The Banner-Democrat., 1902-01-18

had wanted for ever 20 long, parry
with ice cream, you know, and crack.
ers to pull and take out tissue paper
caps So, Of course. they were happy.
And Tom and Dick and Meg and
Johnnie-Jump-Up all kissed Hit
harder than usual and started on to
school again in high glee.
Mother was very busy that after
noon. She was packing box OF half
worn clothes to send out west to Cn-
Gle Dicks poor people; and while she
brushed and folded and smothed little
dresses Hit toddled about and reached
for things che ought not to have She
reached for the big vase on the table
and Meg's doll and many other things.
but the only thing she got was some
thing round and yellow and notsvery
large; and when mother opened the
fat little fist and looked to see what
1t was, 1t turned out to be the gold
piece.
Miss Mehitable Jackson would not
give the money up. So mother let her
alone, only trying to keep an eye on
the young lady and the gold piece. to
see that no harm came to either Of
them. The day passed away and after
while the children came trooping
home from school. The very first
thing they wanted-after being we'll
kissed, Of course-was the gold piece
that was going to buy the party.
Then dreadful thing came to light.
The gold piece had disappeared. They
searched high and they searched low.
Mother shook out Hits little skirts
and looked carefully under every rug
in the room. But there was no sign
of the money. Then she asked the
baby, Darling, did you put 1t into
the drawer?" and did motner's baby
throw the pretty money out Of the win
dow" And to every question Hit
would show her tiny teeth In . smile.
and answer. "Yes"-which, you know.
was very annoying to the children,
they wanted the party SO much.
When father came home he said he
would buy another toy bank. and they
would start all over again; but they
could not quite give up the hope Of
finding their gold piece. and every
few days Meg or Dick or one Of the
others would insist on turning the
rugs all up again or putting Miss Hit
through new questions as to where
she had put their money. But 1t was
always the same, and they did not
learn anything new.
1t was about a month later when
mother got a letter from Uncle Dick
about the clothes for his poor people.
Sne read the letter through at break
fast; and as she came to the last part
she gave a funny little cry. and said:
"Oh. ch.ldren, do listen to this"
Every spoon went down into the
oatmeal plates, and every child pricked
up his ears and listened while mother
read:
"And the best OF all was the surprise
in the pocket Of tho smallest coat
Meg's 1t must have been. II your lit
tie ones could have seen the JOY that
gold piece brought, they would have
had a pleasure nothing else can give
Tell them all about 1t. Tell them the
little coat with the precious money
went to baby girl-a little lame thing
whose back has often ached for the
easy chair they have given her now.
And tell them the children had party
all the youngsters from the neigh
borhood, each one feeling very fine in
something out of the big box. And
the way those little chaps Joined hands
and danced about their crippled queen
was a delight to see"
There was little moro about can
dy and apples the children were 20 de-
lighted with; and then mother looked
aroun. at the children q minute, and
asked:
"Shall I write Uncle Dick It was q
mistake? Perhaps the chair has not
been bought yet, and we could still
get the money and buy the party"
AND such a regular chorus came
back, "Oh. no, mother. oh. no." that
Hit took 1t up, and thumped her spoon
against her silver cup to lively
"rat-tat-tat," and sang "Oh. NO. oh.
no." until Jane came in and took her,
wriggling and squealing, on to the
kitchen.-Augusta Kortrecht. In Sum
day School Times. "