Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-05
Tommy's Birthday Dollar.

! While mother was shopping she left
Tommy up on the sixth floor of the big
store in the toy department. Cousin
Ethel was staying with Tommy to help
him spend the money which had been
! given him for his birthday. In his
overcoat pocket he had little brown
leather purse, and inside the purse
was big, round silver dollar. Tom
my wandered along until he came to
the candy counter. Tommy loved
sweets. When he had looked long
time at the piles and piles of sweets
and goodies in the showcases, he took
Cousin Ethel's hand and drew her
down close, so that he could whisper
to her, and asked her, How many
chocolate drops could dollar buy?"
why, Tommy began Cousin Ethel,
protestingly, and then she remembered
that Tommy was to spend the dollar
exactly as he pleased, SO she answer
ed very sweetly, eff you got the kind
that are penny apiece, you could get
one hundred for one dollar
Tommy was quiet while longer.
"A hundred at one time would make
a person very sick, wouldn't it," he
asked next. looking at Cousin Ethel
thoughtfully.
YES" said Cousin Ethel politely,
81 am afraid it would
Tommy thought while longer.
But he asked, ''if person ate only
two after each meal, as mother al
lows, how long would it take to eat up
a hundred?"
Cousin Ethel was very polite
young lady and she did not laugh at
Tommy. but answered, IF you ate
them all up yourself, dear, and didn't
offer anyone else any at all, you could
eat them all up in sixteen days and
two meals of the next day"
Tommy listened carefully. and then,
How many weeks is that?" he asked
"A little over two weeks" answered
Cousin Ethel
Tommy thought while longer, then
he said little sadly, Money doesn't
do you any good until you spend it,
and then when you spend it, it is all
gone"
YES" said Cousin Ethel brightly,
but if you have spent it well you
still have the worth of your money
when it is gone"
"But if you eat it up?" asked Tom
my.
Well" answered Cousin Ethel, "if
you buy good food with your money
and it goes to make strong muscles to-
help you work and play, and a clear
brain for you to think and learn with,
then you still have the worth of your
money, even if it is eaten up. good |
strong body is like powerful engine,
you know. and can do lots Of work"
IF you spend it for other people, |
what them asked Tommy. thought
fully.
"If you spend it for other people in !;
such way as to help them and give !,
them pleasure. then that pleases you;
so your money has made you happy |
and some one else happy, too, and in I
that case think you get twice the !!
worth of your money. It has made
two people happy instead of just one
well, that's what l want to do"
said Tommy, promptly. 81 want to
get twice the worth of my money"
Then Cousin Ethel went through the
store with Tommy and they bought |
a nice new crochet needle for grand
ma. because she wanted one, and a
lovely book mark for mother, because
mother had to put her book down so
often when she tried o read, and a
nice soft knife case for father, so his
knife wouldn't wear holes in his peck
cts, and a pretty hair ribbon for sis
ter, because she was always losing
hers. When they had done all this he
still had ten cents left.
Now you might get ten cents
worth of chocolate drops for yourself,
if you like said Cousin Ethel, who
thought Tommy had been a very SEN
sible boy.
THANK you, Cousin Ethel" he re-
piled promptly, "but think I like bet
ter to get twice what my money is
worth, so we will take this ten cents
and you and I will eat ice cream to-
gether and that will be nicer"
Tommy told mother when he got
home that his birthday dollar had