from it a brief note and a check. “ I know your vacations begins next week and I mentioned it to Uncle Jack and Aunt Rose, and what do you think they want you to do? To come to California for a whole month!” She waved the check. “And this will pay for it!” At last Lollie found her tongue. “ Can’t you go too, Mamma?” “No, my dears. I have only a week’s vacation and I’ll visit. Aunt Bess in the country. It isn’t long enough — I’d just get to California and then have to come back.” “ Can we go, Mamma?” asked Kip py, with dancing eyes. “ Of course. I want you to go. This is a wonderful opportunity and Uncle Jack is very generous to do this for you children. You know he lives on a ranch.” “ Boy, yes!” Kippy was doing hand springs by this time. “Real horses — Wow !” Mrs. Rogers looked at Lollie. “Well, dear? Aren’t you happy?” “ Oh, yes, Mamma!” Lollie came over and put her arm around mother. “ But Kip and I were just talking about getting jobs and helping with the expenses.” “ I’m glad you did but you see the Lord has provided by giving me the raise — but you can still get some little jobs when you come back. You’ll never have such a chance again.” And she gave her little daughter a big hug. Kippy was ecstatic. “How will we travel, Mamma? On the bus?” “No,” replied his mother. “ On a plane?” asked Lollie ex citedly. “ No,” said their mother, smiling. “ Guess again.” “ It must be a train!” shouted Kip py, dancing around the room, “We have never been on a train! Goody! Goody!” “ That’s it,” said Mrs. Rogers, “ And it will be a long ride from the mid west to far distant California.” “ How long will it take?” asked Lollie. “Well, on this fast train it takes two whole days and one night or two nights and one whole day — approx imately that.” “ Can we eat on the train?” asked Lollie. “Well, I can imagine your going without food that long,” laughed Mrs. Rogers. “ I mean,” Lollie explained, “ can we sit at the table and eat in the dining room? Or do we take a lunch?” “ Both,” said Mrs. Rogers. “ I’ll give you sandwiches and fruit for I know from experience that one is always hungry on the train, but Uncle Jack sent plenty not only for the Pullman but also for your food.” TH E KING'S BUSINESS
B r o w n - e y e d , nine-year-old Kippy and his eleven-year-old blond sister Lollie sat on the steps of their small house they called “ The Crack- erbox,” waiting for their mother to come home from work. “ Boy! just one more week and school will be out!” said Kippy hap pily, as he kicked some gravel on the walk. Lollie looked thoughtful. “You know, Kip,” she said seriously, “ I’d like to get a job this summer and help Mamma with the expenses. I think I could babysit — those new people across the street have a bunch of kids.” Kippy frowned. “ Guess I could get a paper route or maybe cut grass . . . I was counting up last night. It’s been five years since Daddy died and Mom has been working ever since.” At that moment they saw the be loved familiar figure alighting from the bus at the comer and they ran down the street where' they were greeted with outstretched arms. “How was school today?” their mother asked, and the children vied with each other in relating the most interesting and amusing events of their day. “Well, something good happened to me today, too,” she added, with a smile, “ I got a raise at work and a
Special Delivery letter from Uncle Jack.” “Wowie!” shouted Kippy and Lol lie squeezed her mother’s arm. “Was it very much, Mamma?” she asked. “ It will be about ten dollars more a month — and that will go right into the bank for your school clothes this fall,” she announced as if to fore stall any ideas of the children on the subject. “ It was an answer to prayer.” They walked into the house and after the evening meal, Mamma said: “You did not ask me what Un cle Jack wrote.” Jack Graham was her brother who lived in California. The children stopped in their clear ing of the table. “No, Mamma, I for got all about it — the raise was so exciting,” said Lollie. “Why did he write to you at the office and not here?” asked Kippy. “Well, he wanted the Special to reach me right away. You see it’s a surprise!” The children looked puz zled indeed. “ Two surprises in one evening!” “ Tell us, Mamma, tell us right away!” said Kippy. Mrs. Rogers smiled. “ All right. It’s mighty hard to keep. You had better sit down too, Kip, so you won’t drop that dish of mashed potatoes.” With a twinkle in her eyes, she held up a long envelope, then drew
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