The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-06-06

ScanC breakfast, Wllcn ne ala not
do very often, he hurried out and
hitched the horse to rather shaky
buggy and soon had it at the door,
where Mr.. Redding, a handsome man
of about thirty years, was Waiting.
1t was beautiful drive. The flow
ers were just out and birds were be-
ginning to build their nests. Bud, who
usually noticed these things, did not
even raise his head to look at the
signs of spring but remained looking
at the horses tail, and Mr.. Reding,
who was banker and who was busy
thinking Of his business, did not notice
Buds countenance until they were
nearly to the depot, but he said moth
ing until he nearly fell over Bud
when Bud said, dad, l need some
money, how much can you give me ?"
Bud had never asked for money be-
fore, and that is why Mr.. Reding near
ly fell over. "Why, certainly, Bud" he
said, 'sWhat do you need it for?" "Pd
-1'd rather not TELL" said Bud, blush
ing. Mr.. Reding said no more but Just
as he got on the train he slipped Bud
ten dollars. Goodbye, son." he said,
81 hope you will make good use of
the money" Bud had only expected
fifty cents or dollar and when he
saw ten dollar bill in his hand, his
eyes bulged as big as saucers.
After the groceries were bought, he
slipped into Clark Brothers & Com
pany and came back with small par
eel held tight in his hand, and on his
way home he stopped at Betty
Moore's place and with stub of
pencil he wrote, "For Betty" on the
parcel and slipped it in the ascreen
door and then started for home.
Betty Moore was girl about Buds
age, who was one of the nearest
neighbors to Mrs. Perkins and ever
since Bud saw her he liked and admir-
ed this pretty girl, and SO on her
birthday which was that day, he
bought her that little gift, bottle of
perfume set in celluloid case with a
blue ribbon tied around it.
Mrs. Perkins was standing in the
doorway when Bud returned. "Now,
Bud" she said, "Do your usual morn
ing work and then want you to go
over to Mrs. Bran's and take some
cake to her, that l am going to make.
OOH" but he said no more, he just
thought it.
While he was moving the lawn de-
licious odors came from the kitchen
and Bud was planning and plotting in
his own mind, how he could get some
of it, but his hopes fell, for he re-
membered it was the cake for Mrs.
Bran that smelled 50 good.
His work done, he started out with
the delicious cake with the delicious
chocolate frosting under his arm, all
wrapped up in tissue paper. why
50 sad?" It was Billy Bran that
spoke cav, got to take this cake to
your ma. Aunt Jane told me to and
you don't know how good it is" "Mhy'
did you have some?" asked Billy.
"Naw, but gee, you ought to have
smelled it when it was acookln, and
it's got chocolate frostin' on it. Lets
see IT,: said Billy. "Aw, gee, what's
the use of lookin' at it when you can't
have any Of it," lamented Bud, but
Billy had the tissue paper off and one
look at the cake settled it. "C'mon,
Bud, let's have piece and hurry up,
said Billy.
g Il didn't take long for the cake to
aisappear and nothing was LETT but
the tissue paper. It was then that
Billy and Bud began to think Of what
to tell Mrs. Bran and Aunt Jane, but
It didn't take long to make up story,
and soon both of them were on their
way home. .,
Mrs, Perkins when Bud returned.
"She didn't say nothing, she didn't get
it." "What! what do you mean to say,
Robert Reding! exclaimed Mrs. Per-
kins. "Well, me and Billy Brand was
standing by the river and big man
come out of the bushes and pushed me
in the river and Billy tried to pull me
out quick, but the cake got wet SO It
was no good any more" what did
the man look like?" II don't know,
he ran into the bushes again quick: Me
and Billy tried to follow him but ne
was too quick and so come right
home . well, I'd like to lay my
hands on a man like that, that would
pick on a little boy. Come here and
set down by the fire and get dry" said
Mrs. Perkins, feeling of Bud. why
Bud, you're not wet" Bud hadn't
planned for this, but he stammered
out, "Well -er-you see, Aunt Jane,