ner to properly clean and ink the tablet. Pete,
with overalls on, watched every motion. His name was printed and came
out clear, beautiful:

PETE DOWNS

CENTREVILLE, ILLINOIS

U. S.

Quads, leads, capitals, spelling all right. Pete felt as if he had done
it himself.

"Now you try," said Clarence; and success again came in a dozen cards.
Then his name became an old story.

"I'll go and ask the cook," declared Pete, "if she don't want her name
printed," and off he ran.

"Certainly" was her obliging answer; she added slowly, "Only I haven't a
name good enough to print; you call me 'Hannah!' but if you put that on
a card it looks common; and if you say 'Ora,' no one will know it is me;
and if you only put my last name, they'll think the whole family has
called. You better take the nurse's name, 'Mehitable Jones,' you can't
get round that."

Hardly waiting till she had finished, Pete went to Mehitable, who kindly
consented to believe that she needed a dozen cards, and to write down
her name that it might be printed correctly. This looked like business.
The cards were quickly printed, and delivered, and the package was
marked on the wrapper "C. O. D."

"That is not my name," exclaimed Mehitable.

"Of course, that isn't your name," explained the boys; "cards are
inside. That means you must pay us right off, just what you please; we
didn't say anything about it first, because we trusted you--but we can't
afford to work for nothing."

"Well," said Mehitable, "here is five cents."

Pete's first money earned by honest hard labor; two and a half cents
apiece. "That's an unfortunate price for us," said Clarence, "though it
be convenient for the buyer. Let's keep all uneven sums as capital
towards other type, and all even sums we'll divide."

This was rather a shock at first to Pete; but with a partner who was
such a superior business man he would not dispute.

"The first great trouble," stated Clarence, "is to get orders; the
second, to execute them. You be the travelling agent and I'll be the
office man."

"Now," said Pete, "I won't. I want to print as well as you. I'll be
travelling agent in your family, and you in mine, and then we'll get
more out of each."

"That's an idea," replied Clarence; and the partnership, which to judge
by the angry looks of the past second seemed on the point of
dissolution, still remained unbroken.

That afternoon's success was marked, and afterwards when business ca