or selfish or cruel then he shot beans at
him 'nd II he continued 10 look selfish or cruel
or mean he le, him have n stone GU, of a sling
and that generally cured MIN For n sling in
the hand Of a small boy is n hummer and no mis-
take
lie had gotten almost 10 Seymour and the road
was strewn with cruel, mean and selfish people
whom he had BOWED over temporarily, when he
came To a long hill, Az the top 81 the hill stood
what looked like an automobile and by its side
were two men, the If whom seemed I" be the owner
Of the vehicle The owner was trying to sell II
10 the other man who had a kind Of down trodden,
under dog look abuu, him that made Melchisedek
feel for linn.
Vow, Hr Sanford, scid the owner of The auto
mobile, 4 owe you money and ! know II. but !
have n" money 10 pay You while | have this auto
mobile Now | only 1--WE you 800 and tins ma
chine is easily worth 81 900. but you see IT makes
me nervous to ride outin a wagon that hasn't
any horses To stop IT when it gets going too fast
ard So I'll let you have it for the debt"
But, said Nj Sanford, I never GO out riding
because | hn,e to and | need the cash very badly
The automobile will surely get out Of order and I
can't afford To have it fSed 81 I'll be worse n
than | was before"
"NunsenSe. said the man, with a selfish CLEAN
in his eye that mgde Nelchisedek getout his putty
hlnuar "ypu - "a r,la, ~ the I,un q, Ntav,don "A ~
Seymour and ell II Ia any Of the rich people who
live there for az least $500"
why don't you do it them" asked Mr. Sanford,
quite pertinently
because" said the man, 4 promised my chill
dren that would GO ches,nuting with them
this afternoon and better a walk with them than
all the money in the world
Now while this made the innocent Mr. Sanford
feel that Mr. S~impkins was a nice man. it made
Melchisedek think that M Simpkins had no
children at all and doubtful that the carriage was
an automobile But as yet lie could no nothing
Give me a receipt for 500 and take the auto
mobile" said Nj. Simpkins. Come, ! will ride
o. tho foot Il this hill Just 10 show you how 10
work II, and then. said he, lWuking AZ his watch.
u must hurry on 10 my darlings, my dear little
boys, for the pets are hungry for ch-stnuts."
Vow, II Mr.. Sanford hadn't been u goose, he
would have known that Mr.. Simpkins was up
u something brcnuse men don't talk that way
about their children. unless they are mollies at
least not in public. But Mr.. Sanford was a great
innocent. So hp wrote a receipt for sl0O and gave
il I, the man and then they both stepped into
the carriage. Mr.. Simpkins pulled a lever and
the thing didn't go.
All this time Melchisedek had stood out Of ths
way and the man had not noticed hin, at all
Now Mr., Simpkins looked out and pretended
" see n stone in front Of one Of the wheels. An"
said ne, y see there's a stone in the way, ri
push the automobile for a few feet. II sticks
sometimes " hen ! haven't used i much. Here.
boy seeing Melchisedek, lust help me push
this ~ the brow Of the hill"
Melchisedek pushed with a good will, and then.
as Mr.. Simpkins Jumped inside, he hung on be
hind. MI Simpkins pulled the lever To the low
est notch and the carriage went down the spep
hill in fine style.
Il dill YOU a wrong" said Mr.. Sanford. y
thought you were going To chea, me; but this is
delightful. know a man in Seymour who will
buy this as soon as he sees IT,"
Melchisedek. sitting behind on the plac. where
they pu, trunks, laughed n himself, pm, his putty
t'N'l NV ~ pm e'' WIN NV ~" btuU
shooter. Then he shook his head, and. putting
away thu bean shooter, he took out his sling and
fitted a tat hickorvnut into IT. He saw through
Mr. Simpkius's wicked scheme, az suppose you
do also, my boy.
They all went whilling down the hill and along
the level for a few rods. and then Mr. Simpkins
said, Il must stop now and 60 to my darlings,
Away, away for the nuts. the toothsome chest
nuts"
II. applied the break, and the automobile"
came to a stop,
How can | ever thank you" said Mr.. Sanford
"You mus, let mo give you some ot the money
that get Tor this
but Mr.. Simpkins shook his head and said
Never, my dear friend, never"
Then he strobe away up the hill and for the
present Melchi~ndek let him 60. He wanted
TO make sure that he had imposed upon Mr.. San.
ford.
lie hopped down and went around 10 the door
Of the carriage.
I'm very much afraid, Mr. Sanford" said he,
that Mr. Simpkins has gotten the best Of you
| don't think this is an automobile at all II il
Just a shaitless carriage with faxed up lever and
brake"
Nonsense. my little fellow" said Mr. Sanford
with some heat. Where are the horses that drew
it the last half mile"
This would have been a poser for some boys,
but Melchisedek said, ANY wagon will roll down
hill If you give It a push and steer it straight.
Does a sled need a horse when you're coas,ing'
Do they have horses on ,oboggans' Try to 60
up the hill after Mr. Simpkins, who is by now
chestnutting with his dearies and his darlings,
and you'll find that you need a horse"
Mr. Sanford turned pale. II this WAS a car
rage merely and not an automobile, it was not
worth $50
lie pulled the lever down to the lowest notch.
but the thing never stirred. Maybe there's
n stone under the wheel. See, my son"
But the road was as smooth ns the ma rbls table
that grandma Uses TO roll her pastry on.
81 thought as much, said Melchisedek. DO
you know anything about Mr. Simpkins'"
IF only know that he owes me 500 that | lent
him las, month. You see he sold me an organ
tina, a child could play, but | never though, until
after I'd bought It that ! have no children and
no grown-up person seems to he able 10 make il
GO"
"Not even down hill, en-" said Melchisedek
"But why did you lend him the SIO0'"
"Becau use he seemed 80 sorry that my organ
wouldn't 60" said Mr. Sanford
You ought to have a nurse. my poor man"
said Melchisedsk, This Mr. Sinpkins has no
children, you may depend upon It But he has
sIOo 81 your money and you have an old cab
that's pretty near falling to pieces Now, We
r,,s, nverteke Mr. Simnkins and u.Ls b;r, CIV.