The Lamar register., 1901-05-22

skipping gaily along. as they always
did upon such happy occasions. AT
last Grace stopped suddenly and said:
Nellie, don't feel good one bit.
guess we'd better go back. don't
care II the boys were mean, we ought
not to be mean. too. and It's awful
mean to run away like this. The
lunch is as much theirs as ours. and
| it's most as bad as stealing for us to
take 1t all. Come on. I'm going back"
| And away she went on run, with
| Nellie following as fast as she could at
her heels.
The boys had not missed them yet,
and SO they knew nothing of the girls
intended treachery. They seemed to
have recovered their usual good
humor; and 1t was a very merry little
party that started a few moments later
| for the woods. What good times they
did have that day! What treasures of
woodland wealth they found! How
good the lunch did taste. and what fun
it was to eat 1t out there under the
green trees all alone. Yes, 1t was
long. glad, beautiful day. They en-
loved every moment OF it. and stayed
Just as long as they dared. But at last
they decided that they must start for
home. for there were the flowers to ar
range yet. and there would be hut little
time to spare II they noped to finish
their tasks that night. 1t was even
later than they lad thought. they
found. when they came to the edge
OF the woods and saw how low the
sun had SUNK. So they hurried along
as fast as they could. When they came
to the fallen tree upon which they had
crossed the noisy little creek in the
morning, perhaps they were little
careless. and when it came Nellie's
turn she slipped. and. with little
frightened cry. down she went into the
water. The creek was high with the
spring rains, and the water was over
Nellies mead: so 1t was no wonder
that 1t was frightened. as well as a
shivering little girl that Frank drag
ged out upon the bank, moment
later.
"Oh-oh, dear!" she cried: "I am so
wet and cold. and all my flowers are
lost" and she pointed a trembling An
ger at the basket which held all her
pretty blossoms and was sailing gaily
| away with them to some unknown
port.
Never mind" said Frank. cheerily.
'I'll get 1t for you. l can't get any
wetter than l am now" and in he
plunged again. and in a twinkling the
flowers were rescued, and they were
on their way home; but Nellie's wet
clothes were very uncomfortable. and
her teeth fairly chartered before she
had taken many steps.
Suddenly Fred stopped and said:
Here. sis; why didn't I think be-
fore? You take my coat. and then
Frank and I will take hold of your
hands and run. and we'll be home in
a jiffy. There. that's right-one. two.
three. and away we CO."
A few hours later, Nellie and Grace.
who had returned before the others.
were sitting alone. finishing the last Of
the garlonds, when Nellie said, sud-
denly:
oh. Grace. how glad 1 am that we
diont run away from the boys this
morning. l am sure l would save
been drowned, II we had" and sne
shivered again at the thought Of her
Icy bath.
"Yes, 1 am glad. too." returned
Grace. AN. Nellie. was glad all
day. 1 am sure we had much nicer
time than we would II we had gone
alone, and we would have felt SO mean
IL we had taken the boys lunch away
from them"
"Yes, so we would. And, Grace. do
you know. after this when the boys are