FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS,.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 43, 20 February 1886, Page 5

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS,.

Tho Sohoolhouse Key.

Fred and Dick, were cousins. Fred was the younger and the smaller of tho two. When his father and mother died he came to live with his uncle. Dick was pleased to have his cousin in the same house with himself, and began at once to mako many plans. . " There will bo no ond to the good times that we shall have in school and out of school," he said. "We will study together, and help each other with the hard questions in arithmetic, and the tiresome rules in Latin Grammar." Dick was quite sure, though, that the help would be given by himself, Fred being. so much younger. "We will skate and coast and take long sleigh-rides, and shovel snowpaths, and crack nuts and tell funny stories around the evening fire." All this had such a pleasant sound that Fred began to forget his grief and homesickness. The boys were to begin school together the week after Fred came. Dick had a great deal to tell Fred about the old school-house in the grove—as to its queer wooden Bhutters with no division in tho middle; how the desks were so old-fashioned, with long benches in front, "Mr Folton is the teacher," said Dick. "We call him the ' master,' Somo of the boys are afraid of him, but he isn't so cross if a fellow knows hie lessons. He likes me and I like him, and every Friday night he gives me the key."

Fred wondered why the "master" should give Diok the key, and why Dick seemed so much pleased to have it. Dick explained that Mr Felton was in the habit of going on Friday to a distant town to epend Sunday at his home, ond that he liked to have Dick open the school-house early Monday morning. "He Bays that ho oan trust me," said Dick.

"No wonder Dick is pleased," thought Fred. " I daresay he is a favourite with tbo 'master.' "

Tho boys bad a pleasant time together for sevoral weeks. Then something seemed to come between them—Fred could not tell just what it was. Dick seemed provoked when little Fred got to the head of the class. Once Dick went so far as to call him a " Bneak," and to accuse him of using wrong means to get the good will of the " master."

This made Fred very angry. He tone off his jacket and doubled up his fist all ready for a fight; but the next moment his jacket was on again and he had turned tho corner and taken a short cut home.

"Well I well 1" cried Dick, "that fellow ia a coward I He is afraid to fight."

He made some such speech every day, meanwhile teasing Fred in many other ways, wondering why he could not got him to " firo up" again and "show fight,"as he called it.

"I'll have a chance at him some day," thought Fred. "He is jealous of me because I know my lessons and got good words from my master. Yes, indeed, it's as plain as daylight that ho is jealous. Before I Would be so mean orspiteful I —" But Fred stopped short again ; ho had a way sometimes of stopping short in his speeches and actions— the reason thereof known bost to himself.

The boys shared the samo sleeping-room. One Friday night Fred wob awakened by a noise. He jumped up and looked toward Dick's part of the room There was Dick sitting straight up in bed, muttering in his sleep something about a key. "What's the matter?" cried Fred. "Wake up, old fellow! Your key is safe."

But Dick muttered a great deal more about a key—a lost key. Half awako, at last he told Fred tbat ho had put the schoolhouse key in his pocket, as he thought, but when he got home and put hia hand in to find it, thore was a hole in his pocket, but no key. "The master'll never trust me again," he said.

" Go to sleep, now, Dick ; I'll help you to look for it in the morning," Fred said. Dick was soon fast, aeteep, but Fred tossed about, wide awake. "Now is my chance," thought Frod, " I'll show Dick what I can do."

He waited till tho clock Struck five, then got up, dressed quickly, and went on tiptoo down the Btairs, and out of the house, acroßß the fields, by the path that they always took to school. Ho looked carefully, step by step, pushing away tho grass with hia feet, and sometimes getting down on his hands and knees to feel for the lo3t key by the light of tho moon, which still .hone in the heavens, though the day was breiking. " I would give my gold dollar to find it," be said. On ho went. Sometimes he thought he would havo to go all the way to tho sohoolhouse.

" This is a good deal like hunting for a needle in a haystack," he thought. It Beemed strango to bo out so early in the morning, and every one else sound aßleep; still, ho persevered. " If I find that koy, all this Will bo better than any fist-fight I could have had," he Baid, laughing to himself. Suddenly—was it too good to be true ? - just a stop before him he saw the key. "Thero is not another koy in tho neighbourhood just like it," he thought. With a loud hurrah he picked it up and turned to run home.

Dick meanwhile was awake and up, very anxious about the key, and quite curious about Fred. Where was he? Such a sleepyhead as he was, what could havo made him rice so oarly ? Dick, you see, had forgotten all about his telling his dream to Fred. He, I too, went out of the door softly and ovor the fields in search of the key. He had gone but a littlo way, though, when in the dim morning light he saw Fred running towards him, out of breath, holding up the key. "I told you to go to sleep, and that it would be all right in the morning," Fred said, laughing. " Why, Fred, did you come to look for it?" " I wanted to see if I could not help you out of your scrape," said Fred. "IknOw how badly I should feel if I were in ybur placo." " I am so noar-sighted that I might never havo found it," said Dick. Fred had thought of that. " Why didn't you let me take my chanco, Fred? You were not bound to look for mo." Fred romemborod some Bible words about " not withholding good when it is in tho powor of our hands to do it." •' Besides, Fred, I've been acting like an enomy to you lately," continued Dick. Thon those other words came into Fred's mind; only he thought that he would not repeat them just then: " Love your enemies; pray for them that despitofully übo you." , Dick guossed as much ; he held out his hand, saying, "I am sorry, Fred. Will you forgive me? Shall we bo frionds again ?" • Can you guess Fred's answer? -" Sunday School Visitor."