Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-07-18

a stale loaf Of bakers bread and a
big piece of ancient bologna.
"But don't you want this your
selves?" she asked in surprise.
"Gosh. no! l mean list plain no."
said the boy. "We always have It.
We got stacks this morning. Pas
come out of it now, and he's SO sorry
he got more an ever we can eat. Have
You had any before7"
"No," said Elnora. II never did"
The boys eyes frightened and the
girl moved restlessly.
I'VE thought maybe you hadn't"
said the boy. "First you ever have.
you like it real well. but when you
don't have anything else for a long
time, years an years. you git so tired.
He h1tched at the string which held
his trousers and eyed Elnora specula.
lively.
Il don't s'pose you'd trade what YOU
got in that box for list old bread and
bologna now. would you? Mebby
you'd like it! And l know, l list know,
what you got would taste like heaven
to Jimmy and Belle. They never had
nothing like that. Not ever Belle. and
she's most ten. No, stree, they never
tasted things like you got"
Elnora knelt on the bridge, opened
the box and divided her lunch into
three equal parts, the smaller boy get
ting most of the milk. Then she told
them it was school time and she mist
go.
"Why don't you put your bread and
bologna in the nice box?" asked the
boy.
"Of course" said Elnora. 81 didn't
Think
When the box was arranged to the
chlldren's satisfaction all of them ac-
companied Elnora to the corner where
she turned toward the high school.
Elnora and Billy led the way, JIMMY
and Belle followed.
BILLY" said Elnora, "I would like
you much better if you were cleaner.
Surely you have water. Can't you
children get some soap and wash your
selves?. Gentlemen are never dirty.
o want to be a gentleman. don't
you"
us being clean all you have to do to
be a gentleman?"
NO. said Elnora. You must not
say bad words and you must be kind
and polite to your sister,"
Must Belle be kind and polite to
me, else she amt a lady,"
"Yes."
"Then Bellies no ladyv' said Billy
succinctly.
Elnora could say nothing NOR. Just
tnen, Il she babe them goodby and
started them home.
"Ihe poor little souls!" she mused.
i think the Almighty put them in
my way to show me real trouble. l
won't be likely to spend much time
plying myself while I can see them"
She glanced at the lunch box. "What
on earth do l carry this for? l never
a anything that was SO strictly or
namental! One sure thing! l can't
take this stuff to the high school. You
never seem to know just what is going
to happen to you while you are there
AS il to provide a way out Of her
difficulty a big dog arose from q lawn
and came toward the gate, wagging bis
tail. IF those children ate the stuff,
it can't possibly kill himw thought
Elnora, so she offered the bologna.
The dog accepted it graciously, and,
being a pedigreed beast, he trotted
around to a side porch and laid the
bologna before his mistress. The wo-
man snatched it, screaming, Come,
quick! Some n is trying to poison
Pedro" Her daughter came running
from the house. go see who is on the
street. Hurry!' cried the excited moth
er.
Ellen Brownlee ran and looked. FL
nora was a half block away, and no
one nearer. Ellen called loudly, and
Elnora stopped. Ellen came running
toward her.
Did you see anyone give our dog
something's" she cried as she ap-
preached.
Elnora saw no escape.
Il gave it a piece Of bologna my
SELF" she said. sit was fit to eat. 1t
wouldn't hurt the dog"
Ellen stood and looked at her. "Of
course, didn't know it was your dog"
explained Elnora, and she told Ellen
about Billy and Jimmy and Belle and
the sacrificed luncheons.
"Wait until 1 run back and tell moth
er about the dog. and get my books -
said Ellen.
Elnora waited, and that morning she
walked down the hall and into the au-
ditorium beside one Of the very incest
girls in Onabasha, and it was the fourth
day. But the surprise came at moor
when Ellen insisted upon Elnora lunch
ing at the Brownlee home and con
vulsed her parents and family and
overwhelmed Elnora by a greatly mag
nified but moderately accurate history
of her lunch box.
Gee, but it's a box, daddy!' cried the
laughing girl. Its carved leather and
fastens with a strap that's got her