A Pen with Ideas.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VII, 17 August 1901, Page 335

A Pen with Ideas.

Fred’s face showed that he was perplexed. He sat quietly at papa’s desk. A pen was in his hand, and the inkwell was open before him. The sheet of paper on which he had begun to write bore these words: "Dear Cousin George.”

When Fred had made this good start on the letter he stopped. It was not so easy to write a letter as he had thought it would be; and, besides, it was possible Cousin George would not care about getting a letter, anyway. But at this point Fred remembered that he was always wishing for a letter himself. So instead of making up his mind not to write to Cousin George, he only said, "Oh dear!’’

Papa looked up from the book he was reading. “Why, what's the trouble?” he asked. “I want to write a letter to Cousin George, and I can’t think of a single thing to say. I thought 1 had lots to tell him.” Fred explained. By this time he was drawing a picture of a man on the letter-paper. Papa’s eyes laughed just as they always did when he was doing something for his boy. "Well, well!” he said. “Surely there must be something the matter with the pen. I think perhaps you'd better use my fountain pen.” “Do you s’pose I can think of something if I see your fountain pen?” asked Fred, doubtingly. , “Why, you’ll hardly have to think,” said papa. “It seems to me that the pen is always brimful of ideas, and that they come out of their own accord when I’m writing a letter. Now

you try it, and see if the first idea that comes out of the pen isn't something about how you started to write and couldn't think of anything to say. Next, there will be a bit about your Sunday-school teacher taking the class on a picnic, and after that, probably, there will come out of the pen something about your plans for the holidays. Ami 1 shouldn't wonder if there might be a question there concerning what George expects to do when summer comes. Now. suppose you try.”

So Fred took papa's pen very carefully. and began on a new sheet of paper. For nearly half an hour he wrote, and then he said, “Papa, it's just as you thought. See what I’ve written." And he brought his letter to papa. This is what it said: “Dear Cousin George.—When I began to write you this letter 1 could not think of anything to say and so papa let me take his nice fountain pen. He said it was brimful of ideas, and he even told me which ones would come out. Isn't it funny? Doesn't papa know lots? “My Sunday-school teacher. Mr Gray, took our class for a picnic last Saturday afternoon. We had a long trip. The teacher let me drive a little way. I like to drive very well. When I amh a man I will be a Sunday-school teacher, and take my class for an outing. “The holidays are quite near now. I wish it was now. How do you expect to spend your holidays? “Your loving cousin, Fred.” “Very good,” sa.d papa. “George will be glad to get this letter.” “It’s all because von let me take the pen that has ideas in it.” said Fred, with satisfaction.