"You inform your dad that at any sign of balking by him, I'll put HIM
in Lucy Zoo, and pay a boy to prod him with a sharp stick, until his
approval is in my hands." This brought such a rollicking laugh that a
man mowing City Hall lawn had to laugh, too.
Now, (Ah! But I can't avoid saying it!) our Organization was out again;
but, now having grown a bit from such childish youths as had, at first
stood in its ranks, a boy, now approaching manhood, and a girl, now a
young woman, could solicit funds with an ability to talk knowingly in
favor of any factor that a hanging-back contributor could bring up in
running down such a proposition. You can always count on finding that
class in any city or town upon any occasion for public works; but I can
proudly say that many saw good in our Organization's plan; and Lucy
soon found that out, in Old Lady Flanagan.
"Whoops! A zoo, is it? And pray, phwat can't thot crazy Gadsby think
up? If our big Mayor had four sich bys as I brought into this woild;
worra, worra! his parlor, halls, dinin' room an' back yard 'd furnish
him wid a zoo, all right! Wid two always a-scrappin' about a ball bat
or a sling shot; a brat continually a-bawlin' about nuthin'; an' a baby
wid whoopin' cough, _I_ know phwat a zoo is, widout goin' to City Park
to gawk at a indigo baboon, or a pink tom cat."
"But," said Lucy, trying hard not to laugh; "Mayor Gadsby isn't
thinking of putting in pink tom cats, nor any kind of tom cats in this
zoo. It is for only _wild_ animals."
"WILD!! Say, if you could look into my back door as Old Man Flanagan
quits work, an' brings back a load o' grog, you'd find thot you had
wild animals roight in this town, all roight, all roight."
But, as on so many occasions, this charming girl got a contribution,
with Old Lady Flanagan calling out from a front window:--
"Good luck, Lucy darlin'! I'm sorry I was so dom cranky!"
But though popular opinion was in favor of having a zoo, popular
opinion didn't hand in donations to within four thousand dollars of
what it would cost to install; and Gadsby and his "gang" had to do a
bit of brain racking, so as not to disappoint lots of good folks who
_had_ paid in. Finally, Sarah Young thought of a rich woman living just
across from City Park. This woman, Lady Standish, was of that kind,
loving disposition which would bring in a cold, hungry, lost pup, or
cat, and fill it up with hot food and milk. Branton Hills kids could
bring any kind of a hurt or sick animal or bird; and Sarah had long
known that that back yard was, actually, a small zoo, anyway; with
dogs, cats, poultry, two robins too young to fly, four sparrows and
a canary, almost bald. Sarah thought that any woman, loving animals
as Lady Standish did, might just thrill at having a big zoo-ful right
at hand. So, saying, "I'll go and find out, right now," was off as an
arrow from a bow. As soon as this kindly woman found out what was on
Sarah's mind, our young solicitor got a loving kiss, with:--
"A zoo! Oh! how truly charming! What _grand_ things Mayor Gadsby
can think up without half trying!" And Sarah had to grin, thinking
of Lucy, and Old Lady Flanagan's opinion of His Honor! "You may not
know it, Sarah," said Lady Standish, "but John Gadsby and I had a big
flirtation, way back in our school days. And HOW downcast poor Johnny
was at my finding a husband out of town! But that was long, long ago,
darling. So, just to sort of pacify my old pal, John, I'll gladly put
up your missing four thousand; and you go to His Honor and say that I
wish him all sorts of good luck with this plan."
Now, Olympic champions must train continuously, but, customarily, in
gymnasiums. But today, folks in Branton Hills' shopping district had to
turn and gasp; for a young woman was sprinting wildly toward City Hall;
for Sarah was in a hurry. Gadsby was just coming out, as this girl, as
badly blown as Lucy was in asking for a zoo, ran up, calling out:--
"I GOT IT!! I GOT IT!!"
"Got what? A fit?"
"No! I got that final four thousand dollars! It's from Lady Standish,
who says that way back in school days, you and----"
"Whoa!! That was back in _history!_" but Gadsby was blushing, and Sarah
was winking, coyly.
Now Gadsby was as fond of his Organization boys and girls as of his
own; and Sarah was so radiantly happy that all His Honor could say
was:--
"My, now, Sarah! That's mighty good work! And as I told Lucy I'd call
our zoo Lucy Zoo for thinking of it, I'll find a way to honor you, too.
Aha! I'll put up a big arch, through which all visitors must pass, and
call it 'Sarah Young's Rainbow Arch.' How's that?"