Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-10
alls his brothers and his brothers call

calls his brothers and his brothers call
him2'
Riddle looked to his mother for an an
swer, as he was not vet old enough to even
speak goat language.
You don't know, dear. Well they cal
each other kids. What kind Of bringing
up Is that for boy7'
Kids cried Kiddie speaking for the
nrst time and jumping over the rock be-
side which they had been sitting as he did
SO. ne was so indignant. when he again
sat up on his launches and looking into
his mothers eyes asked her to explain
This she was about to do. thinking out
simple words to use, when a CHEEKY whistle
coming up the hill, both looked and saw
Johnny Jovial. his school satchel thrown
over his back. coming without seeing them,
ana whistling away as If all the music
there was in the world inside of him.
and was coming sweety out between the
two reddest lips that ever bit a cherry or
kissed mother. The goat had caught his
name while eating some dry papers around
the school house some days before, and de-
termined to speak to him.
DO you know, Johnny. where I could
find Mrs. Phelan?"
The boy stopped whistling and Jumped
back. 1t was the first time he ever heard
goat talk. and ne was go frightened that
he forgot his books and let them drop.
Il know 1 ought not to speak to you"
said the goat: II am all horsed up: besides
you will excuse my beard. which needs cut
ting But you know kind Mrs Phelan. the
woman that truly owns me, and that I
Johnny Jovial was brave as well q
good boy, and was not In the least afraid:
but he was SO astonished at what he saw
and heard, the two animals sitting there in
the sun and the oldest talking to him, that
he could do nothing but stand and stare.
She Is president of the Good Goat Club.
and am the good goat"
She would have said more but before
Johnny could stop himself or know quite
what he was doing 1t all came to him in
such a glad surprise that he rushed up and
a he a
hands, while Mrs Nanny In mute surprise
that she was thus made an equal of by the
best boy in New York. could say nothing.
but open and shut her mouth. She had
much to say, but no words came, only
mouth that opened and shut without them.
She wanted to say that this was the day
for the annual meeting of the Good Goat
Club. and that they were coming from far
and near to good Mrs Phelan's, and could
Johnny tell her where the dear soul lived.
that she and her Riddle could go to herr
She wanted to tell all-how she now
hitched to a cart and made to drag a brat
of a boy each day, boy who whipped her
and. worst of all. insulted her and her race
by calling himself a kid. And Johnny in
his turn wanted. to say he had heard all
about the Good Goat Club. At last, Mrs.
Nanny. finding her voice. she let out tor
rent of words
Don't you think 1t Is bad enough. Johnny
boy, to be hitched to cart every day and
forced to drag around bay boy who whips
me- without being put to his level? l could
but now 1 burn with anger hearing my lit
tie darlings name given by bad boys to
each other. If he washed his face and
used clean words. although his Jacket
might be ragged. I wouldn't mind 1t so
much. In Ireland. where Mrs. Phelan and
1 came from, If boy called another a kid
the priest would drive the whole family out
of the parish. and 1 don't doubt but he
would shut the door Of heaven on them aft
erward. And it ought to be so here in
America. There used to hear mother say
once in a while to her child, in an endear-
ing way. My little lamb That is all right.
because l understand men worship the
lamb. Hello. bark! My eyes are not as
good as yours, Johnny; aren't three people
coming up the hill from the Hudson?"
Yes, and it's Mrs Phelan," cried Johnny
Jovial in delight. Il remember her. She
scrubs our school house floor. There they
are the Good Goat Club. following up the
hill after her-three sailors, two gray-hair-
ed old women. a man fellow on clutches,
sea captain in gold lace. and-but must be
off to school; there goes the bell. And.
running with all his speed, Johnny JoVial
fed to his studies and did not see the happy
reunion of the Good Goat Club.
But he did hear shout as he was enter
ing the school door that shook the whole
hillside and made the ashes OF the good
man. Gen. Grant. stir with JOY IN their
tomb, and looking up the HILL saw that the
flag against the sky was floating moro
proudly than ever in the sunlight