The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-10
10 fOpS,'s Credit


10 fOpSy's Credit
Lawrence had been working for a week
on his examination papers. and as ne
wrote the last words he drew long sign
of satisfaction. >.
/ do hope they're all right. he said II
would be horrible not TO pass.
He read them over once more for the
sake of the punctuation and spelling.
Then he made a small, neat hole In the
corner, and fastened the papers together
with a narrow orange ribbon. orange was
the class color: Alice had brought II for
him the night before.
/ can't tie a bOw-knot; Alice will have
10 do that.
He laid the papers down and collected
rhe scrubbed sheets which were scattered
over the table, tearing them into strips.
No use to keep thesel Here. Tops, you
may have one to play with.
Topsv flashed down from over the pic
,ura-frau1e where he was perched, and
seized on the sheet OF paper Lawrence
handed him. ono OF the squirrels dear
est delights was 10 chew and tear up
paper.
"Wish Alice would comet Lawrence
looked complacently az his neatly written
manuscript / want TO put 'em away and
90 out before It's dark. There she ISL
A shrill. girlish voice hoated up the
stairs. and the thump OF n pile Of books
told that the owner had shaken of school
responsibility for the day.
lie dartcd out leaving the door wide
open.
Alice. come up, ] want you,
You come down Laurie. Here's Fred,
Got two daisy garter snakes, shouted
another voice.
The daisy snakes we're irresistible Lau-
RE ran down. Eager questions and lively
chattering followed. Both the Brock boys
were there-Frcd and Louis.
What whoppersl Where did you find
'em?
Paulsons
Way ont by Paulson's, Did you walk?
Part way. Gracious, see 'em squirm,
Quick, this fellow'll be out. A squeal
from Alice.
Going TO stuff 'cn.
All right I'll be UP tonight Got my
work all done Dreadful grind,
Haven't copied my papers yet. This
chaps the iivellesti Fred was more in
terested in snakes than In examinations.
Alice. I want you to Tie bow. I left
the papers upstairs.
When / 90 up replied Alice.
I'm going up 10 see Topsy. announced
Lottie.
Tou don't know about bow-knots. You
amt big enough. Let II alonc command
cd Laurie.
Lottie ran up 10 the front room. Topsy
sat by the window. making the funny
noise with which he told he wanted 10
get out. He was allowed TO Chamber out
Of the windows whenever he liked. He
visited many neiehbors in n soclable way
They all knew him. and he always came
home I'm an hour or two.
Lottie threw the window opep. and the
squirrel sprang out. She put COT her head
and watched him. He ran along the
coping two houses below. and disappear
cd IN Or. Haight's window.
Lottie laughed. He likes Miss Haight
She gives him chocoiate
IA she drew In her head. gust Of
wind swept through the room. and Iau-
rie's papers. dangerously near the win
dow, flew out. and whirled gally up the
street
Good gracious. exclaimed Lottie. what's
Thur That must be Laurle's exams he
was talking about7
She leaned forward In alarm: but the
papers were nowhere In sight they had
lodged behind a tree-box. and were "a in
visible 10 Lottie az II they had blown
miles away.
Perhaps twas only papers Tops was
playing with. Yes-hers's bits OF It on
the floor
That's II: # must be all right. She drew
a breath OF relief. II twas all wrong
they'd say Il was my fault; but couldn't
help II.
Shs shut the window md picked UP the
scraps OF paper Then she went In search
OF The kitten: and TO her sorrow. was cap
fnred and sent on an errand by her moth
err which calamity put all thought Of hy-
ing papers out OF her little fiy-away head.
Wnen Alice remembered the bow-knot
in Iaurie's orange-ribboned examine
lions. she concluded he hal moved them.
and e-s<ed MIN. when he came in, wnre
they were.
Why. cried Laurie, IN alarm. left
them on the table
They're not there now. looked all
over
It's been very windy this afternoon.
said Mrs. ConsnI They might have