Mrs. Meredith was a most kind and thoughtful woman. She spent a
great deal of time visiting the poor. One morning she told her
children about a family which she had visited the day before.
There was a man sick in bed, his wife who took care of him, and
could not go out to work, and their little boy. The little
boy--his name was Bernard--had interested her very much.
"I wish you could see him," she said to her own children, John,
Harry, and Clara, "he is such a help to his mother. He wants very
much to earn some money, but I don't see what he can do."
After their mother had left the room, the children sat thinking
about little Bernard.
"I wish we could help him to earn money," said little Clara.
"So do I, said Harry.
For some moments John said nothing, but, suddenly, he sprang to
his feet and cried:
"I have an idea!"
The other children also jumped up all attention. When John had an
idea, it was sure to be a good one.
"I tell you what we can do," said John. "You know that big box
of corn Uncle Sam sent us for popping? Well, we can pop it, and
put it into paper bags, and Bernard can take it round to the
houses and sell."
When Mrs. Meredith heard of John's idea, she, too, thought it a
good one.
Very soon the children were busy popping the corn, while their
mother went out to buy the paper bags. When she came back, she
brought Bernard with her.
In a short time, he started out on his new business, and, much
sooner than could be expected, returned with an empty basket.
Tucked into one of his mittens were ten nickels. He had never
earned so much money before in his life. When he found that it
was all to be his, he was so delighted he could hardly speak, but
his bright smiling face spoke for him. After he had run home to
take the money to his mother, John said:
"We have corn enough left to send Bernard out ever so many times.
May we do it again?"
"Yes, said Mrs. Meredith, "you may send him every Saturday
morning, if you will pop the corn for him yourselves. John, will
you agree to take charge of the work?"
"Indeed I will," replied John, and he kept his word. For many
weeks, every Saturday morning, no matter what plan was on foot,
no matter how good the coasting or skating, he saw that the corn
was all popped, the paper bags filled, and arranged in the basket
when Bernard arrived.
People began to watch for the "little pop-corn boy," and every
week he had at least fifty cents to take home, and often more.
And all this was because of John's bright idea, and the way he
carried it out.