Books: Master Sunshine
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Mrs. C. F. Fraser >> Master Sunshine
At a word from him Jacob quickly threw the covering from the
package which he had placed on the desk, and the boys exclaimed
with delight at the beautiful model of a fountain which was
displayed.
They surrounded it in an instant, and were quick to admire every
detail--the great horse with his shaggy mane on top, the tiny mug
hung at the faucets for wayfarers, the wide trough for horses and
cows, and the four little basins for dogs and birds.
"This is the model of the fountain you are to earn," said their
new friend pleasantly. "You may keep it in your schoolroom as a
reminder."
Just didn't these boys cheer. The schoolhouse fairly shook with
the noise and tumult they made. They gathered like bees about
their friend to promise him that they would earn the fountain
faithfully, and to thank him a dozen times over for the beautiful
books.
At this, Almira Jane, who had been listening with a happy smile to
the little speech, suddenly threw off the cover of her basket; and
there, lying on white napkins, were layers of the crispest
doughnuts and dozens of molasses cookies of her most delicious
make.
The boys needed no invitation to fall to, for the sight of the
dainties was quite enough; and Dick took care that Billy, whose
hungry eyes were looking in at the door, should have a share as
well.
A few minutes later all the fun was over. Almira Jane, waving her
empty basket to rid it of the crumbs, climbed into the carriage;
and at Mr. Patterson's request Master Sunshine and Tommy accepted
his place, while he remained for a quiet talk with Mr. Sinclair.
The rest of the boys sauntered happily home, with a pleasant word
each for Billy, who by this time was so amazed at the good fortune
that had befallen him that he could find no words in which to
express his feelings.
But that was not all, I can tell you. The boys were full of the
new idea; and strange as it may seem, the more kind things they
saw done, the more they were anxious to do themselves, and nearly
all the objectionable pastimes they had formerly engaged in were
laid aside. No one ever went fishing just for the pleasure of
throwing the panting, struggling fish on the grass; no one ever
tormented frogs, or pulled the wings off the poor flies nowadays.
The boys of the Hill-top school had taken all living things under
their protection, and you may be sure that they put down all kinds
of thoughtless cruelty.
It was just a year from the day on which they made their bargain
with Mr. Patterson that the fountain was set up. It was shrouded
in a great flag until it should be finally unveiled.
It was a great day in the village, I can tell you. Never before
had the Hill-top schoolboys been so looked up to. The fountain was
their gift to the village. They had earned it faithfully and well.
They were all there, drawn up in a circle about the fountain,--
Ralph and Dick and Tommy and Master Sunshine, and all the other
pupils of the school. Close by were gathered their relatives and
friends; for the formal unveiling was felt to be a most important
matter, and the whole village had turned out to witness the
ceremony.
Mrs. Norton was looking very pleased and happy over some words
that Mr. Patterson said quietly in her ear, while Lucy, now a baby
no longer, cried out from her post on her father's shoulder, "It's
dee Suns'ine's fountain, it's dee Suns'ine's fountain;" and Almira
Jane dressed in her best bib and tucker, and Jacob dressed in his
Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, looked across at each other very
kindly.
Presently Mr. Patterson in a few words told of the events that had
led to the erection of the fountain, and Mr. Sinclair called on
Master Frederick Norton to pull down the great flag that veiled
the fountain from view. A cry of admiration went up from the crowd
as the fountain, a most beautiful work of art, burst on their
view.
At a second signal from Mr. Sinclair, plenteous streams of
sparkling water gushed into the troughs and basins, while the boys
of the Hill-top school burst into a song which their teacher had
especially prepared for the occasion.
Gyp and Tim meantime, who had followed their young masters from
home, suddenly realized what all the disturbance was about, and
with one accord they made their way through the crowd, and began
to lap up water from the dog-basins with as little concern as if
they had been used to these luxuries all their lives.
Master Sunshine's eyes were with his pet, you may be sure; and
suddenly he stopped singing right in the middle of a verse, and
gazed in wonder at the words which were carved low down at the
base of the fountain, "I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink."
"How could Mr. Patterson know the very text I liked best of all?"
he said to himself. And he pondered over it all that day. In the
evening, after he had tended to his Cochin Chinas and captured the
Guinea hens in the very act of stealing away, and had seen that
the Wanderer and his Wife were under shelter, a light suddenly
broke on him.
"O Almira Jane, I believe it was you who told!" he exclaimed as he
burst into the kitchen; and although she never would admit it, I
think she did.