JOSHUA TRIES KEEPING STORE.
The more Joshua thought it over, the more convinced he was that a large
sum of money was likely to come to him through the lottery, if he could
only manage to raise money enough to buy a ticket. But the problem of
how to get the necessary five dollars he was as far as ever from
solving.
While in this state of mind he happened one day to be in the store at
noon, and alone. Nichols, the head clerk, wished to go to dinner, and
was only waiting for Walter to get back from an errand.
"I wish Walter would hurry up," he grumbled. "My dinner will get cold."
"I'll take your place till he gets back, Mr. Nichols," said Joshua, with
extraordinary kindness for him.
[Illustration]
"Much obliged, Joshua," said the salesman. "I'll do as much for you
another time. I don't think you'll have long to wait."
"You'd better hurry off," said Joshua. "I'd just as lief wait as not."
"I never knew him so accommodating before," thought Nichols, with a
feeling of surprise.
He seized his hat and hurried away.
No sooner had he gone than Joshua, after following him to the door, and
looking carefully up and down the street, walked behind the counter with
a hasty step, and opened the money-drawer.
There was a small pile of bills in one compartment, and in the other a
collection of currency. He took the bills into his hand, and looked over
them. His hands trembled a little, for he contemplated a dishonest act.
Unable to obtain the money in any other way, he meant to borrow (that
was what he called it) five dollars from the money-drawer, and expend it
in a lottery ticket.
Singling out a five-dollar bill from the pile, he thrust it into his
vest-pocket. He had scarcely done so when he was startled by hearing the
door open. He made a guilty jump, but perceived, to his relief, that it
was a woman not living in the village, but probably in some adjoining
town.
"What can I show you, ma'am?" he asked, in a flurried manner, for he
could not help thinking of what he had in his vest-pocket.
"I should like to look at some of your shawls," said the woman.
Joshua knew very little about his father's stock. He did know, however,
where the shawls were kept, and going to that portion of the shelves,
pulled down half a dozen and showed them to his customer.
"Are they all wool?" she asked, critically examining one of them.
"Yes," answered Joshua, confidently, though he had not the slightest
knowledge on the subject.
"What is the price of this one?" asked the customer, indicating the one
she had in her hand.
"Five dollars," answered Joshua, with some hesitation. He knew nothing
of the price, but guessed that this would be about right.
"And you say it is all wool?"
"Certainly, ma'am."
"I guess I'll take it. Will you wrap it up for me?"
This Joshua did awkwardly enough, and the customer departed, much
pleased with her bargain, as she had a right to be, for the real price
of the shawl was nine dollars, but, thanks to Joshua's ignorance, she
had been able to save four.
Joshua looked at the five-dollar bill he had just received, and a new
idea occurred to him. He replaced in the drawer the bill he had
originally taken from it, and substituted that just received.
"I won't say anything about having sold a shawl," he said, "and
father'll never know that one has been sold. At any rate, not till I get
money enough to replace the bill I have taken."
Just then a little girl came in and inquired for a spool of cotton.
Joshua found the spools, and let her select one.
"How much is it?" asked the young customer.
"Ten cents."
"Mother told me it wouldn't be but six."
"Very well, if that is all you expect to pay, you shall have it for
that."
"Thank you, sir;" and the little girl departed with her purchase.
Joshua now hurriedly folded up the shawls and replaced them on the
shelves. He had just finished the task when Walter entered.
"Are you tending store?" he said, in surprise.
"Yes," said Joshua. "Nichols got tired waiting for you, so I told him
I'd stay till you got back."
"I had some distance to go, and that detained me. Did you have any
customers?"
"Yes, I just sold a spool of cotton to a little girl."
"I met her a little way up the road, holding the spool in her hand."
"Well," said Joshua, "I guess I'll go, now you've got back."
He went across the street to his father's house, and, going up into his
own room, locked the door, not wishing to be interrupted. Then, opening
his desk, he took out a sheet of paper, and wrote a note to the address
given in his lottery circular, requesting the parties to send him by
return of mail a lottery ticket. He added, shrewdly as he thought, "If
this ticket draws a prize, I will keep on buying; but if it don't I
shall get discouraged and stop."
"I guess that'll fetch 'em," thought Joshua. He folded up the paper,
and, inclosing the bill, directed it.
The next thing to do was to mail it.
Now this seemed a very simple thing, but it really occasioned
considerable trouble. The postmaster in a small village can generally
identify many of the correspondents who send letters through his office
by their handwriting. He knew Joshua's, and such a letter as this would
attract his attention and set him to gossiping. Considering the
circumstances under which he obtained the money, this was hardly
desirable, and Joshua therefore decided, though unwillingly, on account
of the trouble, to walk to the next post-office, a distance of three
miles, and post his letter there.
He came downstairs with his letter in his pocket. "Where are you going,
Joshua?" asked his mother.
"Going out to walk," said Joshua, shortly.
"I wanted to send a little bundle to Mr. Faulkner's, but that is too
far off."
"I'll carry it," said Joshua.
Mrs. Drummond was astonished at this unusual spirit of accommodation,
for Joshua was, in general, far from obliging. The truth was, however,
that, though Mr. Faulkner lived over a mile and a quarter distant, it
was on his way to the post-office.
"Thank you, Joshua," said Mrs. Drummond. "I was afraid you wouldn't be
willing to go so far."
"I feel just like taking a long walk to-day, mother."
"Here is the bundle. I will bake a little pie for you while you are
gone."
So things seemed to be working very smoothly for Joshua, and he set out
on his three-mile walk in very good spirits. His walk he knew would make
him hungry, and the pie which his mother promised him would be very
acceptable on his return.
Arrived in front of Mr. Faulkner's, he saw Frank Faulkner, a boy of
twelve, playing outside.
"Frank," called out Joshua, "here's a bundle I want you to carry into
the house. Tell your folks my mother sent it."
"All right," said Frank, and he carried it in.
Joshua proceeded on his way, and finally reached the post-office.
"Give me a three-cent postage-stamp," he said to the postmaster.
This was speedily affixed to the letter, and, after resting a short
time, he set out on his walk homeward.
Reaching the house of Mr. Faulkner, he was hailed by Frank, who was
still playing outside.
"Where have you been, Joshua?"
Joshua was not desirous of having it known where he had been, and he
answered, in the surly manner characteristic of him, "What business is
that of yours?"
"Where did you learn manners?" asked Frank, who was a sturdy scion of
Young America, and quite disposed to stand up for his rights.
"If you're impudent, I'll give you a licking," growled Joshua.
"Next time you come along this way, you may take in your own bundles,"
retorted Frank.
"If I had a stick, I'd give you something you wouldn't like."
"You'd have to catch me first," said Frank.
Joshua's temper, which was none of the sweetest, was by this time
roused, and he started in pursuit of Frank, but the younger boy dodged
so adroitly as to baffle his pursuit. In attempting to catch him,
indeed, Joshua stubbed his toe violently against a projecting root, and
measured his length by the roadside.
"Who's down, I wonder?" asked Frank, scrambling over the fence, where he
felt safe.
"I'll wring your neck some time, you young imp!" exclaimed Joshua,
gathering himself up slowly and painfully, and shaking his fist
vindictively at Frank.
"I'll wait till you're ready," returned Frank. "I'm in no hurry."
At length Joshua reached home, feeling tired and provoked, but
congratulating himself that he had taken the first step towards the
grand prize which loomed in dazzling prospect before his eyes.