Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-12-23

to bring their bicycles; and Toms
father was going to give him one Tor
birthday present.
"Oh, goody p cried Mollie, jumping
up and down. wont Tom be just
too happifed for anything ?"
"Now. Mollie," said mamma, you
must be very careful not to tell Tom
anythirg about it. You mustn't even
look as If you knew about it.
Cant / tell anybody? Not even
Arabella Maria p asked Molly.
"Cause 1 shall surely burstif / don't
"Yes," said mamma, laughing,
"You can tell Arabella Maria, but no
one else"
This was hard. That very after
noon Tom came rushingin from school,
and told Molly about Billy's new i'm
proved safety.
'I'd give something if I just knew
I'd get wheel for my birthday" said
he. 'But, when father was telling
about the scarcity of money last night,
knew that meant no safety for this
year."
bye low, bye low" sang Molly to
Arabella Maria, who, because she was
made ofrags, and timber, Molly loved,
as she said she was so nice and
buggy" Molly kept her eyes shut
tight for fear Tom would see nickel
plated bicycle in them.
"Why don't you talk and be COM
fort ?" demanded Tom. 81 suppose,
if it was your birthday coming, you
wouldn't mind. You'd rather have
an old mushy doll like that y indicat-
ing the beloved Arabella Maria with
scornful finger.
This was too much for Molly to
bear. Her eyes flew open with.a flash.
''It isn't so at all ~ she said. 81
wouldn't want another doll at all, and
I do want bicycle. Every girl in
! the block has one but me. And Ara
bella Maria is not musby, and she
knows great deal that you would be
glad to know"
And then Molly, feeling that she
was getting on dangerous ground,
flew upstairs, holding Arabeila Maria
close up against her mouth.
Uncle Tom aud mamma were sitting
on the porch quite near the open
window, and heard all this CONVERSE
ton. Uncle Tom was much amused,
and mamma very proud.
II can make her tell me, said Uncle
Tom.
''Try," said mamma, as she went
indoors to toast the mullins for tea
Molly presently found herself seated
on Uncle Toms knee and after she
had told him all about the measles,
and how it was q great surprise to
everybody that Arabella Maria didn't
take them, "But she's the best thing y
said Molly. 81 told her not to, cause
L couldn't nurse her; and she didn't. |"
whats this about Toms birth
day ?" said Uncle Tom. 81 want to
know about it.
But Molly Immediately shut her
mouth up tight, and looked up at the
sky. ''It's secret" she said finally.
"But not from me, is it? You
know he's my namesake; and how do
you know won't get him the same
thing ?"
Molly looked troubled. "There is
a danger" she said; "but, if should
tell you, you might let it out, NOT
on purpose, but cause it's SO hard
not to. / don't want to ever have the
'sponsibility of another secret, never -
"Well, well, and so you can't trust
me-" said Uncle Tom.
II wouldn t mind trusting you at
all, if 1 hadn't promised wouldn't
tell" said Molly. "And fle and Ara
bella Maria must keep our word, you
see. Now, if it was about my birth
day, could tell you just as well as
not, cause wouldn't know"
But Uncle Tom was laughing so
hard that Molly stopped. Good for
you, Molly" he said; you're a
trump p
Molly didn't know at all what he
meant. but she was much relieved
that he was not offended.
When Toms birthday, with the
party, the safety and all, really came,
it was hard to tell which was the
happier, Tom or Molly.
Every time that Tom felt things
boiling within him to such an extent
that he couldn't possibly stand it
another minute, he would rush out on
the lawn, and look at his new wheel,
and say: "Hurrah She's daisy u
and turn somersaults until he felt
better. At the same time Molly
would rush after Arabella Maria, and,
with a rapturous squeeze would say
aren't we glad we didn't tell, though,
cause he's SO happy over the s'prise. I"
By and by they all went out for a
spin around the block and there,
among the shining wheels, was dear
little one, whom no one claimed.
Tom picked up card on the handle
bar, and read:
"Fcr Molly and Arabella Maria,
two young women who know how to
keep secret from even Uncle Tom. :"
"Oh, oh p said Molly, dancing mp
and down. ''Arabella Maria, we're
the happiest girls in this world, J
know"