The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-07-23
must not work in the same garden any

must not work in the same garden any
moro"
az shall have to lead her to school, pa
pa; she will get lost if I don't, just as SURF
a. anything"
az win attend to that, John. You viii
have to go to school by yourself. Is the
bargain mades"
"Y-e-s, sir-I suppose So" and John
cast SJubtful look st Maidie, who stood
close by, with her doll in her arms, and
tears on her long eyelsshes.
Very well" said Mr.. Royal "When
you want the money you can ask for it
You may 60 now"
IL know what I mean to buy" thought
John, running to the other end of the
room, and sitting down in the broad, cush-
iOned window seat az will buy a pony
and saddle, and gold watch, and lots Of
other things that I've been a-wanting ever
since was little boy"
The idea of these splendid acquisitions
was so pleasant, that he wanted to share
it with some one, so he cried out
"Oh, Maidie, you come here, and I'll
tell you what I'm going to buy with my
fifty dollars"
"Stop, stop" cried papa; shave you
forgotten 80 soon that you have no right
to speak to Maidie! She doesn't belong
to you at all"
A cloud came over Johns face, and he
sat very still for long time, thinking,
and by and by two or three tears fell.
Maidie and he had played together ever
since he could dremember-such long, long
time and she was the only little sister he
had in the world; a real tease sometimes,
to be sure, but then how could he get along
without herr He looked slyly out from
behind the window curtains, to see what
she was doing.
How pretty she looked, sitting in high
chair beside her father, with q book of
colored pictures open before her, and her
sunny curls falling over her rosy cheeks
and white reckl Wasn't she better than
sail boat, or q gold watch, or even q
ponyi "Yes, indeed, thousand million
times" thought John; 6 and yet I've gone
and sold her for fifty dollars, and s'most
know that papa won't take it back, cause
1t was regular bargain. 0, dear, dear I"
Here the tears began to flow faster and
faster, and presently choking little sob
attracted Mr.. Royals attention. Then
another and another, and then John
jumped down from the window seat, and
running up to the desk, hid his face on his
fathers arm, and burst into such passion
of tears that Maidie was frightened and
began to cry too.
"Why, what is the matter, my SOM"
asked Mr.. Royal, kindly.
"I-I-I-don't wa-want to-to-sell
my right to Maidie," answered John, a.
well as he could, for weeping.
"Why-not for fifty dollars?" asked
papa.
"Oh, no." said John, "no indeed, not
for fifty million. WI you let me have
her back again, please, dear papa. and I
don't believe I'll ever be so naughty and
cross again as long as live"
every we'll" said Mr.. Royal, smiling.
"Since you wish it so much, 1 will give
up my part of the bargain, and you may
have your little sister back again, but /
hope you will think, another time when
you are tempted to speak to her as you
did to-day, how you would feel not to have
Maidie at all"
"I guess shan," said John, giving her
q good hug and kiss. 81 love you, Mai
die"
$50 do 1 you," Sid Maidie, returning
the caress "Now let's go out in our gar
den, John"
So away they ran, hand in hand, as
merry as the birds that were singing up
among the boughs of the old butternut
tree.-From Little Maidie."