The Republican journal., 1873-06-26

a lot of eggs that must be kept cool and
not shook up much, and callin' US min
isterin' angels all the time Do look
like an angel, Becky Murray?"
The resemblance was not very striking
as she stood there with her sleeves rolled
up, her bare arms akimbo, a wet checkered
apron pinned about her, and her nose
decorated with a streak of bluing Con-
scientlously Miss Becky surveyed the stout
form rather doubtfully
"Well-to be sure! That is, you're as
good as the most, Polly-better'n most
Polly; but then. there's the wings and
things they'd make-H ell, | must say
fort, considerable difference, do s'pose y
she admitted, hesitatingly.
Guess you'll get wings sometime,
Aunt Polly. Wish had some now,' re-
tlected Billy, with a FLASHING of his hands
in the water that at once recalled Miss
Polly to matter, terrestrial.
''Mercy what is he young one up to
now? Got my best spice-boX for boat,
and punched 4 hole clear through the
bottom of it to stick a mast in, as sure as
| am aliver
'Well, Maggie wouldn't tell me stories,
an my tops broke, AMI | didt know
nothin' else to do" affirmed Billy, deten-
sively.
"Nothin' else? ? Well its lucky you didn't,
for it would like as anyway have been
something worse instead of better! There
there, child y with a sotteninG light ir
her eye whereby the angel in her flashed
into sight for an instant ''all the splashin'
in the world can't make an ocean in a
wash-tub; older folks than you have
tried it. Run out in the yard and play,
there's 4 good boy.'
The June sunshine fell soft and bright
upon the quaint, homely old garden, and
Billywas quite reconciled to his banishment
the moment he caught the rustic of the lilac
leaves, and met the familiar nodding of
the tall, good-natured suntowers He
seated himself on the grass, dug his bare
toes into the warm earth of poppy bed,
and leaning his small elbows upon the
patched knees of his small trousers, settled
his round chin between his palms, and
dropped into a fit of childish meditation.
With no past to remember, no cares to
make anxious, and small knowledge of
possibilities to curb him, his dreams and
plans had a wild, free range; and he had
quite decided where he would 90 when
he came into position of his coveted
wings, besides selecting Il particularly
soft, tieecy cloud in the iar-otf blue, to
serve as his bed at night, latter it get
too dark to fly" when voice interrupted
HIM
''Why don't you play with me, Billy
Murray ?'' A little blue dress was crushed
against the fence, a pair of tiny hands
grasped the pickets, and from under 4
white sun-bonnet merry brown eyes
laughed at Billy.
-guess-I'm thnkin' what
I'll do" he responded with slow gravity,
neither disturbed nor astonlshed BY her
sudden presence.
''What you'll do when your big know
all that now, and | guess | won't wait to
grow, either !" ratified the little damsel,
her nimble tongue crowding in the words
so thick and fast that she contrived to
utter dozen in the time Billy would have
required for one.
''What ?" asked Billy, slowly, but with
an awakening curiosity,
''Keep a toll gate-that's what know
all about 'em, for me and papa rode
through in carriage, and did see it my
own self. You have gate clear across
the road, so folks can't get through and
they pay you to open it and you don't
have anything to do but Just live in nice
funny little house, and get lots of money!
Biily's blue eyes frightened. Down
from his airy heights, at the prospect of
gaining earth's shining dust he came Us
readily as though he had been Older.
81 guess Pll do that, ,too," he announced,
'"Long of me ?"
EYES," said Billy, accepting the partner
ship as condescendingly as though the
patent-right for the invention had not
belonged to the other party.
"Well let's do it now," proposed the
vivacious small lady anxious TO be MAX
ing her fortune at once. 81 guess lots Of
folks 60 long the road down by the end
of the lane, and if we have it there then
they'll have to pay u.s."
''Yes," said Billy once more, and lifting
the latch of the gate, he slipped out
Maggie had ears for nothing that morn
ing, but footstep that did not come, and
Aunt Polly was too busy in looking after
the whole of creation to pay any special
attention to her own small corner of it
so there was nobody to observe the new
firm, as they trudged off to seek Il favor
able locality for their enterprise. 1t was
no long search, however, since the road
at the cad of the lane was the only one they
knew anything about; moreover it was
narrow and well suited to their purpose
in that way.
81 don't know how We'll stop it up,
though" Billy remarked, surveying it
doubtfully. But Garlic was fertile in ex-
pedients. Her quick eyes rested upon an
old unused cart standing a little distance
up the lane, and she proposed that they
begin with. 1t was hard work, with all
their united strength and most vigorous
efforts, but they persevered until the task
was accomplished.
81 thought it was big enough to reach
ever so far but it don't" said Garlic dis
appointedly. "Anybody could Just 90
around the side of it if they wanted to,
and never pay cent"
Billy expressed valiant determination
to ''knock any feller down that tried it,
but Garlic was unsatisfied. Presently a
pile of bean-poles in neighboring lot
suggested an idea of relief, and the chill
dren, in high spirits once more proceeded
to appropriate them. They could carry
but one at once. but gradually they piled
them up, with one end upon the fence and
the other resting upon the cart, quite for
getting, in their zeal tor thorough barr-
cade. to make any arrangement for open
ing their gate when the required toll
should be paid. 1t was slow, toilsome
building; but the two little faces, though
flushed and perspiring, were also trium-
phant as they gazed upon the completed
structure, with its last pole standing near
ly upright against the cart.
Partly for GOODNESS to herself, by way
of ornament to the ediice, Garlic removed
her sun-bonnet from her head and hung
it upon the highest point.
''Bet nobody can't get through that
exclaimed Billy, pantingly. "How much
do you s'pose we'll make ?"
''Dollar, may be-" replied the sangune
Garlic. her eyes growing round with the
stupendous prospect. "rm too tired to
build any little house to live in, to- day
let's stay out DOORS"
"Out-of-doors was very pleasant They
sat down on the soft grass that edged the
road, and curled the long stems of dande-
lion while they waited for their fortune to
come; growing so interested in their oc-
cupation at last that they had almost for