Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, October 26, 1880, by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Harper's Young People, October 26, 1880
An Illustrated Weekly

Author: Various

Release Date: June 25, 2009 [EBook #29238]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE ***

Produced by Annie McGuire

[Illustration: HARPER'S

YOUNG PEOPLE

AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.]

* * * * *

VOL. I.--NO. 52. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR
CENTS.

Tuesday, October 26, 1880. Copyright, 1880, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50
per Year, in Advance.

* * * * *

[Illustration: UNDER THE CHESTNUT-TREE.]

WORK'S A MINT; OR, WILBERT FAIRLAW'S NOTION.

BY FRANK H. TAYLOR.

"What's your name, boy?"

The question came so suddenly that the boy nearly tumbled from the fence
upon which he was perched, as Judge Barton stopped squarely in front of
him, and waited for an answer.

"Wilbert Fairlaw, sir," was the timid reply.

"Go to school?"

"No, sir."

"Do any work?"

"Yes, sir; I 'tend marm's cows and fetch wood."

"Well, that's something. But don't you think there's plenty to do in
this part of the world that's better than kicking your heels against the
fence all the morning? Now just look around, my boy, until you find
something that wants fixing up, and take off your coat and go at it. You
won't have to look far about here." And the Judge gave a contemptuous
glance toward the widow Fairlaw's neglected farm. "Take my word for it,
boy," he added, "work's a mint--work's a mint." And then he turned away,
walking with dignified pace toward the Willows--the name of his place.

Now I think that most boys would have been tempted to talk back, but
Wilbert only sat still and looked after the man as he walked away, and
then down at his bare feet.

"It's all true. Somehow our place does look badly, but I can't 'tend to
everything," he thought, "like a hired man; an' if I did try to patch
things, likely I'd get a lickin' for doin' something I oughtn't. I don't
see as it makes any difference whether I work or not. It's a