He was as fond of Freddie as Freddie was of him, and he was always ready to do anything for the little boy, from carrying him on his back (for Freddie was only six years old) to picking oranges for him to eat as he sat on the grass beneath the cool shade of a tree. Freddie's seventh birthday had come round, and his father had sent him a kind little letter saying that if he wanted almost anything he could get him he should have it.
Freddie was delighted, and began to think what he should ask for. He had everything a reasonable boy could wish for. At last he thought of something. It was this he would ask for—Uncle Sam's freedom.
He sat down at once and wrote a note to his father saying the thing he most wished for was Uncle Sam's freedom, and he should be very pleased if his father would grant it to him. Then he sealed it up, and running out told a servant to ride with it to his father.
He did not tell Uncle Sam anything about it, for fear his father would not grant his request.
When his birthday came, he had a present from his mother and some little things from nearly all the servants of the household (for they all liked him), but there was no letter.
After breakfast, he wandered out into the garden, and walked towards some high ground to see whether he could see anything of a messenger. Yes! there sure enough was a horseman riding towards the house, and by the time Freddie had got to the door the man had reached it. He handed Freddie a letter, which he eagerly tore open.
When he had read it, he ran quickly to Uncle Sam's hut, for his father had said that though it was rather a surprising request he would grant it, for Uncle Sam had served him for more than forty years.
When Freddie reached the hut Uncle Sam was sitting on a stone outside the cottage door, smoking his pipe. Freddie leaned against his knee and read him the letter, and when Uncle Sam heard it he thanked his little benefactor so much that Freddie declared he had never enjoyed a birthday present so much.
Edith E. Lucy.
(Aged 12.)
Thornleigh, 50, Woodstock Road, Oxford.
Certified by Alice Lucy (Mother).