The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-27
THE GREAT MASON
POTTER SHOW
When Johnny and Charley Wanted
Pocket Money They Got 1t.

Pocket Money They Got It,
Johnny Mason and Charley Potter
had resolved themselves into a COM
mittee of ways and means. 1t had
struck both of them with great force
that 1t would be a joyful thing if they
could increase their pocket money;
and now they We're perched in top of
Squire Markhams rail fence in earn
est debate as to how to do it.
Lets go and ask the Squire if he
don't want us to pick up apples for
him." suggested Johnny.
mo, I guess not" slowly replied
Charley. Il don't believe he would
hire us, and the old skinfiint wouldn't
pay us anything to speak of, any
way
"Oh, you're afraid" cried Johnny.
you've been hookin' apples and
you're afraid he'll catch you"
mo, 1 haven't, either" retorted
Charley. But some of the other fell
lows have, and he might think it was
me-"
Teacher says it was L is prop
erer.' criticized Johnny.
You needn't put on airs and show
off how much you know, even if you
did speak piece in school last Fri
day" snapped Charles.
The conversation was edging to-
ward quarrel and a possible fight,
but the remark about speaking a
piece" in school put new idea into
Johnny's head which at once did away
with all pickering and strife.
He had been remarkably successful
in his speaking of the piece" The
teacher, the school superinten and
other visitors who had been present
had complimented him on it, and he
wanted to stand up before people
again and say things which should
cause them to vary the expression of
their faces from laughter to sorrow.
Lets give show!" he cried.
Charley jumped at the idea. Just
the thing" he replied. Jake, our farm
hand, is teaching me to do a clog dance
and you can do any old thing you want
to, but my clog will be great"
Robbie Bell can swing Indian clubs
little ones" remarked Johnny.
well. get him in if you want to-"
assented Charley. but no more kids.
Three is enough. We won't make such
great lot. and the more we have in
it the less we will get out of it." Char
ley was business person on the way
to become a captain of industry, and
Johnny, recognizing his abilities in the
financial line, meekly assented, even
when a decided veto was put upon his
proposition to invite Lulu Jackson, who
could skip the rope inseven different
WAYS.
So it was settled. Mrs. Mason con-
scented to the use of her wood shed for
the occasion. Johnny, who was an ex-
cellent penman. wrote out notices an
nouncing that ''Mr. Charles James Pot
faw nd Nv, TnI
give an entertainment in Mrs. Mason's
wood shed. admission two cents" and
posted them on the trees and telegraph
poles in the village street and on the
gatepost of the Mason homestead.
But there was trouble right away.
Robbie Bell, seeing that his name was
not on the bills. withdrew from the
animation in a huff, and was only
brought back by Johnny going through
each bill. also Mr.. Robert Edward
Bell, champion club swinger."
The great day of the show at length
arrived, and from stage skillfully
built of boxes and covered with an
old carpet Johnny, who acted as mas
ter of ceremonies, looked out over an
audience, which represented forty
cents, including the extra price paid
| by the doctor the minister, the
tedcnef ana squire Markham, VINO
had come because each had said to the
other when they saw the boys notices
on the posts: IT remember when ]
was a boy and got up just such a
show"
They sat on the back row, but, Just
the same. Charles, the financier.
charged them cents each. on the
ground that II boys paid 2 cents
grown-ups ought to pay more.
Johnny sang his songs and spoke his
! piece with great success, but Charley
was so afflicted with stage fright that
he was hardly able to shuttle through
his clog dance and finally fed from
the stage in a panic, amid the laughter
of the audience. Robbie Bell bumped
his head three times in swinging his
| Indians clubs. but did fairly well. The
honors Of the occasion, however, were
with Johnny, of whom the grown
ups present said: THAT boy will
make his mark as a public speaker
some day"
Perhaps he will some day; who
| knows? However. the three boys en-
joyed the show immensely, and so aid
the boys who came TO see Il. and
whom Mrs. Mason treated to ginger
snaps after II was all over.
When they came 10 divide IN the
money Charley and Robbie took equal
shares but Johnny got an extra cent
because he had done so well.