The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-12-13
MY BIRTHDAY.


ting in our little sitting-room, our best room,
but not parlor, for mother would never call
the little box OF a room by so dlgnihed q
title, and for the hundredth time they were
telling me what they knew of my life.
you see, Birdie said mother, as l had
always called her, cit was u stormy night
and Jack had been detained at the store--he
was cash-boy at Cotton & Co.'S then-but
just as he w IS running up the steps about z
O'Clock he met n woman hurrying down
them. She :ushed by without speaking,
and he, when he reached the door, almost
stumbled over a basket where you lay all
snugged up In warm nannelG All, but you
were a nice baby, my deari"
''Pity my mother hadn't thought sou / sar-
castically observed.
"Undoubtedly you would have Jared better
than in our humble home" said Jack,
grimly.
'why, Jack, you don't think I meant that,
do you, dearln / hastily asked cit made me
feel badly to think my own aesh and blood
would abandon me and trust me with
strangers, that's all"
"That was seventeen years ago tomorrow
night meditated mother, unheeding our
conversation
"Yes," chimed In I, anxious to clear the
cloud from Jacks forehead; land you have
always called 1t my birthday, and have al
ways made the day so pleasant for me, too.
Let me see" / ratified on, you thought l
must have been about q year old, and so am
Is tomorrow. Have you made my birthday
cake yet, motherf"
"Yes, indeed. And that reminds me I
MIST go out and sec to the frosting Of 1t too
tonight Nc, you stay right here. Watch
her Jack, for she's not to see tho cake until
tomorrow"
/ retreated before her laughing command,
and seeing how sour Jack still looked l de-
termined to do my very best to make him
behave like his own self again. Psrching
myself on the arm OF his chair 1 loaned over,
trying to catch his eye.
"Cross, dearl' l asked, very sweetly.
No" he replied in n tone that said, Eyes,
decidedly so; let me alone" But l was not
to be rebuffed.
Slipping my arms around his neck / drew
his face around toward mine
YOU'RE sorry you didn't send me 70 tho
~Foundlings' Home, aren't youi It's enough
to make any one cross to think how he has
been troubled for seventeen years just be
cause he was so soft-hearted over q miserable
little baby whose own people didn't care
about keeping it Are you sorry, Jackf'
"Are you, BirdT'
He suddenly Strengthened up, a look In
his dark eyes l had never noticed there be
fore.
"what nave 1 to be sorry forF' 1 asked
Wasn't 1 thrown into the hands of the dear
est, kindest mother and brother q girl evel
hadrt
eyes, dear-that is, we've always mean
kindness; but still | am not your brother
Bird.H
Il know 1t, but / love you just as wel,n
began, but some way under the steady lool
our Jacks beautiful eyes / could not go OF
with my usual protestations of affection, as
had always been in the habit Of doing, and
drew my arm away from about his neck
But l d don't want you to, Bird he sale
slowly, and then he went on eagerly: "My
darling, l want you to love me just us well a,
l do you, dear | want you for my very own
for my wife, Bird
Clasping me close in his strong arms he tolC
me how happy l could make him by saying
that l loved him
And so strongly did he argue his case tina
some way l was completely won over to hi
way OF thinking, and before the great birth
day cake was frosted, Jack and l were en-
gagged.
"Pve accepted Jack as a birthday gift"
whispered to mother as l ran out
A radiant look Of surprised Joy fairly tllu,
mined her dear old face as she comprehendeC
the meaning Of my remark.
at has been the wish Of my lite,n shl
whispered, kissing me softy. "Be ready fol
other birthday gifts tomorrow she calico
after me-
20, happy bIrthdayT I whispered wher
tomorrow dawned, and !, awaling, remem
bered my promise TO Jack. "what bettel
gift could l ave asked than The gift OF deai
Jacks lover
Several little tokens were at my breakfas
plate, some very expensive, too, for slnc'
jacks pictures had begun TO sell so well anC
orders poured in faster than be could exc
cute them he had begun TO be quite extrava
CANT
He had gratined an oft-expressed wish o.
mine by having a little cameo earring, founS
In the basket in which they first found me
set In O ring for me for one OF my birthday
presentz It was an exquisite, clearly-cui
cameo, and II had a decidedly unique setting
SO / had always INDUCED in the hope tina
some time, perhaps, / might learn through 1
who my parents were.
1t had evidently dropped Into the baske
by mistake. for there was nothing else abou
ME to identify me-. There was none OF tbs
pruvurbinl strawberry marks or moles so OF
ton found on lost children In stories, so I hal
only tho cameo to connect mo with the IN
known past
Sol slipped 1t on my finger, and whel
Jack told me to keep 1t for an engagement
ring until he could procure another 1t becaml
doubly dear to me
By-and-by as soon as breakfast wns IN
ished, much to my surprise and disappoint
ment, my lover went up to his studio and re
manned invisible for two hours
He might have spent my birthday Will
me, anyway" l pouted Us l plodded up-stair,
feeling blue enough. / knocked at tn
door OF his studio. mo Just now, doar, Tn
busy came In Jacks voice from beyond thu
door. Angry and indignant, for be had al
lowed me to spend my mornings there To-
two months past, l silently went to my owl
room
And / was angrier stin when not ton min
utes later his door opened to admit Mile
Griffith, q fellow from tho Artists club.
And then 1 was ready to cry with vsxation
They had always petted and spoiled me
mother and Jack, and let mo have my ow1
way, 50 that I could not bear even this littl
neglect gracefully.
And besides we were just engaged, an
Jack, it seemed to me, wasn't acting just a
he ought unde the circumstances
At last / was determined to no meaI
enough to listen and hear il 1 could wha
they were talking about so earnestly in tn
studio.
Ne, / found out at once, for Jack had Jus
spoken my name as l guilty put my ear b
the keyhole. "a disagreeable thing TO do,
admit, but as | mean this to be q faithful
account OF my birthday, and as / really diI
listen at the keyhole, l record it.l
II have made a great mistake said Jack
signing heavily.
Icouldn't distinguish Mr.. Griflth's reply
but ], hushing my breath, heard Jack sa
again;
ut has always been my mothers wish
did 1t more to please her, l suppose. Sh
loves Bird dearly, and