Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-10-26
Billy's Gold Tooth.

didn't want to- have it pulled be-
cause he was afraid it would hurt.
But you must have it out
said mama. There's another little
tooth wants to come, dear, and if
there isn't room for it where it
belongs, it will grow ever SO crook
ed and homely."
But Billy didn't care much for
that, and he did care for being
hurt. So he put his hand over his
mouth and held it there and
shook his. head
Uncle Jack, who was reading the
paper, looked up with a twinkle in
his eye.
Did you ever hear of the little
boy who had a tooth pulled. and a
gold tooth grew in it's place?" he
asked Billy's mama.
1t seems to me l do remember
something about it," mama answere
Billy forgot to keep his hand o.
yer his mouth. did he, honest,
have a reallytrully gold tooth
come, Uncle Jack?" he demanded.
Il can't say that he really-truly
did. said Uncle Jack, laughing.
but he might have had if he'd
only kept his tongue out of the
hole where the tooth was pulled"
Gould he, honest" asked Billy
eagerly.
Honest, he could,' answered I'm
Gle Jack.
Could 1, too," asked Billy.
Billy" said Uncle Jack, 'sI'll tell
you what III do. Ii you will have
that loose tooth of yours pulled,
and not put your tongue in the
place it came out of for an hour,
III give YOU a piece of gold big
enough to make a tooth"
we'll, l WILL" said Billy. He
knew by the SLY little winks in I'm
Gle Jacks eyes that there was
some catch about lit, but he got a
linen thread, and mama tied it "a
round the tooth, and Billy gave the
least bit of jerk---and there it
was.
Wasn't that a little thing to
make fuss about?
4 Uncle Jack thought so, and he
asked Billy what he thought about
i it.
But Billy didn't answer a word
He just took his tongue between
his teeth and sat down before the
clock.
Mama laughed. She wondered if
Uncle Jack had forgotten about the
hole in the doughnut which Billy
didn't eat.
Uncle Jack laughed too and tried
every way to make Billy talk, be-
cause he knew if that little tongue
got loose it would go straight to
the hole where the tooth had
BEEN
Am hour is long time when you
are holding your tongue between
your teeth. Billy thought so, any
way. Just try it some time, when
you have tooth pulled, and see
:, what a job Billy had on his hands
Billy held his tongue tight,
though his eyes danced until Uncle
Jack said he was really afraid
they would pop out of his head.
Uncle Jack tried every way to
get Billy to speak but failed, ana
when the hour was almost up he pu
on his hat and went down town
Billy knew that Uncle Jack
would make his word good, for he
made it a point to always stick to
his bargains, and sure enough he
did
He soon came back bringing a
five dollar gold piece with him.
There" he said, laughing. THAT
will make you a bigger tooth than
the one you lost. Now what will
you do with it,"
Billy thought a minute 81
guess I'll put it in the bank,
said he; and then when I'm real
old, and don't have much teeth, it'll
be enough to buy a lot OF 'em. But
tell you, Uncle Jack, if | didn't
have bit my tongue right up tight
it would have gone in the hole"
Il wouldn't wonder a mite,
laughed Uncle Jack.
Youths Companion.
Our little Rosy Posy