The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-09-06

"And how much is half price"
"Twinty-fve cints."
I'm sure that's cheap" said
Johnny to himself, "and I've got
quarter of my own" He sat thinking
so long and 50 hard that Bridget had
plenty of time to iron her rutfled lawn,
and by the time she was done the
grand plan he had in his head and the
determination to keep it secret even
from Charley Dingle made him look
so much more solemn than usual that
papa feared his attempt to stir Johnny
up was going to prove a failure.
At the menagerie Johnny laughed
with the rest at the comical little
monkeys, but kept on the keen lookout
for something in the way of sister,
ard was glad to see so many little chill
dren about A pretty, wee lassie, held
on her fathers arm, smiled down at
him as he smiled up at her, and made
no objection when he gave her some
peanuts and took her soft little hand.
He always found it hard 20 talk to
strangers, but at last ventured TO say
to the gentleman:
I'D like to buy her for sister, sir.
How much money could YOU sell her
for?"
"Why, my little man, / think she's
worth about million dollars, don't
youP"
"Yes, do" said Johnny, cranky,
out feeling little discouraged; land
that's great deal more than twenty
five cents, know, so it's myself can't
buy her."
wouldn't stop at little difference"
said the gentleman, smiling very kind
ly, "only really don't care about sell
ing her, for there's little boy like
you who thinks he wants her for his
sister,"
Johnny did not wonder at that.
Bridget led him further on.
"Oh--ouch!" he suddenly cried, put
ting his hands on his head and looking
up to see who could be treating him so
roughly.
"Bless the little fellow! Baby! baby,
let go Naughty, naughtyr' A bonny,
fresh-faced country baby had taken a
tight grip of his curls and was laughing
and growing gleefully as she jerked
away at them without mercy.
.'Never mind it, a'am," said John
ny, politely, wiuking his eyes very hard
as baby's mamma disentangled the
plump little fingers. ''But--will you
sell the baby to me for a little sister,
I'll give you twenty-five cents. They
said | could get one here for hall
price"
'4Oh, I'd let you have her in min
ute, honey, if l could spare her to any
body; but she's all the baby I've got,
and couldn't sell her for all the money
in the world"
"They must have made mistake on
the ticket" said poor Johnny to him.
self, as Bridget placed him on a good
high seat where he could see all that
went on in the ring. On the seat lust
below him was good-natured looking
woman with round face and light hair.
Aud on each side of her were two little
girls exactly like her, only great deal
smaller, and all exactly alike--four in
all; and the hair of all the four was
braided in long braids and looked like
molasses candy. Each little girl had
on yellow calico dress, which exactly
matched her hair, and was trimmed
with rufiies of pink calico. Johnny
thought the little girls and the hair anG
the dresses were all beautiful. Brldge
gave him an orange and some candy
to sit while by Nora Kelly.
Johnny gave all the little girls som,
candy, and the mother smiled upon hin
so beamingly that Johnny felt encour
aged to unburthen his mind, but deter
mined to get at the matter very eau
tiously
You have great many nice little
! girls, ma am"
ia, ia," said the woman, laughing
ly, and nodding her head.
| II haven't any little sister to play wis
I and | want one very much. | wish haC
one just exactly like yours"
The woman was looking very hard a
, some wonderful horses wonderful,
dressed up, in the ring, but still smiled
and nodded as Johnny kept up his mod
est little whisper.
| "It's only twenty-five cents can pa,
l at all-p'haps that isn't enough?-'
More mods and smiles.
, "You are very good, indeed" salt
, Johnny, delightedly. 'It's this one II
take thenP" pointing to the smalles
dumping face.
ia, ia, and Johnny took out. hi
quarter and offered her. She locke,
| puzzled. but seeing lemonade boy
little way off. imagined he wished he
, to buy him some and took it ant
waited.
And Johnny sat and looked with ev
erybody else at the trained dogs. happ,
as Prince that he had at last secured
( sister. How pleased mamma and pap,
would be-and how well they woul,
/ think he hal done in getting such
, beauty so very cheap.
THAT old lion in the other tent
) roaring awfully loud, isn't hep bu
r never mind, I'll take care of you," h
whispered. Roar followed roar. grow
;no- 1ouIar anI lnaIa. .xut.l