Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-12-16

could 1 ASK 1 went UP 10 tht gate
and peeped In. The first thing | saw
lin fact, the only thing | saw-Was a
dog. It was a bow-legged dog, with
the most distressing face | ever seen
on any domestic animal. ! said,
Come here, Fido," and | think that is
where l had my mistake. l don't be-
lieye that that kind Of dog is ever
named Fido. Anyhow. he wouldn't
let me put my fudge in the yard. In
fact, he wouldn't let me put it any
where. He babe me go back where
/ came from; which / did, without
wasting any time or any remarks
about It,
Then II occurred to me to give the
box away Perhaps. ! thought some
body might be very glad Of a load Of
fudge. So, when l came upon a
couple of painters in smeary overalls
raising a ladder against the side o.
house, | stopped and casually inquired
If they ever INDUCED in corrections
One of them said, Il don't know what
you're talking about, brother" and
the other one said, "Yank her up
about foot more, jake" and then,
after trying the rope, they both went
clambering up the ladder without pay
ing any further attention to me.
| judged from this that had not
been altogether tactful II occurred
TO me, also. that 1t was a mistake to
offer candy in this off-hand fashion to
adults, especially strange adults Ac-
cordingly, crossed over the street
to where some boys and girls were
jumping about on the sidewalk.
sauntered up to them and said,
Hello! Playing hopscotch, are your"
They all stopped and looked at me.
Only one of them-a little girl
seemed to have any manners, and she
said, mo. nam; it's hop-skip-and-a-
jump"
! said, Us that sol Well, we'll"
Then, smiling like a Santa Claus,
held out the shoe-box. Here" said,
is lot of nice candy for you all"
Evidently these children we're not
accustomed to getting candy by the
box. A couple Of peppermint sticks
or bag Of gumdrops would probably
have proved more home-like and in
wiling At all events, this six-pound
offering did not seem to appeal to
them. 1t may have been the shoe-box
that scared them. / don't know. They
certainly did not take to It very cheer
fully. In fact, they didn't take to it
at all AS l advanced with II they all
backed of, and one little fellow ran
into the house.
Then the tallest boy Of the group
his cheeks spattered with freckles
doubled up his fists and growled az
me. said, See here, my boy, what's
the matter with you? This is fudge
nice, homemade candy--a whole box
full. Don't you want it?"
He gave his mouth a stretch to one
side and said. Jaw. go on with your
old fudge! You're crazyl"
let him know that that was not
the way to talk to gentleman. and in
return was told to go chase myself;
whereupon, probably fearing that
was going to throw the box at them,
the whole crowd of youngsters scamp
cred OF.
This decided me to get on a car and
go home with my fudge. l could give
it to my mother. or feed II to the
chickens, perhaps. / had walked these
three blocks in the hope OF losing II
before boarding an avenue car. with
its fashionable afternoon traffic; but
II seemed to me now that 1t would be
more wholesome to swallow my pride
on a street car than to be making
spectacle of myself on the open high
way.
! was fortunate In getting aboard
with number of others, so that did
not attract any special attention; and
when | took my seat / managed to
hide the box pretty well by placing II
close beside me. ! thought once OF
letting II fall out of the window, but
the sash back of me was closed. and
did not venture to open il for fear Of
stirring up attention Then, after
little while, a large man got in and
came and sat down on the box. / did
not see him in time to get II out Of
his way. The bursting of the lid
made quite a noise and aroused gen
eral interest. The man was extreme
ly apologize as | pulled the deformed
box from under him, and he said he
hoped he had not hurt the shoes any.
| said. "oh. that's all right Have a
piece" and tried to llft up a corner
OF the cracked lid
He said, No. thanks" and went out
and stood with the conductor.
Casting about for some means Of re-
lieving my embarrassment, I discov-
cred that there was space under the
seat, and after a moment or two /
slowed the box down there, out OF
sight It was evidently the right
thing to do. for the passengers stopped
looking at me and l quickly regained
my composure.
When got on left the box behind.
Only one man In the car noticed 1t,
and he came after me with the box.
he was a dilapidated. trampish-look-
ing fellow, with a sad eye and a rub
Der collar, and when he caught up
with me half way down The block he