Little Folk

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 18

Little Folk

(All Rights Eeserved.)

No. 7. TOPSYTURVY TOWN

(Written for "The Post" by Edith' Howes.)

CHAPTER VII. The offending smile faded off the Town Clerk's face. "The Mayor is expected to open the new bowling green at Haioourt this afternoon," was all he said. "A bowling green! But I want to go to football!" exclaimed Kenneth. "And on Monday a bazaar is to be opened in the city/ the Town Clerk went on. "Oh, bother ! I don't get any time to myself!" Kenneth grumbled. "What, do you hav c to do at bazaars?" Isabel asked as they turned to go. "Oh, the Mayor makes a speech," said Kenneth importantly. "Father had to do i 6. once when the Mayor was away." The office boy came running after them. "Another deputation," he said, a broad grin on his face.' Oh, I say!" cried Kenneth. "Are we never to get away? It's.deputations all the time." They all returned to the big room, and again sat in the leather-covered round the leather-covered table. In came two men. One expl lined that they were a deputation from the people of a newly-laid-out street in one of the suburbs, sent to bk for a drain and asphalt footpaths. The other added that they wanted the drain first and the asphalt afterwards. "We are very anxious that our street should. not be treated like the one next to it," he said. "In that one, first the footpaths were merely the rough grass that had always been there; then the Beautifying Society came along, chopped off the grass, strewed good earth and lawn-grass seed all over it and rolled' it, and planted trees here and there. IJVhen the grass came up the people kept it mown, and planted flowers outside their fences, and the street was a picture. Then the corporation's men came along, dug out most of the grass andl all the flowers, and laid down a broad strip of. asphalt. A year later, they came again and smashed up the middle of the asphalt and put in the drain. Now, why couldn't the drain have been done first and the asphalting next, and the beautifying last? Then a great deal of the ratepayers' money would ha.v c been saved, and the street would not have been spoiled. We beg' your Worship to look into this matter and see that our street is handled in a more sensible way." Kenneth would havf liked'to say "Yes, of course!" for he thought the man's speech full of good sense; but he remembered the Town Clerk's remark about money, and he stood up hesitatingly-

"I certainly think the street should be done as you say," he began, "but the Town Clerk says there is no money to do things." . . .

The man laughed. "There's plenty of money," he said. "Let it be , properly used instead'of wasted in doing things backwards, and there will be money for all our streets." , ; -■'.-■-.

I'Oh,' will "there?"., asked Kenneth, much relieved. "Then I'll tell him that."j • ■ '

"Yes, i3o!" said the man, chuckling; and the deputation went. "Let's go home," said Kenneth. "I'm tired of deputations!" am I," said Isabel. . "I lovo them," said Alice Dare. "I could listen alj day. Wish I was you, Kenneth, to open bowling-greens and bazaars and make the speeches." Kenneth didn't look very happy. He was disappointed about the football, and then "speeches!" What would he be expected to say? Would it be very difficult? It wasn't hard to answer deputations. But to make a real speech! ■■In the street they met Mrs. Dare. 'Come along; Alice," she said. "Father is taking us to a tea shop for lunch." "Oh, good!" cried Alice. "Hot pies and chocolate cakes and ice cream," "Good: gracious, child, what a mixture!" exclaimed her mother. "It's impossible." •

'Wait till you see ? laughed Alice. Isabel and Kenneth found a well-cook-ed dinner waiting for them at home, the beef juicy and "done with the gravy in,", as they all liked it, ; the batter pudding nobly puffed, the baked parsnips and potatoes delightfully browned, the caramel custard smooth as silk. "Father and I thought of going to the opening of the Harcourt bowling, green thi s afternoon," said Mrs. Graham. She spoke as if asking permission.

"Good idea!" said Kenneth. "I haye to be there too, to open it." Mrs. Graham dimpled. "It'g the proud mother I shall be, listening to my son the Mayor making his speech." What are you going to say, Ken. neth?" asked Mr. Graham.

Now this was just what Kenneth didn't know. Ha wanted to ask his father what he should say, but it felt too much like coming down from the top position. "I haven t made up my mind yet," was his muttered reply. His father shot a keen glance at him, and then he did a very kindly thing., He began to talk in an easy,chatty way about Harcourt, about its growth from a few scattered houses between paddocks to a populous suburb with its own school and churches, its own cricket and football grounds, and now its own howling green and tennis courts. He spoke of the hard work of breaking up the new section and making.them into gardens, and of • how for several years that hard work would leave Ihe fathers of. families little time for sport; then would come the time when the gardens were established and easier to keep in order, and the fathers would meet toS™ and say "Let's have- a bowling club, and' their wives would work liard and have a bazaar, and get money, and so.there would soon be a bowling green and a pretty pavilion. As he talked, a picture oii the whole thine grew up in Konueth'g mind, and he felt that he had eometnmif for his speech. "Eather is doing it on puipose !'• suddenly flashed into his brain. ■ "What a sport he is!' But he felt too shy to say it aloud. • _ . What does the Mayoress do at openings, of bowling-greens!" Isabel suddenly inquired. „"°, h- she walks about and talks to the ladies," said Mrs. Graham. Talijs to the ladies?" echoed Isobel blankly. She. couldn't picture hprself doing that. "But some of the girls are sure to be there," she thought to herself consolingly .