The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-04-22

coming along the road home with
some stalks of sweet-tiag in his hand ;
there is succulent pith in the end of
the stalk which is very good to eat,
tender, and not SO strong as the root ;
and John liked to pull it, and carry
home what he did not eat on the way.
AS he was walking along he met a
carriage, which stopped opposite to
him he also stopped and bowed, as
country boys used to do in Johns
days. A lady leaned from the car
riage and said:
"What have you got, little boy?"
Sheiseemed to be the most beauti-
full woman John had ever seen, with
light hair, dark, tender eyes, and the
sweetest smile. There was that in her
gracious mien and in her dress which
reminded him of the beautiful castle
ladies. with whom he was well &C.
quainted in books. He felt that he
knew her at once, and he also seemed
to be a sort of young prince himself.
/ fancy he did not look much like one.
But of his own appearance he thought
not at all, as he replied to the lady's
question without the least embarrass-
ment.
Its sweet fag-stalks would yeu
like some?"
"Indeed l should like to taste of it,
said the lady with a most winning
smile. 81 used to be ever go fond Of
it when was little girl"
John was so delighted that the lady
should like sweetflag, and that she
was pleased to accept it from him. He
thought himself that it was the best
thing to eat he knew. He handed up
a large bunch of it. The lady toek
two or three stalks, and was about to
return the rest when John said:
"Please keep it all ma'am. l can get
lots more. 1 know where its ever so
thick"
"Thank you, thank you said the
lady and as the carriage started she
reached out her hand to John. He
did not understand the motion until
he saw a cent drop in the road at his
feet. Instantly all his illusion and
pleasure vanished. Something like
tears were in his eyes as he shouted:
81 don't want your cent. l don't
sell flag!'
John was intensely mortified. 81
suppose" he said, "she thought was
sort of beggar-boy. To think of
selling flag"
AT any rate he walked away and left
the cent in the road, humiliated boy.
Jim said he was green not to take the
money he would go and look for it
now, if he would tell him where it
dropped. And Jim did spend an
hour looking about in the dirt, but he
did not find the cent. Jim, however,
had an idea he would dig sweet-fag
and sec if another carriage wouldn't
come along.
Johns next rebuff and knowledge
of the world was of another sort. He
was again walking in the road at twi-
light, when he was Oyertaken by a
wagon with one seat, upon which
were two pretty girls, and a young
gentleman sat between them, driving.
1t was merry party, and John could
hear them laughing and singing as
they approached him. The wagon
stopped when it overlook him, and
one of the sweet-faced girls leaned
from the seat and said quite SER
iously and pleasantly:
"Little boy, how's your mar?"
John was surprised and puzzled for
4 moment. He had never seen the
young lady, but he thought she, per-
haps, knew his mother; at any rate,
his instinct of politeness made him
sayi
"She's pretty we'll, thank you."
"DOes she know you are out ~
And thereupon all three burst into
a roar of laughter and dashed on. 1t
flashed upon John in a moment that
he had been imposed on, and it hurt
him dreadfully. His self-respect was
injured somehow, and he felt as if his
lovely, gentle mother had been insult
ed. lie would like to have thrown a
stone at the wagon, and in a rage he
cried:
"You're nice"-but he could not
think of any hard, bitter words quick
enough.
Probably the young lady, who
might have been almost any young
lady, never knew what a cruel thing
she had done.-Charles Dudley Var
aer.