Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1885-04-30
from school all out of breath with

from school all out of breath with
his hurry and delight.
80, mammal" he cried, eagerly,
''we're going to have the best time
tomorrow. We're all-all of our
class, you know-going to put in 25
cents apiece and hire Mr.. Josiah
Bakers big, big cutter, and Mr..
Blake's going to take us to--to some
kind of lake that the last of it's
'guntic, and his sister lives right
close side of it; and we're going to
skate and fire at a mark, with just
arrows, you know, mamma, and eat
dinner at his sisters house. And
we've got to meet at the school
house real early, and-won't it be
grand, mammal"
Mamma smiled and kissed both
glowing cheeks; for though Tony
was half past nine, as he would have
told you, he hadn't grown away
from his mothers kisses yet.
"I hope you will have a very nice
time," she said.
She said it again next morning,
when she had helped him into his
ulster, and tied his muller carefully,
and settled his fur cap snugly on his
brown head.
"And how, Tony" she said, look.
ing down into his clear brown eyes,
~ want you to remember whose
birthday this.is-and all about it,
dear"
"Yes'm, I'll try" Tony said. And
then he darted off to join the merry
little crowd at the school-house.
Johnny Spratt was there, too, but
somehow he didn't look so merry Of
the rest. His eyes looked almost as
though he had been crying.
| But before Tony had time TO wen
der much about this Mr.. Bakers
big, four seated cutter was at the
door, the bells jingling and ths
horses breathing out little puffs o.
steam on the clear, frosty air. The1
what a scramble there was! It die
not seem longer than a minute be
fore all the laughing, merry company
were piled in, and were tueking tn,
robes about themselves.
| Not quite all. There was on,
lonely little figure left on the plat
form.
"Come, Johnny!'' called Mr.
Blake, kindly.
But Johny Spratt shook his head
and looked down at his feet. Their,
were tears in his eyes, and he didn'
want to cry before them ala grea
big boy, almost IL years old!
Giant going" he said. &C
only came to to see you off: I aim
got no-no 25 cents"
There was stir in Tony Walters
heart just then, and he felt a funn,
little warm rush all over him. H
thought of mamma-he remembere'
whose birthday it was. His cheek
grew cherry red, and his eyes gre,
misty. In flash he was out of tn
cutter, pressing his silver quartz
into Johnny Spratt's hands.
'Here, Johnny, take this!" h
cried, ':you-you want to go more'l
I do"
i Poor Johnny Spratt! he looked a
Tony and then at the sleigh load c
boys, and then at Tony again, an
| his face turned very red.
'1-Td look pretty" he said, q
taking your money after Tve-(
Tony Walters! I won't!'
But the more he wouldn't th
more Tony insisted.
Because it's my birthday, as we
: as George Washington's, you know
, he said, with little laugh, Sand T
most as 'lieves stay to home with m
mother. Come, Johnny"
And then Mr.. Blake, who unde
! stood all about it, said, "Come, Johl
| ny, jump I'M" and Johnny obeye'
nearer to crying now than he ha
been before.
And all at once came q voice fro
the drivers seat-a voice that had
little choke in it as we'll as NJ
Z Blake's.
''Crowd in yourself, little chap
said. II don't believe you'll weis
t half of rs cents worth. All aboal
, now! OFF we go-os"
s And off Tony went with the rest.
u and Johnny Spratt. If he hadn't,
think I could not have told the sto
:. with half SO good grace. And
q never was SO happy and never had
q good a time before in his life as
had that day.. It was a good tir
b all around; and as for john
& Spratt-
=, "Why, mamma" cried Tony,
d b'heve he's going to be one of t
o best boys you ever saw-one of t
% very best ones!"-Youth's Compo
u ION.
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