Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-17
How Much Cost.

How Much n Cost.
One, two, three! Kenneth nestled
uneasily. Four, live, six! He bored
his tousled brown head deep into the
pillows, and tried not to hear the
seven.
Lazy little KENNETH The next
time the clock spoke ii said eight"
imperatiyely, and sent him into his
shoes and stockings in a panic.
Eight o'clock! Not tsrdy mark
yet this term, but here was danger
ahead. Oh dear! il 'twasn't so far to
school, and breakfast to eat, too.
Kenneth hurried brayely. but but.
tons didn't behave, and where could
the other shoe be? Where was the
hair brush? II he'd only got mp at
sevenl
After all. he didn't dare to stop to
eat but three muffin bites andn cooky.
Then he snatched his lunch pail FROM
the pantry shelf aud was of. Mamma
was up in the berry garden picking
currants. II wouldn't do to run up
after his goodby kiss; there wasn't q
minute TO spare. Kenneth was nine
years old, but how he did miss that
kiss!
He was late to school, anyway, just
by an unlucky minute or two, and on
his way to his seat he could hear Miss
Pcriwinkle's pencil point, hard aud
rasping, tracing his poor little black
mark. Kenneth's heart sank. No
prize for punctuality now.
Well, it was n sorry morning, and q
sorry boy in il. Kenneth was too
hungry and too crestiallen to study,so
his spelling came to grief. He had to
stay in at recess to study il, and lost
the chance TO borrow part Of his dinner
to comfort his hungry little stomach.
When noon did come how he ran
for his dinner paill II looked so shiny
aud comforting; aud he shifted little,
spicy, consoling smells round tho
edges Of the cover. Didn't he know
Just what was In there?
The other boys were getting their
pals, too. Kenneth waved his aloft.
"My mother puts up the splendid.
est dinners In this town." he cried.
''The splendidest in--this--townl"
Some OF the boys objected; bus
Kenneth; Juggling at the phil cover,
was inslstent.
"You wait an see Any o. you fell.
lows got spice cakes In your dinners,
an tongue sandwitches---an'-an' -
sage cheese? l guess sop'
The cover snapped of. The boys
peered into--an empty pail! Empty
as poor Kenneth's little hungry
stomach II wasn't his lunch pail at
all. Why hadn't ne noticed there
wasn't any small red worsted bow on
the handle? This was mammals milk
pail, and he got ii in his hurry. oh,
dear
OF course, the boys-boing boys
laughed at him loudly; and, Of course,
Kenneth's face redeemed angrily. But
he made a big, brave effort and joined
In the laugh. There was o great
lump in his throat and II was hard
work squeezing the laugh through; IL
got caught, aud broke into two pieces.
Still, 1t was laugh. He put his
hands in his pockets and walked OF,
trying to whistle.
my mother puts up che splen"--
called one Of the boys after him, but
he didn't get any farther.
Benny Browns grimy little hand
was clapped over his mouth.
mo, you don'tp' Benny said
stoutly. "Ken's brick ] guess
you wouldn't n laughed at yourself.
You'd "a been hoppin'."
That's 80. SO would I, agreed
Emil Smith. Good for KEN
Lets make il up TO him. Come
onl'' cried Benny, excitedly.
And, when Kenneth went back to
his desk there was a generous dinner
spread out on it, waiting for him.
Every boy had shared his choicest
bits.
Sc, You see, Kenneth wasn't hungry
when he got home TO mamma at night,
except for his missing kiss. But he
was ever so much wiser.
''You see, mamma" he conhded to
her aside, 1T don't do 10 be lazy.
bones. It's dreadful 'xpensive."---'
Youths Communion.