The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-05-05
FLO AND FLORA:

ObCtSOLls pulling Oll uCE HtJ. Oue udu
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. ~ don't
call such doings as that fun!''
"Whatp" asked Flora, glancing up
listlessly from lapful of canvas and
worsteds.
And Flo told her. 1t was at school
the day before. which had been the last
day of March, that the boys were re-
counting the tricks they had played in
other years, and little Micky Lanahan
asked in his funny way: ''Sure, an who
bees April-Fool?'
Micky was a new boy. He stood
leaning against the school-yard fence as
he spoke, with his small red hands in
his pockets and an anxious look on his
face as he gazed down at his boots.
Those boots were sad trouble to
Micky; they were very large, and the
toes turned up and CAPPED 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't we, boys?"
"And they're going to-" said Flo
Erred and Teddy Blake-and / don't
think it's fair. His folks are real poor,
and his mothers sick almost all the
g., =
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-Foor printed on the in
side piece. And they're going to look
in the window and see Micky when he
gets it. Fred's fooled me lots of
times to-day, but 1 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, "rll tell you what
to do. All the time my ankles been
sprained, you know, l haven't spent my
pockt-money. I've got two dollars now,
and was going to buy you birthday
present, but III spend it for a pair of
shoes for Micky instead, if you're will
ing.
Was Flo willingP She almost screamed
with delight.
"Oh, you dear Flora" she cried.
"And I'll change the boxes Oh, Flora
Millings, what fun! Such a joke on
Fred and Teddy And Fred said he
wouldn't be fooled once this April. Oh,
oh!''
Flo could not wait. She put on her
hat and few down to the shoe store and
home again. Fred's box neatly tied up
was on the hall table waiting for night,
and it was only the work of moment
to replace the little bundle of papers
with pair of stout shoes.
"Such funr' said Flo to herself, and
she almost burst out laughing when,
after tea, Fred took the box from the
hall table and went off with Teddy
| Blake.
CATER all, 1 don't half like this" he
said to Teddy. "If it was any other
fellow l wouldn't care a snap. But OF
course it's only in fun. told him WEI d
introduce him.
"Of course laughed Teddy; and so
they made their way down a cross street
and through an alley to the little tum-
ble-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 look
ing in even before Micky had his hand
on the latch.
1t was such poor little room, bare
walled, bare-foored and scantily fur
nished! A thin-faced woman sat boil
stored up in the only .rocking-chair il
contained, and lamp burned dimly on
the rickety table. The big boots stood
in corner, and when Fred's gaze fell
upon them he suddenly turned it the
other way.
Ted" he whispered, 81 wish we
hadn't. I do wish we hadn't, Ted"
There was a shrill cry of joy from
Micky then. He had opened the door
and discovered the box, and his freck-
led face was beaming with delighted
surprise when he came back into the
room.
"Och, mother, it do be shoes!" he
cried.
The thin white face in the rocking.
chair was turned eagerly toward the
boy.
"Sure it can't be the truth, MickyP"
deed it is, Mother!" cried Micky,
tuUOinO at the STRING ssWhat else shonld