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Show Miss Meredith's Wedding Present. It was the beginning of the Monday noon recess, ana two small boys sat on The fenc-r behind the schoolhouse eat-ng eat-ng luncheon and chattering busily. -Too bad about Miss Meredith leaving leav-ing the school, ain't it?" said. Nick T"Unia-yes," answered Will Westerley. busy with a huge slice of pie "I can't see what she sees in that Mr. Bevan that makes her want to marry him?' said Nick,, dolefully. T think hWiU had finished his pie, and now he said: "Say 'spose we give her a wedding wed-ding present." .--- ' 1 "What, you and me give Miss Meredith Mere-dith " began Nick. "LTs boys. I mean." "Why I think that's a fine scheme," cried Nick. "To show we're sorry" she's going? The fellows will like it first-rate. Let's tell 'em right off." And the two slipped down from the fence and scampered away to find their friends. "What shall we give her?" asked Sammy Pertaine, when they announced their fine Dlan. "Well," said Will, "I've thought and thought, and I think a dog would be Just an elegant cresent." "She'd like a ring, I think," said Nick; "most girls do." "Miss Meredith ain't a girl," objected Sammy, "She used to be," was the crushing answer. "Anyway, she does like rings, or she wouldn't keep looking at that one Mr. Bevan gave her, so there' It is an awful ugly one, too, just one big white stone looks like a piece of ylass. We can get her a nicer one than that." "Well, now." said Sammy, "I thin: that's a splendid present, fellows. Let's get her a ring, a real swell one, with red and blue and green and yaller stones in it just jammed with 'em. Hey? what do you think?" But Wrill still clung to his first idea. "Squire Jenning's got some new fox terrier pups; p'raps he'd sell us one cheap. My pa knows him." "All right," said Sammy. "We'll get them both. If we've got money enough," he added. On examination it was discovered that the finances of the crowd amounted amount-ed to 83 cents. "That's not enough," said Nick. "That would hardly . buy the ring even. We must raise some money, and pretty quick, too, 'cause Miss Meredith's going to get married week after next." "Let's each bring a dollar on Friday, Fri-day, at the next meeting of this club for buying Miss Meredith's present," suggested Sammy. "That ought to be bushels of monei- " "How'll we get the dollar?" asked lazy Jed Tyler. j "Earn it," said Sammy, briefly. Just then the bell rang for afternoon session, ses-sion, and the meeting adjourned. During the following week. Miss Meredith observed with surprise and delight, never were scholars more studious stu-dious and orderly than hers. To be sure she noticed many winks and nods and smiles going on, but as they did not interfere with the work she nevdf spoke of them. As soon as school was over, off they hurried, in eager, anxious anxi-ous groups, or alone and business-like. Sammy weeded the garden and j gathered vegetables for market. ' Tod Fisher posed for a visiting artist, and i when his four days were past declared he had never worked so hard in his life before as he did then, sitting still. Several boys went berrying up the mountain, and took their pickings to town to sell. Even lazy Jed found a job he liked, for he got a situation at the County Golf club as caddy at 10 cents an hour. It did not take him much time or trouble to earn his dollar. dol-lar. "Call that work?" he said. "Why, I just stood around and watched other people work, I did." Will and Nick were in great perplexity. per-plexity. All the outside jobs were quickly snapped up, and at home folks "had nothing for youngsters like them to do." On Wednesday they sat together, to-gether, almost hopeless, on the old fence behind the school and held a council. "I've got it at last!" cried Nick. "Pond lilies! Summer folks like 'em." "Why didn't we think of that before?" be-fore?" cried Will, and off they dashed to the pond, where Nick's boat was tied. Sturdy pushes soon sent it out from shore, and then sleeves were rolled up and arms plunged into the deep, cool water after the lovely blossoms. They secured enough for ten bunches, and these, stowed away in a basket and covered with moss v. ?re carried down to the Hotel Shagmore. There at 5 cents a bunch they found a quick sale, and the supply ran out long before e demand was exhausted. "We'll come aeain tomorrow," promised prom-ised Nick. "We'll bring twenty bunches or more tomorrow," he added, to Will. "Lots of people will buy them every day," said Will. "One old lady promised prom-ised to get two bunches a day as long as they lasted, and after that we're to bring her berries and ferns." "Hooray for the new firm, Westerley & Thomas!" cried Nick, tossing the empty basket in the air and catching it. "We're in business for the summer. sum-mer. Will." ; Mr. Jenning" meanwhile had been i called upon and had promised his I handsomest fox terrier puppy. When the boys gathered again on Friday, i ager to tell of their, success, all that remained was to choose and buy the ring. This business was intrusted to "Westerley & Thomas," as originators of the plan, and it was with happy hearts and a fat pocketbook that Nick and Will started for the city next day. The boys were again assembled to see them off. "Be sure you get the very swellest ring you can!" (.Tied Sammy, as the car started, and The new firm swung their hats in answer. So they took care to pick out the handsomest and swellest ring in the jeweler's case, and greatly to their sorrow sor-row it was too much for their humble means. The storekeeper, seeing their disappointment, soon got them to tell j the whole story, and then took dewn another case of rings which he said j were not quite so expensive. ; "There, that's the one we . want!" j cried Nick, and Will agreed in his i opinion, adding, as he examined the j new find, "it's even swjier than that j other one that costs more. I tell you, i this one's just galumplh.g." The ring contained a huge red stone, set in a circle of smaller blue ones, so the boys described it, for they did not know the names of the jewels. At stny rate, there was no 'glass" in it, they thought with satisfaction. The other boys were delighted with their choice, and it was decided to present the gifts the next Monday afternoon aft-ernoon as soon as school was over. Squire Jenning's stable boy. Kit, wou';d bring over the puppy at the right time and the ring would already be there safe in Will's desk. The club broke up for the night, declaring thai -tne new ring beat Mr. Bevan's all lollow." Excitement ran high in the classroom class-room on Monday. Wouid the afternoon after-noon sessslon ever endi At length the history lesson, the last for the day. was announced, and Sammy Pertaine was called upon, to name the battles of the revolutionary war. Writh eyes that tried not to wander to the clock. Sammy was wrinkling up his brow to think what came after the battle of Saratoga, when a scuffle and a smothered smoth-ered yelp outside the door turned every one about, and in walked the squire's Jim, leading the tiny fox terrier puppy i by a string. Miss Meredith rose in surprise afrd alarm. "What does this mean?" she asked. ; But before Jim cou'd speak Nick was on his feet. "I I'm sorry," he faltered; fal-tered; "we didn't mean "to have him fome till school was over. Miss Meredith. Mere-dith. It's a puppy and he's, for you from- us boys, 'cause we're glad I mean sorry no, glad, about your wedding, wed-ding, you Know.". "And this goes with the "puppy," said Will, holding out a small package to the surprised teacher. "It's In honm- of your getting married oh! and many happy returns of the day, Miss Meredith!" . Miss Meredith took the puopy timidly tim-idly by the string and patted him. Then she opened the package, and when she saw the ring she caught her breath with a quick little gasp. "You dear boys!" she cried, her eyes shining with bright tears, "it was lovely of you to do this for me. Just lovely! The puppy is a dear and the ring is a perlect beauty! I shall be good to him and wear it always to remember the loving little friends w.io gave them to me. And now, come, and let me hug you, every one." Detroit Isf. Press. |