Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-11-20
The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
by MARY L. BOLLES BRANCH.

by MARY L. BOLLEs BRANCH.
The first one in the house who had any
was little Ben Bowen. He went on an er-
rand for old Mrs. Starbuck, and when he
came back she gave him five black-eyed-
Susans. He ran home with them held
tight in his little warm hand, and showed
them to May; and, of course, the Gillett
children wanted to see them too. They
looked for all the world like little round,
scarlet peas with shiny black dot on each
one. None of the children had even so
much as heard of black-eyed-Susans before,
and they thought they were wonderful.
"Dey looks like big red beads, don't
dey ?" said little May in delight, hoping
that by'and.by Ben would let her play with
them.
"Only you can't string them" said Mag.
gle Gillett. IL wish had them to put in
my ivory box"
"They're beauties, any way" remarked
Ada Gillett, bending her Aaxen curls over
them; Il think they are fairies footballs.
Give them to me Benny, and I viii give you
my comedian ring! !"
well, viii" said Benny, dazzled into
consent, but the moment the exchange was
made he was sorry. What, had he parted
with his handful of wonders for q mere
ring? May and Maggie looked on in dis.
may, they wanted them 80 much themselves.
Pm going to get some more" said Benz
ny sturdily, putting on his torn straw hat.
He meant to 60 to Mrs. Stsrbuck's and wait
for another errand.
"What' g all this fuss about9" exclaimed
some one who landed at this moment in the
centre Of the room after q double summer
sault. 1t was Jem TOwne, tho neighbor's
IN ~ Am~ x.~1 "a ~r
ing and mischief.
"Ho, know what they are," he said
when Ada had carefully shown him her
treasures. "They're nothing but beans
they grow in Africa, and the sailors bring
them home. My uncle brought me whole
lot once; pve got them around home some.
where"
Mrs. Starbuok says they are black.eyed
Susans, i" said Benny.
"Yes, black-eyed- Susans that the name
Of en-" said Jem, with wise air. Did
she give you that ring for 'em? I'll find
mine and bring some over, if you'll buy
'em."
This the girls were eager to do, and away
went Jem. Away went Benny, too, ovel
to Mrs. Starbuck's, and was Just in time, TO,
she wanted some eggs from the store. Ben,
ny got them for her, and she gave him 9
penny.
"Vd rather have b!ack.eyed.Susans, said
Benny, looking disappointed.
why, land sakes, child, then you shall
if I've got any left. Here, hunt in MY
work.bag. found them in my on'spooke
when l was mending his jacket last time b,
came home from 1njy. Here's six, and that
every one there isl!
Ben ran home again with his handful, but
this time he determined not to part with
any. Maggie and May coaxed in vain, not
one would he give OF soil, but he said they
might play with th,m.
in the kitchen, where Mrs. Bowen sat al
work picking over sea-moss. Mrs. Gillett
came down out of her room and sat there
too, in what the children called the peacock
chair, because it was stuffed and covered
with calico printed all over with gay-color.
ed peacocks. Mrs. Gillett was Mrs. Bowen'e
boarder; she had come from the city with
her two daughter to stay through the sum.
mer in this old seaport town for the sake Of
the salt air.
The children played all the evening with
the black-eyed.Susans. They made believe
they were marbles, and had several games
then they played house with them, and
made believe they were fine ladies, dressed
in scarlet with black hats. Then they pre-
tended they were little African princes
changed into this shape by some dreadful
enchanter. Ada said it made her think o.
story she had read in the Arabian Nights
where there was lake full of fishes Of ali
sorts Of beautiful colors, that had been peo
pie once. Maggie and May and Ben listened
in delighted wonder, and, when they were
all sent off to bed, there was not a child o.
them but what dreamed of black-eyed.Su
sans all night long.
The next day Jem appeared with twelve
He was very business-like, and d, owe hard
bargains. He made Maggie rive him he,
red leather ball for Ave, and NAV bon1h1
four with little wooden ladder her fntRe,
had made her. Ada took the other three
and gave him Red Riding-Hood picture
book she had in her trunk. Jem was vcr,
much interested in his part as merchant
lie said ne had no moro black-eyed. Susaul
OF his own, but he could 20 around to sail
ors' houses and find some, he guessed. i
the children would agree to buy them.
They were all cagerness, and ready t,
promise anything Ada said she wanted ,
hundred to take home when she went; *
then, of course, Maggie wanted huntlrc;
too, and 30 did May and Ben.
''Well, then," said Jem, "why don't vor
have bank and put Your Susans in as fas,
as you get them, 80 you won't lose them
just as the people put in their money? The1
when you each have hundred. YOU Can
each take 'em out. I'll BIO banker. and
keep account
Tho children thought this was q charming
plan, only they wanted the bank where the,
could look at it. Jem brought it over tina,
very afternoon, and christened it the Bank
OF Africa" 1t was IN old worn-out tea
pot OF his mothers, with the cover fastened
down tight, and it was just the easiest thiDs
in the world to drop the black.eyed .SusanI
one by ono down the nose.
If it wasn't for its being a bank,n said
Maggie, II wouldn't put mine in, for
want them to play with. Now, Jem, 70,
hurry and bring moro as fast az you can
50 We can get our hundreds quick and TAX
them out"
Jem said he would. He should have I.
go all over the town, he expected, to ever,
captains house and every sailors house, I,
sec who had ever brought any home, and h
might have to pay high for them, but h
would do it. Then he told them the rule
OF the bank: they must never open it I.
look in, apd never shake amy of the Susan
out, or some might get lost. They nigh
lift it, and they might ruttle it, but tho,
never must open it.
"Cause if any gets lost, you know" h
exclaimed, = shall have to make 'em uu
and can't afford that