1st story

STORY NAME–SO MANY BOOKS

Mr and Mrs Johnson were very happy. They lived in a little house near the town. They did not have much money, but thcy were not poor. They loved cach other very much. There was only one thing about which they did not agree. Mr Johnson liked to buy old books. Whenever he passed a shop which sold old books, he went in and bought some. He came home with one or two books nearly every day. There were bookshelves on the walls of all the rooms in their little house. Now the shelves were full. There were books on the floor and on the tables and on the chairs. For a long time, Mrs Johnson said nothing. She loved her husband, and she knew he liked to buy these old books. But one day she was tired of dusting them, so she said, 'Why don't you sell some of these books? You will never read them all.'"No, I don't want to sell them,' her husband said. 'I like to see them on the shelves. The books look beautiful wvhen the firelight shines on the old leather." Mrs Johnson did not say any more. But every day there were more and more books, until one day she became very angry. "Don't bring another book into this house, she cried, 'or I shall go away and leave you!" Mr Johnson was very sorry about this, so for three or four days he walked quickly past every shop selling old books and did not look inside. Then one day he was walking down High Street, past the best bookshop in town, when it started to rain. He hadn't an umbrella, so he went into the shop to get out of the rain and there on the counter was a thin, brown leather book with gold letters on the cover. It was just the kind of book he liked best. He picked it up and read the name, The River Amazon. 'How much?" he asked the shopkeeper. Five shillingsSo Mr Johnson bought it, and as soon as the rain stopped, he hurried home forgetting about his wife's threat. When Mrs Johnson saw another book coming into the house she was very engry 'I told you I wvon't have another book in the house,' she said. She took the leather book from his hand and threw it out of the window Mr Johnson looked out into the garden and saw his beautiful book lying on the wet grass. 'Dorothy!' he exclaimed, and walked out of the house. He came back an hour later, His wife was waiting for him with the book in her hand. Robert, I'm so sorry, she said. 'Look. I've mended your book. Mr Johnson went into the sitting room. He saw a letter lying on the table. 'What's this?" he asked. "Oh, only an old letter. I found it in the book I mended. It's from some place I don't know. I expect someone sent it with the book when it was new. I read it while I waited for you to come back,' replied his wife.Mr Johnson picked up the letter and sat down to read it. He read the address, 'British Guiana, 1864, and then stopped. For a moment he sat quite still. Then suddenly he jumped up. Was the letter in an envelope?" he cried. "Yes. Why?' said his wife. "Quick! Where is the envelope?' he asked. I don't know. I think I threw it in the dustbin. What's the matter?" But Mr Johnson did not wait. He ran out of the house and into the garden to the dustbin. He began to turn over the papers and rubbish. At last he shouted, 'T've got it.' and ran back into the house, waving an old yellow envelope in his hand. 'Whatever is the matter?" his wife asked again. The stamp! The stamp!" he shouted. It's a one-cent British Guiana, 1864. There's only one other in the world. Last vear an Australian bought it for twelve thousand pounds. And now we've got one.He looked at the red stamp on the envelope. Then he took down a big stamp catalogue? from his bookshelves and turned the pages. "Here it is,' he said, and showed his wife the picture. 'British Guiana, one cent, 1864. Sold for twelve thousand pounds.' It was the same stamp. "And shall we get twelve thousand pounds for this one?' Mrs Johnson asked. I hope so." "Oh. Robert,' said Mrs Johnson, all this money in an old book. FIl never be angry with you for buying books again." Mr Johnson sold the stamp for ten thousand pounds, and with the money, they bought a much bigger house in the country. There are bookshelves on the walls of most of the rooms. Mr Johnson brings home more books almost every day. All the shelves are nearly tull but Mrs Johnson never complains. However, she has one nice, big sitting room where there are no books at all.😀

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