2 THE DOGBERRY BUNCH.

ee eee ee te ee SS SS SS

“ Wouldn't it be nice,” exclaimed Jack, who appro-
piately first breaks silence in this history, being the
tinkler who usually led the flock, “if we’d all do as |
children do in stories: set out to seek our fortunes!
All start from this house and agree to meet in a year,
or several years,
and every fellow
try to bring back
the most!”

‘*But who'd
keep house while
we were gone?”
inquired Maude

“Q, the house
could keep itself
like it always
does !”

*T guess Loo
<oesn’t find that
to be the case,”
remarked Ben,. smiling on the housekeeper.

“Jack always thinks the bread makes itself, and
his clothes get clean only with his wearing them — ¥

“O, I’m not denying you're useful, Lucephus,”
cried gay Jack, “you’re good for a well-rope, and
you'd make a first-rate step-ladder ; and if you only
would take your stand in the garden and stay there
T’d never have to cut a bean-pole.”

“T don’t think such remarks sound very well, ad-
dressed to your sister,” came the soft contralto of
Alice the teacher, who far from being the young lady
which a city girl at her age would appear, was only a
plump, fair child like the others, but with more grav-
ity, and with longer dresses than Lucy’s. Country
girls mature slowly.

At this instant Rheem started up, exploding the
question :

“How much money has the ’Sociation, now, Treas-
urer?’” Upon this, all the seven faces including
Arthur’s — he always imitating his brothers and sis-
ters— put on a serious look, and the seven voices
inquired cautiously as became the voices of stock-
holders:

6G Why ? ”?

“ Because, if we’ve got much as six dollars’ and a
half we can buy the nicest pig of Mr. Smith and fat
him for winter!” -

 

“Rome AND RHEEM.”

 

“We need a pig,” admitted Ben, in meditation. |

“The prettiest little fellow,” pleaded Rheem;
“ and [ll take care of him, and Jack will make a pen
if he is as smart as he is at fixing up some othe
things ”’—

Here Jack winked pleadingly and shook his head
at Remus. 7

“ But isn’t it against our rules,” said Lucy, “ to spend
the Association money on things for our use? I
thought it was to start a—a—”

“A fund,” said Ben.

“Well, Rome is secretary,” cried Jack. “ Better
get the papers and see.”

Maude ran accordingly to the candle-box in which
her valuables were stored, and returned with a fistfull
of paper bits.. As she turned these records over, a
desire arose from the family to thoroughly review
their Association; so at their request she read the
following Constitution and By-laws:

THE ASSOCIATION,

We want to Club together to save money because
we are orphans and got to look out for ourselves.
And we do not want to be separated. Each one
must put in what he can, and vote what will be done
with it.

BY-LAWS.

ist. None of this money can be drawn out to
spend for candy.
and. If four of the Association agree to any invest- |
ment, the rest will have to give up.
3rd. Every month we will take ten cents out of our
fund to give to the Lord.
4th, No member can draw the Association money
unless all the others are agreed.
6th. It shall be invested in the best ways we can
find out.
Signed:
BEN?ZAMIN DOGBERRY,
ALICE DOGBERRY,
GFACK DOGBERRY,
LUCY DOGBERRKY,
RHEEM DOGBERRY,
MAUDE DOGBERRY,

his

ARTHUR » DOGBERRY

mark

Maude, Secrerary,