The Washington times., 1906-01-21
NED THE MlSER,
And His Little New Year Present and
What Came of Il.

Ned was a nice boy IN most every
way except, And that except" is a
sad thing to mention. New was miser.
a plain. mean. common miser. though
he was only twelve years old.
Everybody tried TO cure him of it.
His father. who wasn't a miser at all.
used TO scold and lecture and coax him.
His mother used TO look SO sad that it
actually made Ned feel bad all over:
SO bad. indeed. that once or twice he
almost resolved to be generous. But
he never quite got around 10 II. He
would think over it. keeping his hands
on has money all the time. ant then.
bit by bit the thought of his mothers
face would fade from his mind and the
thought OF the beautiful beautiful
money would grow and grow. and all
at once he would say TO himself,
4 simply can't AFFORD 10 spend it
guess that dad or ma VIII buy me what
want. and then III have the money.
toe"
This was all very lovely for d time.
ana Ned used to sneak upstairs to the
4ltlc, where he had hidden his money
away. and gloat over il.
And, mind, he didn't 10 this bacause
he was willing To be economical No.
indeed. He WaE,Gd just as many things
as the other boys, ana even more Bur
relatives and friends. and he used 70
cry and lament and coax and carry on
and beg till people got him what he
wanted so that they should have peace.
We must stop this kind of thing
his father said over and over again.
At last IL was decided thst Ned should
have no more things of any kind unless
he paid for them himself This was
week after Christmas. when he had
been remembered by everybody with
beautiful gifts, while ne himself though
he had more than $40 saved up, had
not bought q single solitary present for
anyone. even his parents
About the time that Ned's parents had
reached this decision he was walking
along the street, dragging his broken
sled behind him. II was q beauty Of
bob-sled that had been given 10 him for
Christmas by his uncle That morning.
in coasting down hill. IL had struck
stone and one OF the runners had become
weakened through the breaking Of
bolt
His uncle met him end asked what
was the matter When Ned explained IL
the uncle said.
THAT can be repaired easily for "a
dollar. Here! TU give YOU s2-ORe for
repairing the sled and the other for q
New Year present"
Ned stuck the two dollars into his
pockets and as soon as his uncle had lis
appea red he said 20 himself:
Il hate TO spend dollar for fixing
the sled Now 7 think I can FIX that
myself III 90 into the tool house and
try. Then Il he ahead OF Uncle Ned
And his ewes Fiistened as he thought OF
adding two dollars 10 his secret hoard
H went into the tool house. hut he
could find no bolt hig enough. We'll
thouPht he "a bolt Won cost much'
ard I've got two dollars
He started TO the hardware store FOR
a bolt. but on the way the thought or
spending even fHw pennies out or
much for him So he went hack and
nawed over the old nails and screws
in the tool house till he found some
that looked a. If they might M. -
this time Ned had become determined
20 save all Of the two dollars. So. al
though all his skill was rot enough To
make 2 good iob With the moor stuff
he found he tinkered awav till at last
the runner seemed fairlv firnl-at least
Ned convinced himself that II was, al
though TO tell the truth. he did not
dare pull az II TOO much
Then he hurried upstairs 10 the attic
ard nut the money away with the rest.
The hill where the bows of the village
Cnn Sted was very Steen one. with sew
eral had turns on 81. The run was
very long one. and bv the time the
bohs got near the bottom, they were
WHizzinE az an amazing rate Of sDeed-
When Ned got there. more than fifteen
boys were flashing down and climbing
up TO do il over again. He FASTENED TO
the crest of the hill. threw himself on
we'll till he reached a sharp curve half
vvav down Here II was necessary to
turn the bob quickly.
Ned was going extra fast The mo-
ment he threw his weight 10 one side
the runner snapped of and he went
hurtling over the Ice. Three other bobS
were coming down behind him. and
before he could veer they were on top
OF him,
The whole business went down the
rest of the hill in a snarl, and when
the mass of sleds and boys was olsen
tangled Ned was a wreck. His face was
sIashed and cut, his arms and legs were
black and blue and his ribs were so sore
that he could hardly breathe.
he Was helped home. and had to stay
in bed for more than a week with
great deal of pain.
While ne lay there he resolved that
he would try To cure himself OF ms
misery habits; but perhaps he might
have changed his mind after he got well
If something had not happened TO help
his good resolution along.
When he got So that he could go
around the house. he went upstairs 10
the attic to look for his money. None
was there. Rats had carried all the nice
soft paper bills out of the hiding place
and taken them of to their unknown
nests. And they had chewed a hole
fallen so that Ned though he nshed
for half a day, never recovered mo-
than two dimes and few odd pennies.
For a while he felt Just as bad as II
he had not determined TO stop being
miser. But all at once ne remembered
his resolve and said TO himself:
1T serves me good and right. And
from that day on he grew gradually to
be like other boys about money.
"