Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-12-15
A Fair Exchange.

| lAS LII bAC AOC0 AOONAh5 AAAs
Come out and bowl my hoop with
me- said Dolly.
Mother says / am to stay in," said
Barbara with a pout; you come in
and look at my book with me instead" !"
Mother says l am to stop out" said
Dolly; what bother it is"
How horridr' said Barbara. "Fd
ever SO much rather be out in the
snow; and, just look, there's a most
lovely slide there. Oh, If only I could
come out"
1T isn't much of a slide,'' said Dolly;
''it's all over snow. I'd ever SO much
rather be in there by the fire with a
book"
"Oh, Dolly" sighed Barbara. "if
only your mother were mine, l should
| be out there"
"And, oh, Barbara said Dolly, 'if
only your mother were mine, I should
be in there"
"Well, then let's change" exclaim-
ed Barbara, excitedly.
Changer cried Dolly. what do
you mean? Change mothers"
Yes" cried Barbara. 'You shall
| have mine and come in here by the
fire, and I'll have yours and come out
and bowl the hoop there in the snow"
| "Oh, how lovelyr' cried Dolly!
"don't you suppose they'd mindv'
'Oh, no." said thoughtless Barbara !;
1--WE are just about the same size, and
it won't make any difference to them.
Come round to the front door and I'll
let you in"
Here you are" cried Dolly in high
glee, as Barbara opened the door;
you'd better take my coat and hat.
and I'll have your pinafore, and here's
| the hoop
"Oh, this is splendidr' said Barbara,
her eyes sparkling with fun, and she
slipped on Dolly's things. That's it,
here's my book. DO you like fairy
tales?'
81 should think do" said Dolly; !;
"my mother-no, I mean your mother
doesn't let me -you-me read them
much. Oh. it's SO confusing. but You
know what mean"
"Yes, 1 know" said Barbara; you
| mean my mother"
mo, don't" said Dolly in great
hurry, II mean my mother-my own
real mother
"Yes, Of course" said Barbara, ''but
she's my mother now. and your moth
| er likes memo, I mean you-to read
fairy tales. It's quite simple. Good
| by. Shut the door after me, and if
your-my-I mean all our mothers
want to know how it is, Of course we
| can explain"
An hour passed, and Barbara out in
the square began to find it rather dull
work bowling hoop all alone.
II wonder how Dolly's getting on"
She said to herself. ST expect mothers
up in the nursery by now, having tea
with her, and thinking It's me! Oh,
l believe 1 wish I hadn't changed"
And two big tears filed her eyes at
the thought of Dolly sitting so happily
there in the big, cozy nursery, while
she stood outside in the cold
"Never mind" she said turning
away with a big sigh, Il can go and
have tea with her mother-at least
my mother, / ought to say"
Feeling rather frightened, she at
last summoned up enough courage to
ring the bell at Dolly's house and,
with heart going pit-a-pat, waited to be
admitted.
Dolly's nurse came to the door, and
as Barbara, with her eyes fixed on
the floor, stepped inside she could have
been almost sure that she heard her
laugh.
"WelI, Miss Bar-Miss Dolly" nurse
said, ST was just coming out to fetch
you; your mother wants you in the
drawing ROOM"
"Oh, dear; oh, DEAR" thought poor
Barbara what will she say when she
tinds I am not Dolly? Oh, If only it
was my own mother! 1 am quite
sure now that I wish we hadn't
changed"
The drawing room door was flung
wide open by nurse, and very slowly
and very reluctantly Barbara walked
in.
"Well, Barbara" said a voice which
made her jump. it was SO unexpected.
Mother she cried, and In mo-
ment she was clasped tight in her
''own real mothers arms.
"How did you she began, and
then stopped short, for there, sitting
by the fire, was Dolly's mother; and
on her knee, looking very flushed and
very happy, with her arms tight round
her neck, was Dolly herself
"You are not cross are you, Bar
bara?" said Dolly, seeing her look of
wonder; "but as soon as you had gone
1 wanted to change back again so bad
ly, and your mother said she thought
you wouldn't mind, so we came round
the back way to give you a surprise
when you came in. You don't mind,
do your
And Barbara didn't.-Little Folks.
Stones Are "A1ive.o
The most curious specimens of veg