Randy and Her Friends | Page 6

little freckled nose.
"I'm glad you've come, Johnny," said Prue. "Let's play school."
"All right," agreed Johnny, "I'll be the teacher."
"And I'll play I'm Randy, and Tabby can be me,--you 'member to call
her Prue when you speak to her,--and Johnny, this rag doll will be you,"
said Prue.
"That old doll's a girl," objected Johnny. "I won't let no girl doll be
me."
But Prue argued that it would be enough better to be represented by the
despised rag doll, than not to be in the school at all, so half convinced,
the game began and the two children were so occupied when Randy
started for her walk to the Centre, that her little sister quite forgot to
coax to be allowed to "go too."
As she trudged along the sunny, dusty road, Randy hummed a merry
little tune, her footsteps keeping time to its rhythm and her heart
beating faster as she thought of her delightful errand.
Arrived at the store she asked Mr. Barnes to show her the piece of cloth
from which her father had bought on the night that he had driven to the
Centre.
"Joel!" called Silas Barnes, "show Randy Weston that second piece of
cloth from the top, will ye? I've got ter finish opening this barrel o'
sugar."
Joel placed the cloth upon the counter, saying,
"Is that the piece ye mean?"
"Yes, that is it," said Randy.

"Didn't yer pa git 'nough?" questioned Joel.
"Oh yes," said Randy, "but I want this for something else. I'll take eight
yards."
"Why that's 'nough for a whole gaown," said Joel, but a shade of
annoyance passed over Randy's sweet face and as she showed no
disposition to explain, the clerk cut off the number of yards with the
injured air of one whose kindly interest had been unappreciated.
When the cloth had been made into a neat parcel, Joel looked up and
extended his hand for payment, when to his utter astonishment, Randy
informed him that she had yet another errand.
"I'll look at some shoes now," she said with quite an air, for this was
her first shopping trip and a very happy one.
"Fer yourself, Randy?" asked Joel.
"I wish them to be my size, so I'll try them on," was the answer.
"Well ef they're ter be your size, they're to be yourn, ain't they?"
queried Joel, determined if possible to know all about this wild
extravagance.
Randy had changed her gold piece for a bill before she left home, well
knowing that the bill would attract less attention.
Assuming not to have heard his question, Randy took her parcels, and
gave Joel her bill. Joel took the money, but he could not resist the
temptation to ask one more question.
"Mebbe ye didn't know that yer pa bought a pair er shoes jest that size
t'other night, did ye?"
No one person was ever known to have bought two pairs of shoes and
two dresses at Barnes' store within a week, and the clerk was wild with
curiosity, but just as he was about to repeat his question, Jotham
entered the store, and Joel turned to see what his errand might be.

"Nothing to-day," said Jotham, "I saw Randy in here, and I thought I'd
offer to take her bundles."
Together they left the store, and as they turned into the quiet, shady
road Randy said,
"I think I never was more glad to see you, Jotham, than when I turned
and saw you in the doorway of the store."
"Then I'm doubly glad I came," said Jotham.
"Well, Joel Simpkins thought 'twas the funniest thing that I should be
buying something when father was not with me, and he asked just
every question that he could think of except one. He didn't ask me
where I got my money, and I do believe he would have asked me that if
you hadn't come in just when you did."
"O Randy, it's a funny sight to see you provoked," said Jotham with a
hearty laugh. "I know that he is an inquisitive fellow.
"You know I've been studying this summer with the young professor
who has been boarding at our house, and father has arranged it so that
when he returns to teach at the university I shall go back with him, not
to the college of course, but as his private pupil. I shall work very hard
at my studies and hope another year to enter college.
"Well, father was speaking to Mr. Barnes of my aspirations, and his
plans for me, when Joel stepped over to where they stood talking, and
said he,
"'Ain't that goin' ter be pooty expensive, Mr. Potts, an' likely ter put
kind er high notions inter Jotham's head?'
"Father turned and looked at