Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-09-12
NOW. ADD THEM. sA1p rHu osocxn.

NOW, ADD THKM," sAID TIN oHocER
found him. busily hammefing and
saving. when she went to the back
porch q little later.
Lawrence" she called, VI must
have some more sugar for my pre-
serves. VIII you please run down to
the store and get half dozen poundsf
And get a yeast cake. too, and half
dozen oranges and pound Of raisins.
Can you remember all that%
Lawrence carefully repeated the list
of things wanted, took the dollar bill
which his mother gave him and went
Off down the shady village street to
the grocery store. he kept saying
over the list to himself. and 80 he
made no mistake when the grocer
came forward to greet him.
"You did we'll to remember all OF
them" said the grocer, who was fat
and jolly. Then, when everything
was ready for Lawrence to take, the
grocer said: Now let US see how you
are on figures. The sugar Is 6 cents
q pound, the yeast cake is l cent, the
oranges are 40 cents O dozen, and the
raisins are 25 cents a pound. Now.
what does It all amount tor
This was so unexpected that Law
renee did not catch what was said.
He looked up with wide open eyes.
The grocer laughed and then slowly
repeated all that he had said. Look
ing steadily at Lawrence, he asked
again, "Now, Just how much does that
oil amount tot"
Lawrence said It over slowly after
him and then stared hard at the floor.
"I am afraid cannot do 1t In my
head" he said at last.
The grocer laughed. Business was
dull in the store just then. and 80 ne
came round the counter to where Law
renee was standing. We'll try 1t on
paper, then," he said. giving Law
renee q pencil and piece OF wrapping
paper.
So Lawrence wrote down the items
as the grocer called them OF. but he
was In trouble from the first. Only
after he carefully said over the multi
plication table Of the skies, assisted
by the grocer. did he master the prob
lem Of six pounds Of sugar at 9 cents
pound. Then an example In short
division made It plain that half
dozen oranges at 40 cents dozen
would be 20 cents.
"Now add them" said the grocer
when thirty-six and one and twenty
and twenty-five were placed IN COL
umn.
att Is seventy.two." announced Law.
renee when q considerable time had
passed.
"wrong!. said the grocer.
Lawrence studied the figures careful
". "Oh." he exclaimed. II did not car
~ the one from the first column. It
Is eighty-two."
@That Is better" said the grocer.
Then he looked at the paper upon
which Lawrence had been working
and continued. with a smile: You
seem to find them rather hard words
to speIl-sugar. yeast cake. oranges
and raisins. They are pretty common
words too"
BY this time Lawrence was feeling
very uncomfortable. and his face was
red through its coat Of summer tan.
But the grocer only patted him on the
shoulder, passed over the purchases
and gave him the change due him
from his dollar bin without putting
him to the test Of subtracting e cents
from a dollar.
~Come againr' called the grocer a.
Lawrence hurried out
"Thank you." said Lawrence. "And
next time will know how to spell all
Of those words"
"All right" said the Jolly grocer.
laughing.
A little later, when Lawrence de-
nvered the packages to his mother.
his face was very serious. IT guess.
after all. will go to school when Il
opens next week." he said.
every WELL" said his mother. Il
don't believe that you will ever be soe.
~ for it"-Yeuth's Companion.