The National tribune., 1883-04-12
APRIL FOOL,
And How Flo and Flora Got the Better OF the
JOkers.
[Ru ado c. Stoddard.I

by ada c. Ssoddardl
otis too bad ~ declared little Flo Stetson,
pulling off her hat. She had come to spend
the sunny half-holiday with her cousin, whose
name was the same as her own, but who didn't
begin to be so rosy and dimpled. Il don't call
such doings as that funw
WHAT" asked Flora, gancing up listlessly
from lapful of canvas and worsted.
And Flo told her. 1t was at school the day
before, which had been the last day of
March, that the boys were recOunting the
tricks they had played in other years, and little
Micky Lanahan asked in his funny way, Sure,
an who bees April-FoolP
Micky was new boy. He stood leaning
against the school yard fence as he spoke, with
his small red hands in his pockets and an anx-
ious look on his face as he gazed down at his
boots Those boots were a sad trouble to Micky !;
|. they were very large and the toes turned up
and gaped wofully, and they were all he had
A shout arose in answer to Micky's question
from that merry, thoughtless group.
He don't know April-Fool, boys"
ooh, Boots!"
"We've been acquainted with him ever so
long"
'And we'll give you an introduction when
| the time comes" laughed Fred Stetson. won &
we, boys?"
"And they're going to-" said Flo" Fred
and Teddy Blake-and / don't think it's fair.
almost all the time. They make fun of his
boots, you know-and they are dreadful things,
really-and so they're going to hang one of the
| boxes that new shoes come in on the door, with
a bundle of papers in it, and April-FooP
/ printed on the inside piece. And they're going
TO look in the window and see Micky when he
! gets 1t. Freds fooled me lots OF times to-day,
| but don't care for that. ! don't think it's
much fun, though, and it's mean to fool that
| little Micky Lanahan So ~
| Flo's cheeks glowed cherry red and she
talked rapidly. Flora listened with kindling
eyes.
"Flo," she cried "Tn tell you what to do.
| All the time my ankles been sprained, you
| know, haven't spent my pocket money. I've
| got two dollars now, and was going to buy
you birthday present; but I'll spend it for a
pair Of shoes for Micky instead, if you're will
| ing"
Was Flowilling2 She almost screamed with
! delight.
"Oh, you dear Floraw she cried. "And III
change the boxes! Oh, Flora Millings, what
fun! Such joke on Fred and Teddy! And
| Fred said he wouldn't be fooled once this April.
| Oh, ohw
Flo could not wait. She put on her hat and
almost flew down to the shoe store and home
again. Fred's box neatly tied up was on the
| table hall waiting for night, and it was only
! the work of a moment to replace the little
/
"Such fun " said Flo to herself, and she al
most burst out laughing when, after tea, Fred
| took the box from the hall table and went of
with Teddy Blake.
after all, don't half like this" he said to
Teddy. If it was any other fellow wouldn't
care a snap. But of course it's only in fun.
| told him we'd introduce him."
"Of course" laughed Teddy; and so they
made their way down cross street and
| through an alley to the little tumble-doWn
| house Micky Lanahan called home.
Fred put the box down quietly at the door
and raped. They had plenty of time to dodge
around the corner of the house to a window
and they were looking in even before Micky
| had his hand on the latch.
1t was such poor little room, bare-walled,
bare-foored, and scantily furnished! A thin
faced woman sat bolstered up in the only rock
| ing-chair it contained, and lamp burned
dimly on the rickety table. The big boots stood
in a corner, and when Fred's gaze fell upon
them he suddenly turned it the other way.
"Ted," he whispered, :" / wish We hadn't.
| do wish we hadn't, Ted"
There was shriu cry of joy from Micky
| then. He had opened the door and discovered
the box, and his freckled face was beaming
with delighted surprise when he came back
| into the room.
| "Och, mother, it do be shoesr" he cried.
| The thin white face in the rocking chair was
|
| "Sure it can't be the truth, Micky."
| "Deed it is mother!" cried Mieky, Juggling
! at the string. "What else should it be now ~
| Fred at the window groaned inwardly.
l. Such miserable thing TO doP' hesaid. ard
give dollar to be out of it, Ted. I don't
| SEQ
"You did it yourself" said Teddy, not very
good-naturedly. "You thought Of it, and all,
but I'd give another dollar it we hadn't, and
| that's a fact Let's poD
"Wait," said Fred. "Weu make this up
Hullol Why, Ted-Ted Blaker'
For Micky had got the troublesome Irvine
unknotted at last, and had pulled from the box
those stout thick shoes. And he was espering
about the room wild with with joy.
"Beant they Elegant, mother2 Oh, mother,
! look! Did We liver see the loikes2 An twas
| April-Fool that fetched emit says April Fool
on the paperl Sure it's a foine ould gintleman
he is. Oh, mother, it's cryin' for gIadness
am, sure2 Twas April-F0ol fetched EN- till
| me-"
"Then April Fool never did better piece of
| work" said Teddy, feeling not q bit ashamed
! of the tears that filled his own eyes almost to
overlooking. "But say, old felloY"-and he
| began to laugh.
l think you cannot imagine two more as
| tonished boys than those who slid softly away
| from Mrs. Lanahan's window and fastened OFF
home in the darkness.
"Such good joker laughed Fred. 81 never
was so glad of anything in my lfe"
"Wel pay for those shoes, anyhow" said
| Teddy. Cant you guess who did it, Fred ~
| ~ think twas Flo and Flora," Fred answered.
anyway, I'm almost sure Flo had finger in
the pie"
| He was quite sure of it when, little later,
he opened the hall door at home. For plump
little form glided up to him, a dimpled little
hand tucked itself under his arm, q rosy little
mouth was placed close to his ear, and soft
little voice whispered, "April-Fool p - Har-
| per's Young People.