The Doll and Her Friends | Page 5

won't help you to spend your money in that way. Don't buy any more tarts. Come and walk about; there are plenty more shops to look at.'
They sauntered on, but Geoffrey, by various turns, worked his way back to the pastrycook's; and as no persuasions could then bring him away, Edward walked off, not choosing, as he said, to encourage him.
Presently I saw a tall gentleman enter the bazaar, and I wondered what he would buy. I did not then understand the difference between grown-up people and children, and as he approached my stall, I could not repress a hope that he would buy me. But his quick eye glanced over the tables without resting on any of the toys.
'Can I show you any thing, sir?' said my mistress.
'No, I am much obliged to you,' he answered, with a pleasant smile. 'I am only in search of some young people who, I dare say, have been better customers than I. Ah, here they are,' he continued, as the two boys of whom I had taken so much notice ran up to him from different ends of the room.
'Well, boys,' said he, 'what have you bought? Must we hire a wagon to carry your property home?'
'Not quite,' answered Edward. 'I have bought a wagon-load of amusement, but I can carry it home well enough myself; I have spent all my money in this box of tools.'
'A very sensible and useful purchase,' said the gentleman; 'they will give you plenty of pleasant employment. The only objection is, that they are likely to be lost or broken at school.'
'I do not mean to take them to school, papa. I shall use them in the holidays, and leave them with Willy when I go back to school; that was one reason why I bought them. Willy could do a good deal of carpentering on his sofa.'
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'True, my boy, and a kind thought. They will be a great amusement to poor Willy, and he will take good care of them for you.'
'Now, Geoffrey, how have you invested your capital? I hope you have found a strong spade. It is fine weather for gardening.'
'No, I haven't,' stammered Geoffrey.
'Well, what have you bought?'
'I don't know,' said Geoffrey.
'Do you mean that you have not spent your money yet? Make haste, then, for I can only allow you five minutes more. I expected to find you ready to go home. Be brisk; there is every thing on that stall that the heart of boy can wish,' said the gentleman, pointing to my abode.
But Geoffrey did not move. 'I don't want any thing,' said he at last.
'What a fortunate boy!' said the gentleman; but he presently added, 'Have you lost your money?'
'No.'
'Show it to me.'
Geoffrey slowly produced his sixpence, almost hidden in the palm of his hand.
'Where is the rest?' asked the gentleman. 'Have you spent it?'
'Yes.'
'And nothing to show for it? Nothing?'--and the gentleman looked at the boy more narrowly. 'Nothing,' said he again, 'except a few crumbs of pie-crust on your waistcoat? Oh, Geoffrey!'
There was a short silence, and the boy colored a good deal; at last he said, 'It was my own money.'
'You will wish it was your own again before long, I dare say,' said the gentleman. 'However, we must hope you will be wiser in time. Come home now to dinner.'
'I don't want any dinner,' said Geoffrey.
'Probably not, but Edward and I do. We have not dined on tarts; and I dare say Ned is as hungry as I am.'
So saying, he led the way towards the door, leaving me, as usual, pondering over what had passed. One word used by the gentleman made a great impression on me--USEFUL.
What could that mean? Various considerations were suggested by the question. Some things, it seemed, were useful, others not; and what puzzled me most was, that the very same things appeared to be useful to some people, and not to others. For instance, the sixpenny paint-box, which had been rejected as useless to Willy, was bought soon afterwards by a small boy, who said it would be the most useful toy he had.
Could this be the case with every thing? Was it possible that every thing properly applied might have its use, and that its value depended upon those who used it? If so, why was Geoffrey blamed for spending his money in tarts? He liked them. Perhaps he had plenty of food at home, and that uselessness consisted in a thing's not being really wanted. I revolved the subject in my mind, and tried to discover the use of every thing I saw, but I was not always successful. The subject was perplexing; and gradually all my thoughts became fixed on the point of most importance to myself--namely, my own use.
How changed were my