Another boy induced his father to help him buy a small printing press, and cards of various sizes. He then took orders for the printing of these cards for other boys and for men needing the cheaper grade, charging 75 cents per hundred and cleared up nearly $40 above expenses, besides paying for his printing press.
PLAN No. 478. PARLOR MAGIC
The next boy with a taste for entertaining, and being clever at sleight-of-hand tricks, bought a book on parlor magic, and gave entertainments at his own home and the homes of other boys, charging 10 cents admission. He performed these tricks so well that everyone felt that he or she had received full value for the dime paid at the door, and the youthful entertainer realized a net profit of almost $60 during the three months of his summer vacation.
PLAN No. 479. DID SCROLL-SAW WORK
The fourth boy, being of a mechanical turn of mind, bought a scroll-saw, with which he made a great variety of very pretty things, and for these the neighbors were glad to pay good prices, especially where he made any special design to order. He was very skilful in his work, and was kept busy most of the time, so that his net earnings during vacation were $37.
PLAN No. 480. A LEMONADE STAND
The fifth boy had a taste for merchandising, and set up a lemonade stand in the front yard of his home, where many people passed every day. He had various-sized glasses in which he put his lemonade, properly made and tastefully displayed, and sold his product at 1 to 5 cents a glass, according to size. He also had some very good ice cream which he sold in small dishes at 2 to 5 cents a dish. Children were his principal customers, but even at these low prices, he made a good profit on his sales, and the business netted him a little more than $30 altogether.
PLAN No. 481. DOING ODD JOBS
The sixth boy did odd jobs wherever he could find them, such as carrying satchels or parcels from stores, or to and from trains, pushing baby carriages in the parks, running errands for neighbors, and anything else that came handy. He was always on the lookout for work and was very seldom idle. His earnings were $23.75, and he was very well satisfied with that.