Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-05-12
EYeckles Out,

Freckles Out.
They're just pre-zactly nice as each
other cept that big freckle. should mt
wonder-just likely's not Miss Hath
way doesn't care if her apples are
freckled, and | do, dreadf'ly.
Merry rolled the two apples from
one hand to the other slowly, reflec-
lively. Then she Struggled them down
in her lap and reflected all over again.
They were beautiful great Northern
Spies. Mamma had put them in her
dinner basket and said:
Give the incest one to Miss Hatha-
way, dear"
Merry singled out one of the apples,
carefully.
ats just as nicest-'cept the freckle,"
she murmured. "An' freckles don't
taste any. guess I'll go and put it on
Miss Hath ways desk this minute, SOS
she'll find it when she comes back from
dinner. Then IN have plenty of time
to range it,, she added, little gull
tily.
The other apple she tucked into her
pocket.
On Miss Hathaway's desk there was
"a corner especially devoted to the chill
dren's little love-offerings. Merry
pushed away the flowers and little Ann
Sarah Benefits hard, green pear, and
made room for her big, rosy-faced apple.
How round and red and handsome it
was!-'cept that freckle. And Merry
took great pains TO turn the freckle
side ''back to-" Why, you wouldn't
have known there was any. 1t didn't
show a bit.
"Oh, what a beautiful applet" Miss
Hathaway exclaimed, at Merry's ell
bow. as it really for me, Merry"
Eyes M" Merry said family.
She hoped Miss Hathaway wouldn't
move the apple quite yeti looked so
nice, ranged that way, freckle side in.
And Miss Hathaway left it just as
Merry had "'ranged" it, and never
guessed once that its other cheek was
blemished.
Merry ate her apple with little slow,
careful munches-to make it "spend,
she said. 1t took quite long time,
but, somehow, it tasted queer to Merry
not half as juicy and good as she had
expected. And between every bite she
= e ha lob
Miss Hathaway's apple. She imagin-
ed she could see it peeping at her
through the railing around the
teachers desk, and blinking at her ac
cusingly
The bell rang and lessons began
again. 1t was not till night-closing
that Miss Hathaway thought OF her
beautiful apple again. Then she saw
a sober little girl standing beside it,
waiting to speak to her.
"Do-do you 'spise freckles, Miss
Halfway" the little girl was saying,
slowly.
Miss Hathaway looked down at the
little face with the procession of tiny
brown freckles crossing, double file, the
bridge of its nose, and smiled.
''E'reckles? Why, no, indeed, like
them, Merryl" she said, putting a gen.
tie kiss on top of them.
Merry looked a little relieved. She
got as far as the dressing-room and
even got one sleeve of her jacket on,
before Miss Hathaway heard her
trudging resolutely back.
Miss Hath way, | guess you better
write note home to my mother and
tell her | ate up the incest apple" she
murmured can | ranged the freckle
just a-purpose so you wouldn't see it
on the other side.
Merry whirled the apple around,
freckle side toward Miss Hathaway,
blushing "a over her little face.
Il wish I'd ranged it freckle side
outwardsl'' she said. 81 guess then
wouldn't re felt so bad in my con-
science even il was selfish and ate up
the incest one.
Miss Hathaway gathered the small
figure up into her lap and laid her
cheek against the droopy little head.
"Maybe dear, it would be better il
we all were honester and put our
freckled side 'outwards, she said.