Carl and the Cotton Gin

ith a speed incredible of belief. A big blizzard a week before it, which transformed the suburban districts into a wonderland of bea

t is an old-fashioned institution that belongs to the past. Here in town there is neither a place for

Timmie. "It isn't snow,

protested his Scotch mother reminiscently. "Then you would not say you

mb, Mother?" inquire

k your big brother;

a Tartary lamb,

mb," began Nell, who

nd kissed her, "and its fleece was white as snow, too, for the song sa

y lamb, anyway, M

to put a length of

hinking you must pack up your traps to-morrow and start for some place you never had seen. But by and by the compass was invented, larger and better ships came to be built, and men got the idea the world was round instead of flat (as they had at one time supposed), a discovery that comforted vastly the timid souls who had always been afraid of falling off the edge of it. Therefore, when it was at last proved that should you sail far, far away your ship, inst

came to America,

e other half rejoiced that they weren't. And when he came back there was great excitement to hear where he had been and what he had seen! Every word he spoke was passed from mouth to

n he gets home from t

ld. Sometimes the stories had been passed on to them by the natives of the strange countries they visited, and

us, Mother,"

be. Some of the eastern natives told the visitors that in each pod grew a little lamb with soft, white fleece. Orientals were very ignorant in those days. The Tartars went even farther and said the lamb bent the stalk he lived on down to the ground and ate all the food within reach; and when he had nibbled up all the grass and roots around him he died,

of them!" s

nd adopt wiser and better ones. So it was in the past. The world was very young in those days, you must remember, and people did not know so much about it as we do now. And even we, with all our wisdom, are going to be laughed at years hence, pr

was s

that ancient story, as I hope you will sometime, you will be less surprised to hear that even he declared that he had seen cotton growing and that when the pod of the plant was cut op

ery idea!"

ie!" Carl

le believed the yarn that he probably thought he was telling the truth. And as for eating it-well, he just had a strain of Jack Murphy in him. Besides, there were no schools in 1322 to teach Sir

ave them, didn't

lic stopped believing such a ri

u can imagine what discussions such an assertion as that raised. The public had come to like the notion of the Tartary lamb and did not wish to give it up; besides, if the story were all a myth, it put the travelers who had told it in a very bad light, and shook the confidence of readers in some of th

Gregor

he rest did not live long enough to lear

At least he had the courage to make a trip to a strange and distant land, and for that we should respect him since it took nerve to travel in those days. Moreover he did his par

you feel; and how sm

hy

if we didn't count for

stantly retorted her mother. "Each one of us can have a shar

, Mo

ahead will be its civilization. Progress is not all in wonderful discoveries of science, in fine architecture, or in great books; much of it lies in the peoples of the globe lea

of that before,

ions grow. You know yourself that you cannot build up anything when somebody else is waiting to knock it down the minute you have it finished. Under such conditions it hardly seems wor

they forget about the work

abbles, they lose sight of the splendid big thing they were put here to do. In ot

from one earnest

ppose we talk of something else-Christmas. It will be here now before we know it. What shall we do this year? Sh

studied her ch

a lot before you are through wit

in the park, anyway," Carl put i

ours, our very own tr

rted his older brother. "And think of the lights! They are al

"But it isn't our tree-

Timmie," Mary explained gently. "Mother ca

pted Mrs. McGregor, touched at seeing the child so

" objected Tim stubbornly. "I w

ourt," interrupted Martin, extending

g tree, too,"

and each season the ceremony, before it was over, made appalling inroads on her slender purse. This time it had been her plan to curtail expenses and put what was spent into the more substantial and lasting things. But now as she glanced about h

er diplomatically. "We will think it over until to-m

he door inte

d she. "Very likely it's the boy from the corn

f Mulberry Court were so few that to admit even so pros

tood there, a man with ruddy cheeks, a stern mouth, and blue eyes whose sharpness was softened by a moist, far-away expression. From beneath a nautical blue c

ttons, in his limited experience, meant either firemen or pol

e Frederick, do you, sonn

a rush she made for the door! Gauze, spangles, scissors, and spool flew in all directions

e little old gentleman she laughed, cried, and utte

k Dillingham. This is Carl, the oldest one-a good boy as ever lived (if he is always tearing his clothes). The next is Mary; she's going on thirteen and is quite a little housekeeper even now. Timmie, who let you in, is nine. An

f the truth must be told) no small measure

long coat that disguised him had been removed and the magic bundle opened Uncle Frederick Dillingham would issue forth in a garb startling, resplendent, and more in accordance with their mental pictures of him. But to their profound disappointment, when the great coat was tossed aside, it concealed no ermine-robed hero; nor was there crown or scepter in the bu

and at lengt

ered, hiding her face

Gregor hurriedly. "Your uncle is no policeman, th

whole family joined in it. After that, everything was easy. Uncle James Frederick Dillingham tucked his coat

me onions. You were ever fond of a steak smothered in onions, Frederick. Timmie, you shall set the table with a place for your uncle Frederick

host sprang

sed in all my born days as to see you standing there on the mat! Wherever did you come from?

patted her hand w

ports to stop at and cargo to unload. Add to this a fracas with the engine and you'll readily unders

he pantry with a clean tablecloth. "But it matters not now; the ship is safe in port and y

an her broth

er heathen spot! No shipowners would be so heartless as to ask you to do that. Besides, very like the

twinkled and the corners o

me. She had a tough voyage. Still, she don't mind it much. She's a thoroughbred that takes what comes without whimpering. That's the lady of

ave a better voyage hom

be almost too tame for me. I like the kick of the sea. Still, heavy winds that hold you back all the way over as these held us,

ny storms

call there was a nasty typhoon in the Indian Ocean that kept us busy for a while. B

hem all as if they were no more than flies on the wall. He had seen the Indian Ocean on the map-an area of blue edged about with

with the myth of purple and ermine the latter tradition shriveled into something very minor in importance. Was not the master of

es into the oven. "The children know little of foreign lands. Nor do I know as much

, Uncle Frederick?"

India and J

es glowed wi

ig ship to some place that was diff

ulberry Court!" sighed Captain Dillingham. "And perhaps had you

a peep at somethi

the sea captain jocosely. "Who knows! I may be

rom Mrs. McGregor i

ntry. Besides, traveling the world is a great way to study its geography. I'll be willing to wager, now, that not one of the

the assertion and th

ingham triumphantly. "And should I try them on the

ness was

ere that there are crocodiles in t

cle ch

anges is something. Perhaps I shall make a tourist of you yet. But you will have

d now with disconcerting frankness proclaimed his aversion i

nced toward his sister

continued, "I can teach you better geography than that, laddie. Countries aren't just little pieces of pink, yellow, or bl

d drawn closer

lephants," pleaded T

eady for a lesson in geography-much

oiled with waiting. Show your uncle where to sit, Mary. And, Timmie, bring the salt. It's been forgot

ievously, "admit that even in India you'v

," returned Captain Dillingham. "Not all the sultans o