Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-08-25

to the kindergarten, you know, and he
always carries the umbrella If It's rain
Ing. because l can't, you see, and he
can
And the big umbrella shelterinc the
two friends passed on.
A whOOping.Cough Picnic.
JOhnnie-Boy wanted n picnic, and
was sure he couldn't be happy without
II, for wasn't next Thursday his birth
day, and hadn't he always had n birth
day picnic2 But mamma shook her
head and said 1t would never do in
the world, and Aunt Lou said: why,
who ever heard of such n thing?"
Then Johnnie-boy just couldn't help
lt-even II he was going to be Z years
old next Thursday-he just went out
back Of the house and cried. He lean
I'd up against the kitchen wall-I'm
afraid ne mussed some of Norah's
vines. as he did it-and the great big
tears rolled down his cheeks, as he
said:
We'll. think It too bad! Having
the whoOping-cOugh is bad enough,
but not to have a picnic is wcrse!'
Then the first thing he Knew. mann
ina had her arm around him. and she
was pretty near crying, too.
But don't you see, JOhnnie-boy,"
said mamma. that II you invited Char
lie and Willie and Lucy and Nell. and
all your little friends here. that may
be they would all get the whoopins
cough. too. and then you'd be feeling
awful bad, wouldn't you!"
Yes, ma'amr said Johnnic-boy. be
tween two big sobs, and without any
enthusiasm.
III tell you what We'll do said
mamma, Just as soon as you are well
enough. We'll have a picnic, and call
it your birthday picnic, eve il your
birthday is past
But Johnnie-boy shook his head. and
said that 1t would be no fun, unless 1t
came upon his really, truly birthday.
Then mamma thought little bit, and
inally said:
"Well, Wen try and celebrate the
day in some manner, even If we have
to invite only children who have had
the whOOping cough. Never mind,
JOhnnie-bOy, we'll have a picnic of
some kind"
Then Johnnie-boy threw his arms
around mammals neck. and cried hard
er than ever. i suspect he felt that he
had not acted as much like a man as a
big boy nearly I years old ought, but
1t was a pretty hard case.
The next day Johnnie boy said to
mamma:
Have you thought OF the kind Of
picnic we're going to haveT
And though mamma only smiled at
him, Johnnie-boy knew that 1t was
all right. He kept talking to Aunt Lou
about II, and as the day went by. he
became more anxious. until he finally
said:
II believe a whooping cough picnic is
better than the other kind, for 1t keeps
a fellow wondering all the time what
It's going to be-"
On Thursday morning, mamma told
him that the picnic would be in the
afternoon from 2 till 3, and Johnnie
boy could hardly wait for o'clock to
come around. But the time did finally
come. and with 1t Raymond and Har-
old, who mad had the whooping- cough
last year. JOhnnie-bOy was very glad
to see them, and ran to the door and
shouted:
"Come in. you're the first ones tc
come"
Then Raymond and Harold laughed
because they knew that there was no
one else coming.
Just as they got into the house, the
elephone-bell rang, and mamma said:
"Johnnie-boy, will you answer the
telephoneT
JOhnnis-boy looked little bit sur
prised, for he was not in the habit of
goin gto the telephone, but he excused
himself to his little friends. and went
to the telephone. And this Is what he
heard:
Hello. Johnnie boy. is that your
This Is Willie talking. How are you ?
DO you like to have the whooping-
coughY'
Then another voice said: ASK him
when he can come out to play again"
and still another voice said: "rcll
him we wish him many happy returns
Of the day." and then 40 many voices
began to talk all at once, that Johnnie
hoH could not tell what any Of them
said. He looked around at Raymond
and Harold, and saw them both laugh
ing as hard as they could.
.Whywhyw why, where are you,
Willie" asked JOhnnie-boy, land
who's there with your
Then Willie told him that all the
boys and girls had met over at Mrs.
Wilson's and they were going to tele
phone to him all afternoon without
-inging Off once. Then mamma brought
in a high chair, SO he wouldn't get
tired. and the fun began. OF course he
let Harold and Raymond listen part OF
the time. and they would tell each
,ther what the little friend at the other
nd Of the line was saying. At four
o'clock they all stopped for n little
while to have refreshments, but Har-
I'D and Willie had a long talk while
hey were eating their cakes. When
i've O'Clock came, none Of the children
thought 1t could possibly be, and they
Ill stood up In front Of the phone, and
'ang The Star Spangled Banner"
md Little Drops Of Water" Johnnie
10Y and Harold and Raymond joining
n at the other end Of the line.
The children all marched past
ohnnie boys house as they went home
nd he waved his flag at them from the
Window. and they shouted more things
1 him than he could remember.