Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
HER LAST CHANCE
AN APRIL FOOL STORY.
BY RUTH MERWYN.

''Oh. Marjorie, see here," exclaimed Lii
| Ian Stanley, holding up calendar. april
| Fools day is two weeks from today. SO it
| comes on Saturday. Aren't you glad?"
Glad! 1 should say So" answered Mar
| jorie dancing. Then there won't be any
| horrid old school, and we can have a pic
! mic fooling people. Do you remember last
, year what fun we had?"
''Of course, 1 do, Marjorie 1 fooled every
body else in this house once, and 1 fooled
you five times"
| Il know you did, but 1 fooled you three
| times"
! "Oh, well, I was two ahead" said Lii
| liam, triumphantly.
you aren't going to get ahead of me
this year. I'm a year older now, and l
| know lot more than L did last year. an
nounced Marjorie.
Lillian laughed. I'm a year older, too,
you little goose, and I'm going to get ahead
of you again, you see If 1 DON'T
In the two weeks between that time and
the first of April Lillian and Marjorie STAN
ley brought up the subject again and again.
But it always ended in the same way. Lii
liam would declare that she would fool her
sister at least once more than she was
fooled by her. while Marjorie was just as
determined that at the end of the day their
accounts should balance.
On the morning of April first Lillian
| thinking 1t wise to begin operations bright
and early, called to her sister, whose eyes
were not yet open: "Oh, Marjorie, isn't it
just horrid? It's raining today so we can't
play outdoors
Marjorie rubbed her sleepy eyes and
looked out of the window before she re-
10 W mo hrit nd
shining. April fool!'' she said with a
merry laugh. You didn't get me that time,
did your
All day long Lillian tried her level best
to catch her sister off her guard, but each
time failed. Marjorie went about with her
eyes wide open. So when it was time to
get supper neither of the girls had sue
ceeded in fooling the other.
About five o'clock in the day Lillian was
pairing the potatoes for supper. Over the
sink on shelf was a candlestick with a
partially burned candle in it. The girls
were accustomed to take a candle for a
light when they went to their bed room at
night. as Mrs. Stanley thought it safer than
a lamp.
Lillian had just finished pairing a log,
slender potato. She noticed its unusual
shape. 1T looks just like candle" she
thought. Il believe I can fool Marjorie
with this if 1 can only find something to
look like wick. l wonder how a tack
would do,
She got a tack and stuck it in one end
of the potato. Then taking the real candle
out of the candlestick, she put the imita-
ton one in its place 1T does look just
like truly one," she said to herself.
When bedtime came Marjorie took the
candle, struck match and touched it to
the supposed wick. No light came. She
tried second match. The result was the
same.
"Oh, Lillian" she exclaimed. trying a
third time, what do you suppose is the
| matter with these matches?"
April fool.' laughed Lillian. There s
nothing the matter with the matches, but
you can't light potato with tack stuck
in it for a wick"
Marjorie stood for a moment without say
ing word. At last she said mournfully,
"Oh, Lillian, you're ahead now"
After the girls had gone upstairs Lillian,
discovering that she was thirsty, went
down again for a drink.
What can l do to fool LilIian?' moaned
Marjorie ITS my last chance-my very
last. and If don't think of something quick
Lillian will make fun of me all the rest of
my life. | must fool her some way"
She looked around the room. Lillian's
mufT was on chair near the window Mar
| Jorie raised the coverlids and put it down
| at the foot of the bed on Lillan's side. She
| had just time to straighten out the bed
clothes when her sister came back
Marjorie delayed in her undressing. Just
| as Lillian was getting into bed. she said.
Well, I'm glad April Fools day is over.
l worked so hard fooling you that I'm tired
out. But 1 fooled you once more than
you fooled me, just as l said I'd do!
Then she gave shrill scream and jumped
| from the bed with a bound that landed her
| In the middle of the room. "Oh, Marjorie.
Marjorie' she cried, there's horrid ami
| NAL in our bed.'
April Fool! April FOOL" shrieked Mar
| jorie Then in relieved tone she said:
Now l can sleep in peace"