Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm PaySimpson, John Thomas
Science
Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm Pay
Simpson, John Thomas
Farm life
"Why, how's that?" asked his friend.
"Well," said the banker, "I asked the manager of the Fort Henry how
much he'd pay a pound for nice fat turtles. You see, Bob, I reduce
everything to figures, too. Look at this and you'll see why it pays."
Bob took the paper and read "378 pounds turtles, at 30 cents per
pound--$75.60, less $2.63 expressage--$72.97."
"But you haven't deducted anything for your own trouble, Mr. White,"
said Bob, scarcely able to believe his eyes. "Don't you intend to
charge anything for selling them to the hotel? Father says every
business man must make profit on the things he sells, if he wants to
keep in business."
"Well, Bob, I'm not going to charge you a commission on this deal.
I've had too much fun already sticking my friend Al here a stiff price
for the turtles," he added laughing.
"Don't think you've turned such a clever trick, John," replied his
friend. "The hotel's only paying about $40 more than you were willing
to pay yourself, and probably won't use half of them for our dinner.
Besides, I've gotten a fine idea for my talk at our meeting on
Wednesday night."
"What's that?" asked the banker.
"Hidden Treasure," replied his friend. "Why, just look what's happened
to Bob here in two days. On Saturday there was a pond occupying
fifteen acres of the best ground on the farm and producing nothing.
To-day he has $72.97 and has prepared the way for the finest field of
corn that will be raised this year in the county, if not the state,
and there's no telling what he may do yet when he gets his Uncle Joe
thoroughly waked up," he laughed.
"By the way, Bob, do you want your money in cash?" asked the banker
looking at him keenly.
"If it's all the same to you, Mr. White, I'd like to leave it here on
deposit," replied Bob.
"Put it in the savings department, Bob," suggested Mr. Dow, "then
you'll get interest. Say, Bob," he continued, "tell your Uncle Joe I'm
going to have our agent see him and show him how he can protect his
family while he's paying for the farm."
"All right, I'll tell him," Bob replied.
When Bob drove into the barnyard just before noon his uncle hurried
over and looked into the wagon.
"Why, did he take all the turtles, Bob?" he inquired, surprised to
find the wagon empty.
"Yes, he took them," said Bob, "and sold them right away to the Fort
Henry Hotel in Pittsburgh. He called them up on the long distance
telephone."
"How much did he pay you for them?" was the next inquiry.
"$72.97," replied Bob proudly.
"What! for those turtles!" exclaimed his uncle. "I don't believe it."
"Well, you don't have to believe me," Bob laughed as he jumped from
the wagon. "I've the proof here." And he proudly exhibited his new
bank book.
The look of surprise on his uncle's face gave way to one of
disappointment.
"Of course, Uncle Joe, I put the money in the bank--I didn't want to
carry it around," he added.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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