The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-11

dime, ran to the boy and asked: "Will
you please. mister, tell me where you
bought your popcorn? 1 want to get 10
cents worth of the same kind" And
she opened her palm and displayed her
money proudly.
The boys eyes took In the coin at a
glance, and a genial expression came
over his face. 80, youse wants some
good, sweety popcorn, do youse, little
goiI7'' he asked in a low tone, cautiously
glancing round, to see that no one should
overhear the conversation. well now,
locke here-I've busim fren' what sells
this petickler kind o. corn, but he's gone
or over the hill yander with his goods.
But eff youse says the word I'll run after
i'm and git what youse wants. Youse is
a foine little goil, and I'll be tickled to
obleege you. Come, little one, give me
your money quick, SOS / can ketch up
with my fren' before he gifts out o. sight"
Without a doubt of the big boys hon.
est intention Leonie gave him her silver
dime and promised to wait there till he
should return with the bag of popcorn.
It'll be that Big said the boy, grin
ming and measuring with his hands an
imaginary bag as large as his. head. MY
fren' does the right ting by me-" Then
he was off at a bound over the top of the
hill, on the other side Of which Leonie
saw in her mind the 'sfren' with a
huge basket of molasses popcorn balls.
For several minutes the little girl wait
ed, trying to get interested in the funny
little dogs that made their houses in the
piles OF dirt put in their pens for the
purpose. But as the time went by and
the boy did not return Leonie became
anxious and decided to go to the top of
the hill and look over and see If he were
coming. But first she ran round a clump
Of trees that had cut off her view of the
bench where her parents were seated,
and saw that they were still there, wait
ing for her and Mabel. So, hurrying up
nf ho
Leonie soon found herself on the sum-
nit, looking over into a thickly-wooded
park below. AS the boy was nowhere in
sight, she ventured to descend a few
PAGES, In the hope of meeting him. Then
she stood still little while, watching
the throng of corners and goers through
the paths leading about the park At
last she spied the cap of the boy she
was In quest of-there 1t went moving
about in the crowds. Leonie, not think
ing for a moment that she was doing
wrong, ran after the boy, the top of
whose head she kept IN view. He was
heading for the skating pond that
stretched at the bottom of the hill. All
out of breath Leonie caught up with the
wearer of the queer cap she had reeog-
nized, and catching glimpse of the face
under it, she she was not mistaken,
for the wearer was the boy to whom she
had entrusted her dime. Determined to
have her money returned or bag of
molasses popcorn balls in its stead, she
stepped boldly up to the boy and said:
Where is the popcorn. please, mister?'
The boy looked at her as If in blank
amaZement. Pretending to not under
stand her, he said: what did you say,
little goiI? Are youse lost in the park ~
Leonie shook her head in reply to his
last question; then repeated her own:
Where Is the popcorn, mister?"
What youse givin' me, child?' asked
the boy, frowning at her. ''Now, youse
trot long bout yer bizness and don't
talk foolish-Iike to me- I never seen
your popcorn -"
Then give me back my money" de-
manded Leonie, her lips quivering with
suppressed emotion. She felt now that
the boy was rascal, and that he had
betrayed the trust she had placed In him.
II want my dime" she insisted, walking
he had turned from the main path.
Now, come off, SIS said the boy
angrily, scowling at her in way that
caused her fear. 'If youse wants a dime
youse has come to the wrong pursin to
git it. Run home to mommer, or I'll
call that big policeman and tell him
youse are lost. He'll carry youse to
prison, SO he will. Now, tata, so long,
And the young villain waved his hand to
Leonie and walked of down the path
with a leisurely step, whistling ''Mr.
Dooley."
Poor Leonie, she stood perfectly still
for a minute, watching the retreating
figure with eyes full of gathering tears.
Her money was gone and nothing to
show for 1t, and she had so wanted the
molasses popcorn balls, too. Slowly she
turned round to return by the path which
had brought her thither, but to her dis
may she found herself in a strange place.
She looked about for the familiar hill
she had descended, but evergreen trees
cut off the view, and in vain she tried to
locate its direction. "Well,' she solilo-
quized, 81 guess this path 1 am on will
lead me back to the zoo If turn round
and walk towards the way my back is
now turned" So, she acted on this plan,
and soon came to a little footbridge that
crossed a frozen stream. Here she
stopped, her heart beating with fear and
a lump coming into her throat. She was
lost. 'Oh, oh,' she sobbed, covering her
streaming eyes with her little trembling
hands. "Oh, oh, 1 am lost from mama
and papa I am l-o-s-ti'
Just at this minute a good lady was