Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-09-08
JACK SPRAT.
By Edith Wyatt.

lunch, kicking his heels sullenly and
listlessly against each other, and
when he came out his eyes were red.
The thought of the white elephant
had been too much for him. His faith
er's suggestion that it had been white
washed was not alleviating. Is a
whitewashed elephant an everyday
sight?
He had visions Of running away.
But he knew he should not run away;
he would stay scrawling his fingers in
uncomfortable gloves and opening Por-
ter's door for dressed-up and worthless
ladies, perfectly healthy and able to
do it for themselves, while, amid the
sawdust. the opening procession was
shining and glittering past unseen,
never to be seen by his longing eyes.
He observed, in the open window,
Pearl and Major Porter, at their daily
after-dnner game of "Old Maid"
| Major Porter was not a kindergart-
ner. and he was almost invariably "Old
of glee from his victorious grandchild,
poised elegantly on the windowsill.
But to-day her poise seemed less airy
in it's light ease. Butter heard no
shouts, and when she turned and
waved her hand to him he saw that
her eyes, too, were red.
Major Porter was shifting his head
with despair and chagrin at being a
third time doomed to single life. and
eliciting from his opponent only very
faint smile.
Was Pearl, too, not going to the cir
Gus?
Far from it. For days her grand
father had been bringing home hand
bills and posters; for days he had dis
cussed with Pearl what they both
should wear; what time they should
start; how many glasses of lemonade
they should have; whether they should
| look at the animals before or after the
| performance and now all this was to
be on the day Of the reception. There
were to be only ladies at the reception.
| There was no reason why Major Por-
ter should remain home for it, and his
enthusiasm for the circus had shown
no change nor abatement.
| In the presence of his mistaken devo-
ton Pearl could not endure to confess,
even to her mother, that her heart was
torn at the thought of her new fringed
sash, the gift of her aunt, and how
now she could not wear it at the re-
| ception, nor walk around with the Ia
dies. She had the dignified delicacy of
many honorable little girls, and she
felt that it would be disloyalty to her
grandfather TO acknowledge that she
was no longer interested in the circus.
| Her aunt said she cried because the
| heat made her nervous.
"She doesn't look to me able to go
| footing off to that hot circus, father"
she said, coming up to the window.
I'm afraid So" said Mr.. Porter, fol-
lowing her. "Do you care so much
about it, darling?"
Pearls eyes filed again at this.
"Oh, Snooks IL be all right for the
circus" said Major Porter, with hasty
blind consolation, as PEARLS mother
started into the house with her to
bathe her eyes. 1t was his fixed belief
that the circus was the most ecstatic
pleasure of every child and any alter
native ap outrageous disappointment
"Never mind if you aren't all right
pet" said Mrs. Burden, with inspired
dullness. Here's Butter. He isn't
going and doesn't want to go. He
wants to see Mrs. Hendricks. And,
Butter, Mrs. Hendricks has some little
boys of her own-such nice, polite lit
tie boys - wish you could know
them"
Butter looked submissively as Mrs.
Burdens benevolent, unperceiving eyes
impressively fixed upon him.
"Why isn't Butter going to the cir
cus?" inquired Major Porter. Butter
made no reply.
''Father too busy, guess" pursued
the Major. "That it,"
Butter is going to see Mrs. Ken
bricks this afternoon" replied Mrs.
Burden. "He is going to open the door
for the ladies'"
Major Porter whistled. He looked
suspiciously at Buffers red eyelids.
w ell, uON NOulti II be W put7
ter come along with the circus party
this afternoon and let Mrs. Ken
bricks open the door for the ladies her
self?" He gave Butter nudge under
the table at this last abominably weak
jest.
Butter could not refrain from a smile
of hope.
"We'll get ready right away" con
tinued the Major. "You can get youi
hat, l can black my shoes. Sam cal
hitch up the horses. Pearl can have q
B. and S. or something, and then well
60"
"Father," murmured Mrs. Burden il
important haste, Mrs. Atkinson got 8
new suit for him. especially for this
Don't think"
"Well, Butter. I guess I'll have to sc
over and get your mother to let yor
open the door at the evening reception