Harper's Young People, October 26, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly

On a bright autumn day in a quiet countryside, a young farmhand named Wilbert Fairlaw is halted by the imposing Judge Barton. The judge’s cryptic advice—“work’s a mint”—spurs the boy to wonder if a simple job might bring him the pocket‑change he’s always lacked. Though he has no formal schooling, Wilbert is eager to prove himself and earn his own money.

Inspired, Wilbert notices travelers’ horses thirsty at a muddy crossroads and decides to set up a makeshift water trough beneath a chestnut tree. Using spare planks, nails, and a little ingenuity, he constructs a sturdy basin and begins charging a small fee for each drink. The first coins jingle in his hand, filling him with pride and a new sense of purpose.

Word of Wilbert’s handy service spreads, and more drivers stop, eager to give the diligent boy a few extra cents. As his modest earnings grow, he begins to imagine what else he might improve on his family’s farm.