A FRECKLY REVENGE

New Zealand Tablet, 1 June 1911, Page 1029

A FRECKLY REVENGE

Mittie could not deny that she was freckled, for had she not that very minute taken a miserable peep into the tiny round mirror which was secretly tucked up her sleeve? ‘But what if lam freckled ?’‘she said. ‘Ted Milton is worse things than that. His hair is—is mouse, pure mouse, that’s what it is, and his eyes are faded blue calicocolored eyes. I’ll say it even if he is my brother!’ Just then she caught sight of the shelf where her brother always piled his school-books on Saturday. She knew his geography was there, and in it the precious map over which he had been so earnestly bending every evening for the last two weeks. What if — She climbed up and took the book. With trembling fingers she turned the leaves until she found the bit of cardboard. She caught her breath. The work was beautiful; not a single blot nor soiled place! He could do so many things. There in the corner stood her doll’s house; he had made that every bit himself, and had drawn the tiny pictures hanging on its walls. His knife had whittled out the little chairs and table and mites of wooden dishes. Mittie’s eyes grew misty. The map is to be handed in to-morrow. He will surely win the prize. And now if Ido this perfectly dreadful thing, he will never love me any more. But then he doesn’t love me, as it is, because if he did he wouldn’t call me, “ Frecklety, frecklety turkey egg.” I guess I’ll show him something else about freckles that ho won’t think quite so funny! I’ll make thousands of them all over his map!’ She took down the pen and ink. As she did so her arm knocked down a card. She turned it over and read, ‘ Overcome evil with good. Then she went to the geography, and even dipped the pen into the ink. ‘Overcome!’ Mittie stared. It almost seemed as if someone had spoken. ‘ Yes, but he said “ Freck—” ’ ‘Evil with good,’ interrupted conscience. ‘ Oh, dear,’ she wailed ‘I promised I’d try to obey those words this week. Bub I didn t think it would be so hard! I wonder if I couldn’t "’aU for a little evil. I’m almost sure I could overcome a little one, and maybe even a middle-sized one. But perhaps I d better not make a single freckle on the map. Yet that would be only leaving things the very way they were. And I s’pose “overcoming” must be making 'thin better for the one that was mean to you. It simply can’t be that teacher ever tried to overcome with good or she’d know it Wets too much to ask ns to do ! SIIO couldn’t sen that, the very next day Ted was going to say “Frecklety” to me, and “Turkey egg” and “Speckletv spitfire ” ’ She put up the geography and went out and sat on the front doorstep. ‘lf 1 must do good to Ted I’ll have to hurry; he’ll be home soon.’ K In five minutes she shouted excitedly, ‘I have it» I have it! There are the two dollars Uncle Will sent me, and the fifty cents I earned pipking blackberries. * I’ve beep saying for ever and ever to get a doll’s piano, but I haven t near enough, and dolly won’t—be—disappoint—pointedbebecause she didn’t know about it.’ Mittie gave two or three big swallows, but smiled bravely ‘l’ve just enough to buy that picture hanging up in Mr Fulton’s window. Ted’s been wild to have it.’ When, a little later, Ted rushed two steps at a time up to his room, he found his sister just passing out of the room. ‘Oh, Free—Whoopee ! what’s that?’ With one spring ™ 7 a ,s in front of the picture. ‘Who’s here? Did Uncle Will?’— his eyes fell on a little card slipped in behind the frame, ‘Yours truly, Freckles —that was gll.

v, i Sis!’ he called, but she had fled. Down the stairs He dashed. He found her behind the hall door. Did you take your two dollars and a half 5 he asked in a low, awe-stricken voice. ‘ Did you Mittie gave just the shadow of a nod. Then it was Ned’s turn to swallow, and somehow a whole half-dozen, frogs seemed to have jumped into his throat. e He went and stood in the door, then came back with a new look -of wonder and respect. ‘ Sis,’ he said gently, < this is the greatest thing I’ve ever known, and added, 11l never say ‘Freckles” to you.again. 1 like ’em. and wish you had more of ’em!’ . And Mittie, laughing this time, peeped into the mirror and answered: ‘You mean if there was room!’