The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-08-29
A e SURPRISE.

1t was just too queer for anything,
Tommy was walking slowly down be
side the barn, with his usual merry
face all scowls. And Teddy was peep
ing through the Slated fence into Tom
my's garden, with a whole great fam
ily of wrinkles in his little forehead,
And what do you suppose 1t was all
about2
Out in Teddy's yard grew a great,
tall horse chestnut tre9, and one crisp
October morning a shower OF pretty
brown nuts came tumbling out of their
thick, green shells-down, down, down
until at last they reached the broad
gravel walk, and smooth, green lawn.
Tommy spied them as he came hur'
rying home from school that noon,
and then the scoWl came to make him
q visit.
THAT new boy has everything !" ne
exclaimed Grossly. He has tops, an
balls, an a bicycle. an'-an' now he's
got the horse chestnutsl faint fair,
50 it isnt!' And poor little discon
tented Tommy looked crosser than
VI
But Tommy didn't realize that do wn
in his garden grew something that that
new boy Teddy had always wished for
and longed to have-R bouncing vel
low pumpkin!
How Teddy did wish that his papa
had bought Tommy's pumpkins all
threel
Teddy sighed as he throught Of the
Jack.o' lantern that he could make if
he only had one of these wonderful gel
low treasures of his own. 1t was a
very loud and s)rrowful sigh, and
Tommy heard it, and then he discov
cred the new boy peeping through the
fence.
"Halloa!" called Tommy, quickly.
Teddy jumped. He didn't know that
any body was near.
Don't you like living here's" il
quired Tommy. You look as II you
we've home sick. Won't you come over
and look at my pumpkinsi I've got a
dandy lot Of them, and they r all
my oWn-every one"
Teddy sighed again.
i've been a. wIshin' for a pumpkin
for years an years." he said, sadly ;
''but they don't have gardens with
pumpkins in the city, an so 1 never
had any,"
Tommy looked surprised.
Would you like one he asked,
quickly. "'Cause I'd be delighted to
give you one of mine, if you would.
Come over, an I'll give you one right
now"
Teddy climbed over the fence in o
hurry and he smiled and smIled as
Tommy took his jack knife out of his
trousers pocket and cut off ore of the
biggest pumpkins with a snap.
You have everything, don't you9"
said Teddy, regrettully. YOU have
pumkins-Whole gardens of them-an'
apples, an grapes, an'"-
This information was a great sur.
prise to Tommy.
II have everything!" he said in as
constituent. why I thought you
were the Z that had everything a
few minutes ego! You have tops, an
balls, an a biepele, an horse chest.
nuts |" he said.
why, SO I have" answered Teddy,
thoughtfully. II wanted q pumpkin
so much that I most forgot all about
everything else. I didn't remember
the horse chestnuts. Maybe you
would like soms-would youG"
Tommy's eyes danced with delight.
You can have a big bagful," de-
clared Teddy. can if you'll get some
toothpicks, I'll show you how to make
a Brownie man."
"An' I'll help you make your Ian.
tern after school, " said Tommie. well
help each other, an divide our things
wont wet An then we can both
have everything, really an truly"
why. so we cant lid Teddy.
And then those bad scowls and
wrinkles had to run away in a hurry.
They ran away to see if they could
fad two cross, disconnected boys. 1
do hope that they didn't fad you.-
Selected.
FIRST LITTLE BoY.-Is we at war
with auvhoIuo