Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-10
The Lemonade
Stand

Nol d Dlt SOOQ, replied BOBBY
with a hasty glance at the row o
clean glasses. Not one single per
son has wanted to buy lemonade thi:
morning."
Guess we won't carr money enough
to go camping with the Boy Scouts il
we stay here till Thanksgiving" added
Billy, with a sigh. But don't you want
to try our lemonade Uncle Jack? It's
good and there's a cooky to go with
every glass;"
. course I'll try it," was Uncle
Jacks hearty reply. And don't you
boys get discouraged yet, for some.
bodyn be ure to stop here before
noon. This is first rate stuff, and the
cookies are all right. Here's a nickel
=" But Uncle Jack didn't finish, for
Bobby was saying gravefy. mo,
Uncle Jack, we don't want any pay.
Business is business. you know, and
we're to furnish you with all the lem
onade you want and run all your err
rands for you in return for the lemons
and sugar that come from your store.
That's our bargain"
"All right, then" Uncle Jack said
as he turned to leave. There's be
some errands to do tonight, Good
luck to you both, and | reckon you'll
need some more lemons before tomor-
row.
1t was very cool and comfortable
there under the big maple tree on the
front lawn. Tony, the scissors grin
der, thought so as he came slowly
down the street, and he wished that he
might put down his machine and the
little bundle of old umbrellas and rest
awhile; but he couldn't afford to buy
cookies and lemonade today, for his
father was sick, and there were little
brothers and sisters at home who
needed shoes and stockings, to say
longingly across the street as he stop
ped to rest a minute. Some boys
semed to have everything, while he
had very little except brothers and sis
tiers.
There's the scissors grinders boy"
whispered Billy to Bobby. and my,
but doesn't he look tired and warm!"
why can't he buy some lemonade,
them" asked Bobby, in a low tone.
Guess his father must be sick, or else
he wouldn't be around alone with that
heavy machine. Maybe he can't afford
to buy. Say, Billy, let's"
Say, Bobby, let's treat him." Billy
and Bobby spoke almost at the same
time, while Bobby added, I'VE won't
get much money that way, but some
times there are thing better than
money, mother says"
So Tony Turano, the scissors grin
der's boy, soon found himself seated
in the lawn swing while Bobby and
Billy stood close by offering him
glasses of ice cold lemonade and big
sugary cookies. A half hour later he
was trudging along the street and
whistling as he went. And he was
thinking "Wha a good world this is,
after ALL"
Billy and Bobby watched him until
he turned the corner Then they wash
ed the glass he had used, and replen-
ished the plate of cookies.
Look quick, Billy" Bobby cried,
when they had begun to feel COM
pletely discouraged. who are all
those folks coming now? Why, the
road seems full of them. And, Billy
Blake, they're every one of them look
ing this way. Just suppose they
should come here! Wouldn't it be
create"
Bobby didn't expect Billy to answer.
for the big boys and little boys were
soon crowding around the lemonade
stand and all were demanding cookies
and lemonade. F,
"Wnew!" said Billy, when the last
cooky had been eaten, and the last boy
had gone hurrying away.
"Just look at that pile of pennies
and nickles and Dimes" said Bobby.
Now We'll have to run down to the
store for more lemons. That was the
Rixville baseball nine and all the fans
but how did they ever think to come
this way? Why, they always go round
the other road. You don't suppose
Tony told them, do you?"
perhaps he's brought us luck at
last Billy suggested as he looked at
the row of empty glasses. Anyway,
l guess we can go camping, after all,
if business keeps up like this Then
Billy began to whistle for the first
time that day.
And the whistle grew louder and
louder each morning during that warm
summer week, for business was good.
Not every one who drank the ice cold
lemonade and ate the sugary cookies
added to the pile of nickels and pen
MES, for there was Joe, the lame pea
nut man, who trundled his heavy cart
up and down the street and tried to
support his big family of children; he
wasn't asked to pay. Neither was the
little old lady who sold buttons and
needles, nor several other people who
passed by. Still the little pile of
money grew larger and larger, until
Bobby and Billy felt very sure of the
camping trip.
But money isn't everything, is it,"
asked Billy, as they counted the
weeks earnings.
"Sure not" replied Bobby. There's
all the fun we had, too. and the new