articlesforchristians

Before long, father found mother and Polly and Peter. He saw the children’s balloons. He heard the story of the bunch that went up in the air.

Then he said, “Now, before we have our luncheon, I will take you to the merry-go-round. Have you heard the music? Do you wish a ride?”

“Oh, yes, yes!” cried Polly and Peter dancing up and down.

Do you know what a merry-go-round is? If you do not, look at the picture. It will show you.

Peter and Polly had ridden on one just twice before. Then they had liked it very much.

Peter chose a black horse and Polly chose a gray one. They were side by side. Father sat on one behind these two. Many other people sat on other horses.

At last the music started. The horses started, too. All moved around in a circle. It was quite a large circle, but not so large as a circus ring.

Faster and faster the horses went. Polly and Peter held on with both hands. Around and around the circle they flew. Oh, what fun it was!

Then the music stopped. The horses slowed down. The people climbed off the horses, and it was over.

“I should like to ride again,” said Peter. “Does it cost much?”

“Five cents apiece,” said father. “Perhaps we can have one more ride after luncheon. Come now, it is time to eat.”

The luncheon was taken to a shady place and opened. How good everything looked! How good everything tasted!

Father said, “While we eat, I will tell you a story. Then we shall not hurry. This is a true story. It happened to me, when I was a little boy.

“One day my father took me to the fair. He showed me the same things that I have shown you. He let me ride on the horses. He gave me a drink of lemonade.”

“Oh,” said Peter, “I wish that you would get us some lemonade.”

“The kind that Polly sells is better than any we can buy at the fair,” said father.

“Let us wait until we get home. Here is plenty of cold water.”

“Please go on, father,” said Polly. “What else did you do at the fair? Were there horse races?”

“Yes,” said father. “After luncheon, we shall see horse races just like them. We will sit in the grandstand. Then we can see very well. Yes, when my father took me to the fair, I saw horse races.

“I was about as old as Peter, then. In the afternoon, I began to be very tired. My father said that he would take me home. But first he wished to go into one more place.

“This was a very large building. In it were all kinds of things. These had been made by different people. There were bedspreads and quilts hanging up. There were all kinds of fancy work.

“The only things which pleased me were the things to eat. There were many counters and show cases filled with bread, cookies, cake, pies, and candy.

“My father lifted me up in his arms so that I could look into one showcase. He began to talk with the woman who stood behind the case. He did not see what I was doing.

“I told you that I was very tired. I just leaned out of my father’s arms and rested my arms on the glass at the top of the case.

“Crack, crack, crack went that glass. I had leaned so hard that I had broken it.

“The woman who owned it was very angry. She was quite cross to me. But my father told her that he would pay for it at once. As soon as he did, she cut a cake and gave me a large piece.

“When we got home, I heard my father telling your Grandmother Howe about it. He told her that he thought he had paid for the cake the woman gave us, because she had charged him so much for the glass.”

“That is a good story, father,” said Polly. “I like stories about when you were a little boy. I am sorry that you broke the case. I hope you were not frightened.”

“I was a little, Polly,” said father. “Now, if you have finished your luncheon, we will have another ride on the merry-go-round. Then we must get good seats in the grandstand for the races.”