, 1882-05-12
A PLEASANT SURPRISE.


wolI ut the side of my bed, so, if l put
chair on the bed, and then climb up and
stand on tiptoe, ! can see il to Johnny's
room and we can have a good talk.
We're in trouble; and this is how it
9ne day last week, our teacher read us
. story about a little girl who had sick
Fether; and he was going to starve to
Iooth 'cause he hadn't any money to buy
"ronces. and everything had gone wrong
inside. We'll, the good little girl heard
tLot dentist wanted some teeth, and
would pay we'll for them. II don't see
COO why he should pay money for teeth,
mben he could have his own for moth
ingG The little girl had fine teeth, so
sI,e e went to the dentist and asked him to
take some ont and pay her the money
tbnv were worth, for her poor father.
Then the dentist made her tell HIM all
obout her father; and he wouldn't take
the teeth, but he gave her the money all
tha same and went to see her father, and
oot a doctor for him, and he didn't die.
II was beautiful story, and made me
crv Johnny said it wasn't anything to
cry about; stories like that were for ex
amnles. and when we had'a chance we
must lust 90 and do likewise.
We'll this morning, when father was
uniting on his overcoat, Johnny and |
asked HIM for penny. And father, he
said we we're always wanting pennies,
and he wasn't made of money and then
he went out
Sister En- began to cry cause father
said she couldn' have a new dress this
Easter. Everything was going wrong,
and he didn't know what would become
of him, and he was sick of everything.
Johnny and | didn't cry; we only
looked at each other.
While we were going to school johnny
said this was our chance. We could do
like the good little girl, and be sup
port to our parents. Dentists always
wanted teeth and we'd go to the dentist
right away after school and have it over
''And then" says johnny, ''if we've
made five dollars for father, perhaps
he'll give us our penny, cause it'll be
such pleasant surprise to him."
We couldn't hardly wait for school to
be out. / got black mark in arithmetic,
cause when Miss Stevens asked me il
you had an apple, and if Samuel Smith
ate it up, what had you left? I said,
"Your teeth.
After school we walked about till we
come to q dentists, and we went in, and
asked him ii he wanted some teeth, and
he said, "Why? Did we want to lose
some?" And we told him, "Yes."
We thought he would sit down and
ask us all about it, Just as the other den
hst did with the good little girl; but he
only said
Lets look Mt en-"
Then he made Johnny climb up in the
high chair, and tip his head back; and
then he said:
"You want these two out that crowd
the rest"
Then he put an iron thing into
Johnny's mouth and pulled out one
tooth, and then pulled out another. And
he said Johnny was a brave boy, cause
he didn't ,holler.
asked Johnny if it hurt, and he said,
Not much, and don't you disgrace the
family, Kitty White, by Howling."
Now, my little lady" said the den-
tist, "get into this chair, and I'll be as
gentle as | can" SO he helped me into
the chair, and tipped back my head, and
looked.
"Your teeth are crowded together just
like your brothers," he says and then he
begins to pull.
My, how it hurt! And didn't L make
noise! thought my head was coming
on But il was over IN Il minute, and
the dentist told johnny not to laugh at
me, cause my teeth come harder than his
did.
When our teeth were out we thought
the dentist would pay us. He asked US
whose little boy and girl we were, and
where We lived, and said this was pleas
ant weather for little folks.
After while he said: ITS four dol
lars
I'VE thought he had four dollars for
us, and held out our hands but he didn't
give us any money. Instead of that
he said; Haven't you got any money!
Johnny explained to him that we
thought he would pay US for our teeth
so that we could help our poor father.
The dentist began to laugh, and said
ne didn't pay for teeth; but he would
give us letter that would make it all
right.
30 he wrote letter, and sealed it, and
told johnny to be sure to give it to
rather He kept laughing all the time
ne was writing it, and we thought he was
She pleasantest man in the world.
When we got home, Johnny said we'd
oetter wait till after dinner TO give
father his pleasant surprise. And at
nrst was glad we'd waited; for the
roast beef was too brown and father
said; There never could be q Liece of
pee 4eet done right in this house, and Mrs.
White, my dear. il Won could ONLY have