The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-07-27
ROBERT'S BOG.

q lead pencIl?" asked RODerC, as ne
threw his cap back on his head and
gathered up his school books.
Again" asked his father, in some
surprise Il think this is the fourth
time this week.
Yes, but I lose them. I don't
know where they go, declared Rob-
ert, warming to his subject. II cant
keep ball, either"
His father reached slowly down
into his pocket and drew out his
hand empty II find that is so with
my money" he said, quietly. 81 have
very hard work to keep my small
change. haven't nickel this morn
ing"
Robert was silent with surprise.
No money! But, father" he be-
gan.
"You will have to learn to keep
track of your belongings. have de-
cided to keep track of my pennies,
and can't throw them away"
Robert knew it was useless to
argue, and he turned and ran back
to his room. They heard him turn
ing over things and hurriedly search
ing. He was not boy to whine.
That evening the subject of the
pencils was not resumed. but as Rob-
ert sat by the fire, he broke out sud-
denly, Father, wish that marshy
land down there by the tennis court
could be filed in. Sometimes we lose
our balls over the net, and it's too
wet to get them. Couldn't you have
the men fill in the place with gravel
or something and sod it over?".
His father laid down his paper and
drew near Roberts side of the fire.
-"Gravel or something" he said, "costs
money, and the land would not yield
anything but grass after that. Do
you think it is right to throw away
anything so valuable?-
Throw away?" asked Robert.
"Yes, throw away property just as
you throw away your pencils and
your balls. How would you like to
have me show you the fun there is
in saving something?"
"I'd like tiff it is fun laughed
Robert
II think it would be. Now I will
give you all that low marshy place to
use as you like You can plant it
with cranberry vin-S-just as the
men are doing down on the big bog.
You can do the work yourself, except
for little preparing of the land. All
/ will charge you for that labor is
the lead pencils you use between now
and the time your money comes in
from your crop. Every time I give
you money for pencil we will set it
down, and at the time you sell your
cranberries we will subtract the
amount"
Robert thought moment. when
will the crop be ready?"
'"Three years from now - the full
crop"
eWhew!" Robert shook his head
@That means work." he said, doubt
fully.
"Yes, but it means lot of fun in
learning how to value the results Of
labor. Try it."
Robert decided to take his fathers
offer. and as the next day was Satur-
day, he worked with the men who
prepared the strip of land ready for
the vines. 1t was the fall Of the year,
just the time to begin He was eager
for the next Saturday to come, when
he was 70 begin 20 set out his vines.
These he obtained from his fathers
land The vines were set out one
foot apart and in squares of one foot
1t was hard work, but Robert was
not a boy to turn back from task,
and when it was done and the even
rows laid out before him, he was
proud of his work 1t was strange
how pleasant 1t was to think about
the crop that would come to him, and
how easy it was to keep track of his
pencils, and how easy 1t was to go
without the taffy or the whistle, and
to buy his own pencils when he had
whitfield them down to the smallest
point.
The next year there were a few
cranberries just a few quarts that
he sold to his mother. but which more
than paid for any pencils furnished
by his father.
He spent some time during the
next year in keeping the little bog
in order, but as he was whole year
older, he did not mind the work.
On the third year the crop in the
boys was better than for all previous
years, and Robert watched. every
cranberry, as it were. with Jealous
eye. When September came and it
was time to gather them, the little
bog yielded three barrels Of ripe red
berries! Robert sold these with his
fathers crop at twelve dollars bar
rel, and from the money thus earned
he had to subtract but seyenty-flve
cents for lead pencils. He had learned
three things to be careful Of his be-
aopgings- to work for an object pa-