JOHN'S JUMBLE SALE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 121, 24 May 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

JOHN'S JUMBLE SALE.

The scouts' hut had been badly damaged in the gale, a big piece of its roof having been torn clean off, for one thing.

John and some of his chums were looking anxiously at the havoc: they had come to the conclusion that they couldn't mend it and the repairs would cost quite a lot.

"Even then it would only be a patch up: it's rather old and rickety," one of the boys said.

"We can't help that," cried John. "It's the best we've got and it must be mended somehow. I know! I'll hold a jumble sale in my garden. Come on! Let's call on everybody all round for things to sell."

It was a lucky thought. Everybody the boys called on seemed to be able to find something. that they could spare.

But in sorting things out before the sale day John found something in a torn pocket of a man's coat that made him stare. It was a crumpled £1 note.

What a find! John thought at first he would get it changed for silver and slip it into the sales box. Then all at once it struck him that to keep the find, although it wasn't for himself, would be dishonest. Whoever had given the coat certainly hadn't meant to give £1 as welL

John looked at the coat and racked his brains. He remembered the coat being one of his own collecting, but he couldn't think from whom he had got it. So, jumping on his bicycle, he began a round of all the houses he had called at. After nearly an hour's hunt he found the donor and gave him the money. "It was old Colonel Stokes," he told his mother when he got home; "and he said it served him right, i was hoping he'd say, keep the pound for your honesty and put it in the fund box. But no such luck."

'Never mind," replied his mother. "You've been honest. I expect the sale will be lucky; that will reward you."

The sale was lucky. And Johns honesty was rewarded.

Into his garden next day stumped Colonel Stokes, and in front of everybody there he slapped John's shoulder.

'Capital chap you are!" he roared out for everyone to hear. "Put the old hut up for jumble as firewood Im going to treat you scouts to a new one, and you can put the proceeds from this sale towards its furnishings."