The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-11-04
A Great Surprise.

It was Just too queer for anything!
Tommy was walking slowly down be-
hind the barn, with his usually merry
face all scowls; and Teddy was peep
ing through the Slated fence into
Tommy's garden, with n whole great
family of wrinkles in his little fore
head. Now, what do you suppose that
1t was all about?
Out in Teddy's yard grew great,
tall horse-chestnut tree, and one crisp
October morning shower of pretty
brown nuts came tumbling out Of their
thick, green shells,-down, down.
down, until at last they reached the
broad gravel walk and smooth, green
lawn. Tommy spied them as he came
hurrying home from school at noon.
and then the scowls came TO make him
visit.
THAT new boy has everything!" he
exclaimed GROSSLY. "He has tops, an
balls, an a bicycle! 'Tain't fair. so II
isn't" Then poor little discontented
Tommy looked crosser than ever.
Tommy didn't realize that down in
his garden grew something that the
new boy Teddy had always wished for
and longed to have-a bouncing yellow
pumpkin. How Teddy did wish that
his papa had bought Tommy's house
and Tommy's garden and Tommyf
pumpkin-all three!
Teddy sighed as he thought of the
Jack-o-lantern that he could make II
he only had one Of those wonderful
yellow treasures for his very own. II
was a very loud and sorrowful sigh,
and Tommy heard 1t; and then he dis
covered the new boy peeping through
the fence.
"Hallo!" called Tommy, quickly.
Teddy jumped. He didn't know thai
anybody was near.
Don't you like living here?" inquir
ed Tommy. "You look as IL you were
homesick. Won't you come over and
look at my pumpkins? I've got dan.
dy lot of them, and they are all my
own, every one"
Teddy sighed again. 1--WE been a.
waitin' for pumpkin for years an
years." he said sadly. But they don't
have gardens with pumpkins In the
city, an so I never had any"
Tommy looked surprised. "Would
you like one?" he asked quickly
"'Cause I'd be delighted TO give you
one of mine, IL you would. Come over
an I'll give you one right now"
Teddy climbed over the fence in Q
hurry, and he smiled and smiled as
Tommy took his jackknife out of his
trousers pocket and cut off one Of his
biggest pumpkins with a snap.
You have everything, don't your
said Teddy, regretfully. You have
pumpkins-whole garden full of them
an apples an grapes. an"
This information was O great sur.
prise to Tommy. 81 have everything!"
he said in establishment. why, ]
thought you were the one that had
everything a few minutes ago. You
have tops, an balls. an bicycle, an
horse-chestnuts," he said.
why, so have" answered Teddy.
| thoughtfully. 81 wanted a pumpkin SO
much that most forgot all about
everything else. didn't remember the
horse-chestnuts. Maybe you would
like some. Would your" q.
Tommy's eyes danced with delight.
you can have a big bagfuI," de-
clared Teddy. AN II you'll get some
toothpicks I'll show you how to make
a Brownie man"
"An' I'll help you make your lantern
after school," said Tommy. "We1l
help each other, an divide our things,
won't we? An then we can both have
everything, really and truly"
why. 30 we can!" said Teddy.
Then those bad scowls and wrinkles
had to run away In hurry. They
ran away to see If they could find two
cross. discontented little boys. do
hope that they did not find you.--Ths
Christian Register.