St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-08-22
FRANKS FIFTY CENTS.

The Many Things They Were to Purchase,
and the Disposition Finally Made of
Them.
Frank came flying in while the fam
lily were at supper. ''Aunt Catherine, )"
he began, when the dining-room door
was half open
''Take off your cap, Frank broke
in his sister Ada, who was her impetu-
GUS brothers mentor in points of ETH
quette.
''Oh, dear" cried Frank, jerking the
cap off. '.Aunt Catherine =
s'You must wash your hands before
you sit down to the table, " said his
mother.
..Mother," said Frank. pitifully, ''I
never shall get a chance to tell you. y
The Others laughed. s'Twon't take
but minute, Frank said Ada, con-
solingly.
At last, his cap off and his hands
washed, and seated at the table, he
went on with his story.
''Aunt Catherine said he, ''has
promised to give me fifty cents. Amt
It splendid! I've been splitting up lit
tie kindling wood for her, and she's 60
ing to pay me just as much as she
would a man
Hasn't she paid you yet?" asked
Ada.
mo, she didn't have the change; but
she's going to just as soon as she gets
it. l think shall buy ball with the
money, real tip-top hard one. I've
been wanting one ever since can re-
member"
Fifty cents was large sum to the
two Willis children. Their father was
not poor; he was able to give them this
comforts of life, but there was very
little to spare for extras. Frank and
Ada had very little spending money of
their own. The most they had was
given them by their Aunt Catherine,
who had no children and was well-to-
do.
So Franks prospective fifty cents
doomed up to his fancy like a little
mountain of silver.
His Aunt Catherine lived two miles
away, so while he went to school through
the week he could not very well go to
see her. He generally paid his visits to
her on Saturday, as he did on the oc-
casion of the kindling wood and the
promise of the fifty cents.
All the week following he was in a
state of excitement and impatience. He
leased his mother to let him go up to see
his aunt after school, but she said he
must wait till Saturday.
So all he had to console himself with
was anticipation, and he made the most
of that. The famous dairymaid with her
basket of eggs was nothing to Frank
with his fifty cents before the week was
out. Monday night he came home from
school with a change in his plans.
'I've been thinking it over, mother"
said he, land instead of getting ball
with that fifty cents Aunt Catherine
promised me, guess | shall buy
knife. I can get a splendid one for
fifty cents; Eddie Perkins has just got
beauty
Frank talked knife all the evening,
till the rest of the family were rather
tired of it. Next day, however, they
had respite, if a change of subject
could be considered one. Frank rushed
in at noon all alive with new scheme
- ''Say, MOTHER cried he, give
changed my mind, amt going to buy
a knife with that fifty cents. I'm going
to buy bicycle"
''Why Frank Lee Willis, cried Ada.
'sYou can't buy bicycle for fifty cents;
the idea!'
''Of course can't; don't you suppose
know that. This fifty cents is just
going toward it, that's all. I'm going
to save up money for one, and L m go
ing to put this into my tin bank for
beginning"
s'You'll never do it J" cried Ada. in
credulously.
Pm a-going to try, said Frank,
with a determined air.
In the course of a day, Ada came to
her mother in dismay ''Mother,n said
she, what do you think Franks going
to buy with that fifty cents nova
little yellow puppy! He is; one of the
boys has one to sell, Frank says, and
he'll let him have it for fifty cents. 1t
will worry my cat, and ] don't like q
little yeiping dog, any way. Isn't it
too bad?''
81 wouldn't fret if were you, dear, z
said Mrs. Willis, Il don think it's very
probable that Frank will buy it"
Soft proved; for the next day Frank
contemplated purchasing six white
mice; and the next, he was undecided
between Robinson Crusoe, a top and
drum. When he finally had set out for
his Aunt GATHERINGS on Saturday even
ing, Ada produced paper which she
opened to her mother. ''See here, F"
she said, her little round face tWinkling
all over with fun, s'I've set down all the