The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-01-16
HARVEY'S RESOLVE.

| behind him with a hang. He gave
| his skates an impatient kick which
sent them skimming across the porch
and into the rose bush at the end
Of the house.
| There amt thing for boy to
do that there's any fun in," he NUT
tered discontentedly, scarcely realiz-
ing he was putting his thoughts into
words. He sat down on the steps
overlooking the street. Mother
might have let me gone hunting to-
day; I'm big enough to take care of
myself" he continued, unconsciously
drawing up his shoulders as he
thought of the Importance of his four
teen years.
Presently he heard shouts of laugh
ter and the roll of skates along the
walk-way. He looked down the
street.
tom Sykes always does have more
fun than anybody" he spoke aloud
again, and there was trace of envy
in his voice. "And yet" he hesitat-
ed, land yeti reckon he doesn't
have half as many things as I do"
He saw his bicycle standing neglected
against the fence, and he thought Of
the new books his father had bought
for him the past week, and which he
would not let Tom handle because
Tom might soil or tear them; yet he,
himself, had lost interest in them.
The shouts of laughter came near
er, and Harvey got up and went to
the gate. Tom, with Joe Hobbs, was
coming up the street toward him, each
with only one skate, and skating very
dexterously on the one foot. He
watched them with reluctant inter
est. They would move back and
forth, up and down the pavement;
then they would circle about or
curve in and out, shouting and vieing
with each other to gee which could
perform the most tricks on the one
foot.
"Huh!" muttered Harvey, under
his breath. tom always is letting
First thing he knows they'll break
them and he won't have any. Catch
me letting every boy that comes
along have my skates or bat and ball,
or just a skatin' on one foot, SOS
somebody else can skate!"
The laughter grew merrier from
the two not far away, and Harvey
opened the gate and sauntered down
to where they were. He was still in
su1len mood, but the good time
Tom and Joe were having proved too
fascinating for him to resist joining
them.
Hello, Harve!" called Tom. as
Harvey came up. ''Where's your
skates? Go get them and come on
with us! Bet me and Joe can do
more tricks with one skate than you
can with two" he challenged.
Don't be so sure" replied Har-
vey, bit Of enthusiasm creeping into
his face, as he ran to get his rollers,
He had just buckled them on when
Toby, a little newsboy, stopped to
watch the performance. Toby was
one of the city's waits, and he looked
at the DOyS, VIM "SIC having Tic
good time, with a wistfuf expression
on his pale face. He sat down on
the curb, hugging his papers close
under his arm to keep them from
touching the dirty pavement. Tom
came up breathless.
Hello, Toby" he shouted, cheer
! lily. Don't you want to try my skate
awhile? I'll sell papers while you do
a few turns on Wheels" he grinued
Toby got up quickly, and a little
color came into his pale cheeks.
ooh, Tom. Do you reckon yer
could sell any Of de papers?" he ask
ed TREMENDOUSLY, his eyes on the skate
Tom was holding out to him.
"Sure," exclaimed Tom. Just
/ watch mel" and he tucked the papers
under his arm in so professional" q
way that the others laughed.
"Harve, you let Toby have Jour
skates and you use the one he has