The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-08-22
MISS ELEANOR'S SURPRISE.
BY HIIDA RICHMOND.

GLOW howers?' asked Miss Eleanor when
she met Mr.. Stone on the street day late in Au
gust. "Mother has been sick all summer, / could
not get out to them, but will be with you
folks again. L suppose the children have taken
of them all through the weather."
"Im sorry to tell YOU" said Mr.. Stone, 'but the
flowers are all destroyed. You see, lot of worth
less campers went in night and their horses
tramped over everything. The children were very
sorry, but they couldn't fix up the damage. Nellie
cried almost whole day about it and did some
of the other little ones"
Destroyed" said Miss Eleanor sadly. eve all
worked so hard on those flower beds and thought
this fall they would be lovely. How did the
campers get into the school yard?"
Broke down the fence late night and left
early in the morning. The geranums and every
thing looked as pretty could be- but the horses
and dogs made short work of everything"
''Poor little children!" said Miss Eleanor almost
in tears herself az ana afraid they will never want
to try again"
at is too bad to have the children start in TO
school with such looking yard" said Mr. Stone to
his wife that afternoon. "Miss Eleanor is the best
teacher we ever had, and ought to try to en-
courage her. If cutting and all the fall work
wasn't right here I'd get some of the neighbors to
help put the place in order.'
Nellie Stone listened to the conversation and pres
emily she telling her dearest friend Bessie Flint
how bad Miss Eleanor had felt when she heard the
flowers were all gone. Cant we po and mil fo,v
OF the big weeds it won't look so bad?" She said
course we cam said Bessie ''Were both mast
eight, aren't we? I've helped mamma weed the gar
den lots of times. Maybe we can get some Of tbe
other girls and boys to help, too"
BY four o'clock that afternoon EIGHT chldren wora
busy pulling weeds and trying to smooth over the
places where the horses had tramped in the soft soil
one OF tne big boys had sickle and he made short
work OF the big weeds around the pump while the
little children carried the trash to the side of the
road to make bonfire when il should drv ont
Everyone was interested, for it would be such nice
surprise to give Miss Eleanor if they could onIv oct
all through by Monday morning
Having clearing up, your" asked a neipbbor
"s lie droVe past on his way to town. GIVE got an
hour to spare and I'll just lend YOU hand
several other men joined the group and presently
one went home for hammer and nails TO renair tho
oroKen gate while the others helped with the flower
peas and the long grass. The children were DELIGHT
% anu almost before anyone realized it. the ward was
In frst-class order ' was
We brought few of my house plants" said Mrs
Blake, painting down the road with heavy basket
on can sink the pots right in the ground and il
there is danger of frost"
And brought big bunch of chrysantbemum y
sald Mrs. Stone. IL took them up with lots IS
art and they won't wilt bit saw Won all ,yorl
ing down here and wanted to have hand in it. foo y
eve got some late pansies at home that l,,
'o'"er VIII be glad to send" said one of tbe hi,
oo9S, III run right down and ask her Pansioo
are Miss Eleanors favorite flowers"
"nen Miss Eleanor came on Monday morni,o ali
'ne children were hidden back of the buIdino 20 co.,
w"'' sne would say. She went up the steps a lit
TIE sadly, Tor she had taught several terms in tho 81,
leu "'iulhg' and expected the scholars would be all
S'"u 10 see her come back. Before she was ovor th
S'le she caught sight of the blooming panses newly
w"tered, and all showing their bravest looks for to
first day of school, " '"e
thought MIR. Stone said" she began. but tho
merry troup rushed to meet her crying "Wbat do
you think of the howers?o uo
And you did this all to surprise mo osr,oa Nj