THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 215 



the five hundred pair of eyes levelled at him. How 

 quickly everybody found him out ! 



" Make way for the boy," said a burly man near by. 



li Come, sonny. Go get your prize. You won it fairly. 

 I've seen you at work, and you deserve it, because you 

 did not mind the talk they made about you." 



Johnny climbed doion, and, the crowd making a lane for 

 him, he started to get his prize. Kate mustered courage 

 to follow him.. As she went along all sorts of remarks fell 

 on her ear : 



"Good for them ! They done it theirselves. So much 

 for not being afraid of work, nor of the mean talk." 



When they reached the front of the stage, Kate was sur- 

 prised to see the faded little Widow Scrabbins and her 

 gossipy friends ; Farmer Goo ding and his blooming daugh- 

 ters ; a certain one-armed yourfg man ; and she even thought 

 she saw her father and mother, both looking very 

 radiant. 



The president leaned forward and said to Johnny : 



" Is your name Wellson ? " 



"Yes, sir. John Wellson, Jr. I will take the prize." 

 . Kate pinched his arm, and the president laughed good- 

 naturedly. 



" With pleasure. You have fairly won the prize. 

 Such an industrious worker deserves this, and more." 



A new twenty-dollar bill was placed in his hands, and 

 the people crowded round to congratulate him. 



