END OF THE RAINBOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1934, Page 16

END OF THE RAINBOW.

(By Mary C. Hay, 108, Grafton Boad, Auckland, aged 11 years.) Arabella and Billy were having a picnic at the bottom of the garden. Cook had packed the lunch In a little green serviette with pink rosebuds on it, and had given them little pink sugar cakes with white icing on the top and a small bottle of milk.

They had made a wigwam out of a rug on the previous day, and were having lunch when Arabella poked her nose through the peep hole to see if any "palefaces" were, coming. "Oh!" she said, "look at the lovely rainbow, isn't it pretty, and, oh, look, it ends at the foot of the pepper tree." "There will be a pot of gold then," 'said the more practical Billy. "Let's see if there is" cried Arabella, as she went flying through the door. When they had found spades and shovels, their went to the foot of the tree. "There is no rainbow here after all," eaid Arabella, looking very disappointed, "look, it is at that other tree now." "Well, what does it matter, sillybilly, you should know by now that rainbows always run away when you go up to them," replied Master Billikins with scorn.

They had been digging for some time without result, and things were becoming very strained.

"I knew there would be nothing here," boasted Billy. "Girls do always think they know everything, and have such etupid ideas. Now think of boys. When I grow—" "Look, what is this, I've struck something," cried Arabella, dancing round and round. Together they hauled out a very old box with what'looked like silver clasps. Even Billy had forgotten about girls. "Let ue take it to cook," said Bill, "it will give her such a surprise," for both were sure it was the pot of gold. They found cook in the kitchen busy toEeing pancakes, and she was very cross with them when she tossed a pancake, a very special pancake, all over her nice clean apron. But when ehe heard the word, "gold," she came to the table with a twinkle in her eye, for she knew their tricks. "Why, that is my work box," she cried, "I will give you a penny each for finding it. Now We shall see what is in it."

Very slowly and carefully they raised the lid, both wishing hard, as one docs when seeing magic gold, and their eyes wide and round with excitement. There! Oh, look! But what was there? Nothing but a dirty old bone which showed signs of Sambo's teeth.

Well, that was that, but Arabella and Billikins soon forgot as they ran in the direction of the ewect shop, with a penny clasped in each grubby paw.