Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-06-07

On, see the llllleS; cried little
Annette. See, Roger, see: how
beautiful they are, all white and
gold. Oh. get ME some, please"
In another moment the boat Seem
ed to be resting on carpet of SNOW
and gold. Roger and Annette gather
ed them by handfu,s, laying them in
glistening piles in the bottom of
the boat. and soon Joe laid down
his paddle and helped pick them.
They gathered all they could
carry without spelling them. Then
they went home and put them in a
| tub of water.
Early the next morning Roger
drove to town, with them. He land
them on bed of wet moss and
covered them with burdock leaves
to keep them fresh.
Upon arriving in the city he stop
ed on street corner and opened
his bed of flowers. He arranged a
bunch of the lilliies and timidly
offered them to young lady who
was passing. She smiled and stopped
How lovely and fresh; thank
| you,s she said, and the first piece
of silver dropped into Rogers pock-
ct. Then another young lady carried
eff a huge bunch of cattails. and
Ia second piece of silver jingled
against the first.
Soon another followed it, and
another. and another. and Rogers
eyes danced as he thought of the
Physical Geography which he felt
sure would soon be his.
/ Thump; his dream was rudely
1 broken into by gentleman running
into him and nearly knocking him
oyer; an old gentleman with twink
Ling, gray eyes and a bushy gray
beard.
What. what" sputtered the old
man. Get out of my way. boy"
Roger moved aside, bewildered by
the sudden shock.
will you buy some Physical
Biographies, sir?" he asked. See
how fresh they are; they are the
1oveliest-"
This boy is crazy" said the
old gentleman, fiercely. "How dare
you talk to me about PHYSICAL
Geography sir?"
Roger stared at him blankly, and
then grew crimson with confusion.
e. beg your pardon HE faltered
81 meant to say lillies.I was think
ing so hard about the Geography,
that it slipped out without my know
ing it. l."
Thinking about Physical Geog-
raDhy, hey?. cried the old gentle
man. catching him by the arm.
"What do you mean, boy?''
He dragged Roger to one side,
and made him sit down beside him
on a convenient doorstep. What
dye mean?" he repeated, fixing
his piercing gray eyes on the boy
in manner which made him feel
very uncc mfortable What do YOU
know about Physical Geography"
Nothing yet. SIR replied Rog--
err, "but | ann very anxious to study
it. and l am selling these hlIies and
cattails to try and get money enoug
to buy the book"
"You are most remarkable bow
cried the old gentleman. ''What
Geography is it that you want.
hev? Merton's. Ill warrant. It's
trash, Unspeakable trash..'
mo sir; Wilson's replied the
boy, thinking that the old gentle
man was certainly crazy.
On hearing this the old gentle
man seized his hand and shook it
warmly. 81 am Wilson he eX-
c.-imed.. lit is my Geography YOU
want. You are a singula11ly intelliL-
gent boy. l am glad to meet YOU"
Roger stared at him jim wonder
4 ment.. Did did you write the
Physical Geography, sir?" The STAN
mered
ITO be sure | did," said the old
gentleman. "And good job it was.
Here he cried, fumbling in his
pocket. Give me the lilies and
take this and he thrust a shining
silver dollar in his hand. ''And
here" he scrAbbled something ON
a card. Take this and go to- Cooper
the publisher, and see what he saws
to you. You are AN astonishing boy.
Goodby; God bless you. You have
done me good. l was suffering from
dyspepsia when | met you: all
gone now; bless you.''
He was gone. and Roger Rayne
was sitting alone on the steps, with
a DOLLAR in ONE hand and a card
lin the other, as bewildered a boy
as you ever saw.
When he recovered his sences a
little. he looked ait the card, and
read, GIVE to the astonishing boy
who brings this, a copy of Physical
Geography. Best binding. William
Willison." i
Roger sold the rest of his lillies
and cattails. and went home the
proud possessor of the coveted Ply
steal Geography and enough silver
to finish paying for the suit which
he needed so badly.
He had learned, too, that he
could assist his mother in providing
fer the needs of the family. and he
made many more trips to the city
with lialtes and cattails which, al
ways sold readily. The money which
he made relieved his mother OF
much anxiety and worry, and en-
abled them to have many comforts