The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-07-30
Wanted
More
Years

80 49, a. "a y SHssGS sHSSXNwTN
John was sitting on the old-fash-
aoned horse-block in front of the gate,
wath his hands full of pink and green
md blue cards which he was sorting
INTO little piles, according to color.
INHERENT names were printed on DIFF.
6erent colors and a picture Of the
0wner Of the name filed one end of
ahe card. 1t was Election Day in the
Down where John lived. and. Of
course, everyone was more or less
eDcdted, the boys rather more than
less. for each one was trying to col
aect more election cards than the
Others. For days past no man could
come anywhere near a group Of boys
without being surrounded and begged
20 give up all the pasteboards in his
possession, and of course, the boys
who could go farthest around the
town collected the most cards But
small boys like John were prevented
10y their mothers commands, as well
es by their own short legs, from go
ing far afield, so their little boards
came chiefly from fathers aid uncles.
with sometimes little help from
some good-natured big boy who had
few cards to spare.
John had made special effort to
collect election cards, even going so
Ear as to waylay the dignifed prin-
cipal OF the high school, of whom he
stood very much in awe, and who
was obliging enough to give him three
blue cards. But when he came to
count his cards he was very much
disappointed to find that they did
not mount up into hundreds, as he
had hoped they would. He sorted
them into neat piles and surveyed
them sadly. feeling that he was not
such a very good citizen after ALL
Hello, john" said voice. go
ing to vote today?" It was the big
captain of the football team, who
was walking with Miss Alice, Johns
Sunday school teacher
mo, sir; / guess not" answered
John, somewhat confused by the
notice Of two people whom he ad.
mired very much
No? How's that?' asked the cap
tain. with a twinkle in his eye.
John hesitated; he had not though.
of voting before, and it had never
occurred to him to wonder why he
couldn't He shuffled the cards in
much embarrassment.
Why can't you vote, John?" asked
Miss Alice, encouragingly
John looked up. II guess" yhe
said, slowly, II guess IT'S because
haven't enough election cards."
Miss Alice and the captain looked
at each other and smiled, and the
captain said as they passed on, st
isn't more election cards that you
need. John, it's more years. You
haven't quite enough of those, yet,
to be able to vote"
John thought about this for a long
tanle. It was true that he had wasted
his time in collecting cards. But IL
people were willing to give him
cards, perhaps he could find someone
who would spare him year or two.
We remembered TINT the policeman
who sometimes walked around the
neighborhood had once caught man
who was trying to steal their hose.
and that his father had said that the
Judge had given the man six months;
and six months, John knew, were
half year. So IL the Judge gave
part Of year to man who tried
to be bad. perhaps someone would
give whole year to boy who us
ually tried to be good.
He picked up his cards and went
into the house to find his mother.
who was always the best person TO
ask for what anyone wanted. But
she was out. so he wandered into
the library here his sister was busy
looking up something in big ency-
clopedia.
"Say. Helen. need some more
years so can vote. Can't have
one Of yours
Helen glanced up. keeping her nm.
ger in the middle of the page to mark
her place.
you funny chAld! How can pos
sibly give you a year," she said
laughing Then as her little brother