reserving pretty things for Sundays. Our school was a small, two room one but with two very good teachers. So as she had the pants, mother started me in them at five instead of waiting till I was ready for school. 1 liked my dresses but was rather proud that I had been promoted to pants earlier than most boys. There were no boys my age near us, so I played with a girl, Karen, Williams, living a short distance down the road. Mrs. Williams was baking that fateful day and had promised us a small cake of our own. So I was all built up to go that afternoon.

A circus had been in town. With no money to spare none of us went, but I had studied the posters, and there was one of a man walking a rope high up in the tent. So with one of mother's clothes line props to balance me, I was walking the top scantling of the old picket fence in front. I stepped on a rotten spot and down I went. My last pants had been patched till they looked like an old style quilt, and what original cloth was left was too thin to hold stitches. Most of the rear caught on a picket, and I left it behind. My hide was not hurt but my feelings were, and I went crying in to mother with the piece in hand wanting her to sew it back on. I did not know it, but she was badly worried about school clothes for me. Dresses were no problem, but boys clothes had to be bought, and summer holiday time was the worst season of the year financially with so many customers away. To make it worse, a new roof and other repairs she could not put off had left her in debt again.

At my demand she about threw up her hands.

"I can't patch them any more, the stuff is too thin to hold a patch."

"Well, what can I wear then?"

"Nothing that I can think of now. You will just have to put on your nightgown till I can think of some- thing."

My sobs increased.

"How can I go to Karen's in

my nighty. Mrs. Williams is making a cake for us. 听

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