Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-02-27

"Say, Will Fiske, you can bet on one
thing pretty sure, and that is: you'll
never get that gold watch as long as
Flossie Lees in the class. Number one
she is and number one she will stay ~
81 know that" said Fanny Huntley
who never had u perfect lesson in her
life, 81 should think you'd be as mad
as fire at her, Willie, instead of doing
what i saw you do to-day. Who was il
put that orange into her basket, / should
like to know, eh'''
''Fore I'd be such a tell-tale. Fan
Huntley," said bright little girl in
the group; ''ifyou weren't always peek
ing round you wouldn't see so much. "
81 don't care" answered Willie. 81
am not ashamed of it. Yes, I did put
an orange into her basket, and wish |
had the chance oftener, for she's good
and kind, aud L like her the best of any
girl in school-so there, now,' and
turning on his heel, he called out;
Come on, fellers, let's have game
of hockey before the bell rings" and
in two minutes he had forgotten all
about it.
Not so Flossie. who had heard every
word. The children had stood directly
underneath an open window, where be-
hind the blinds Flossie had been seated
eating the orange she had found in her
basket. The tears were in her eyes As
Willie turned away, but they were
more happy tears than sad ones. MY
goodness, she exclaimed to herself.
then it's he that's been putting all
these good things into my basket; and
he can't get gold watch because |
always know my lessons. Oh, L wish
| could failr'
She puzzled over it for long time
how she could manage to fail honestly,
for she said TO herself: 81 can never
say don't know if L 90, when the
questions are asked me-"
AT last she thought of a way. 81
know how can do it, she said, ''day
after tomorrow comes our geography
review of the whole United States, and
L won't even look at it, and then will
never remember everything, and I'll
surely fail. Then Willie will have my
place, and get his watch. "Oh, goody,
goody and I'll tell mamma and papa
all about it, so they will know needn't
have failed, and I'm sure they will
want him to get the watch when l tell
them how good he has been to me-"
And so for the first time in months
Flossie went 10 school the morning of
the review lesson, hugging up the geog-
raphy she had not opened. The class
was called, and Flossie stepped quickly
to her place.
''Oh. DEAR" thought Willie, ''she
looks so happy, I'm sure she knows
every answer in the lesson; | almost
wish she wasn't quite so smart"
For time all went well. Flossie
couldn't miss on giving the principal
rivers, when asked; she knew them by
heart. Questions on the great lakes,
capes, bays, mountains, had to be an
swered when put to her, because her
mind would remember them in spite of
her. At last came the capitals Of the
States.
.'Well, Miss Flossie," asked the
teacher, Twill you give us the capital
of New Mexico?"
For an instant she hesitated, then
with a look of delight that nobody but
herself understood, she answered, Il
can't think, truly / can't"
Flossie Lee had failed, and although
every one was astonished, no one looked
so distressed about it as the one who
had been so anxious for so long time
to get above her, and as the teacher
turned to him with, ''Well, Master
Fiske, can you help Miss Flossie out?''
he answered:
"Please, Miss Harding, if you would
only let Flossie think just minute,
I'm sure she would remember.
"It's too late now," she replied, 81
have passed it to you. What is the capi-
tai of New Mexico?"
There was no look of pride in Willie's
face. and no remembrance ofany watch,
as he answered in a low tone, santa
Fe."
Quick as a fash, and with the bright
est of smiles, Flossie stepped down and
out of her place, and gently pushing
Willie into it, took the one he had left.
The scholars and teachers were much
surprised to see her look so happy over
what they thought would have made
her so miserable, but Flossie kept what
she had heard all to herself, and when
after few days Willie went to her and
showed her beautiful little gold watch
that his father had given him for get
ting to the head of the school, she was
happier than ever.
Years after, Flossie told Willie what
sne overheard from the window that
day. and how it was then that she
found out who had been putting the
good things into her basket, and then,
too, for the first time, how it was she
came to forget the capital of New
Mexico. And the funniest part of the
whole story is, that Willie has been
giving her the good things ever since,
and he still ''likes her the best of any
girl i'm school, or out.
"Ho, you can't fool me, Aunt Katy, y
cried Jo. as finished. "Flossie Lee is
Aunt Florence, and Willie Fiske is our
own Uncle willard all have to say
is good for Aunt Florence. Golden
Rule.