hrow out sprats to catch
herring. To get together the money that specialist demands to treat
Lottie's eyes, you must endeavor to increase your trade. Make the store
just as attractive as possible. That's business, I believe. Daddy would
say so, I am sure."

Hopewell allowed himself to be convinced. There was not a store in town
as attractive as Drugg's, after Clean-Up Day. The whole of Poketown,
indeed, was in a new dress. The trees were just budding out nicely,
there was a breath of lilac in the air, and the lawns were raked clean
and showed a velvety, green sheen that was delightful to the eye.

The old Town Hall had been repainted. Had it not been for the opposition
of Elder Concannon, the young folks would have collected money for the
repainting of the Union Church. However, they cleaned everything around
it--yard and all--till it was as spick and span as it could be. And the
burial ground in the rear of the church was made beautiful, too. The
edges of the paths were trimmed, the paths themselves raked, and all the
tottering headstones were set up straight.

Gates were rehung and fences straightened all over town. A smell of
fresh paint rivaled the scent of the bursting lilac blooms. Never had
Poketown been so busy.

The cleaning-up process went on inside the houses as well as out. Of
course, among pure-blooded New English housewives, such as the majority
of Poketown matrons were, there were few drones. They prided themselves
on their housekeeping.

Earlier than usual the carpets went out on the lines, the curtains at
chamber and sitting-room windows were renewed, there was a smell of soap
and water in every entry, as one pushed the door open, and altogether
Poketown was generally turned out of doors, aired, dusted, and brought
back again into thoroughly clean rooms.

The old Day house had its "ridding up," too. Janice gave her aunt
considerable help; but Mrs. Day was not the slovenly housekeeper she had
been when first the girl had come to Poketown. Even Uncle Jason kept
himself more neatly than ever before. And he went to the barber's at
frequent intervals.

Janice once went down to the dock to see the _Constance Colfax_ come in.
There was the usual crowd of loafers waiting for the boat--all perched
along the stringpiece of the wharf.

"But I declare!" thought Janice, her eyes dancing, "somebody certainly
_has_ 'slicked 'em up,' as Mrs. Scattergood would say. Whoever would
believe it! Walky has got a new