The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-12-25

to push your spectacles up ow the
short white curls on your fora bead,
one pair after another, and foff bet all
about them.
She mislaid her handkerchie still
oftener. Gerty would sometimes
pick up six of these useful sHticles
in one day where the old adwtlrop-
ped them as she went abopt the
house; but the most Troublesome of
all her habits was way she Dad of
putting her pocket-book in &some
queer place every.night, or IL ever
she left home in the day tinlf and
then utterly forgetting who's she
had secreted it from the burglars or
thieves she had all her life exI kcted.
The house she lived in "a her
own, but Doctor White, win had
married her daughter Maria, Hnted
it of her, and the rent paid her
board she had a thousand do4ars
year beside, half of which Ae re-
served for her dress and her 9hari-
ties, keeping the other half fn her
Christmas grifts to her children and
grandchildren. There were a. of
these last, and the ten always &ded
something. Gerty White, thagdoc-
tors daughter, was twelve year. old;
she had three brothers: Tom, bhn,
and Harry, all older than sheswas.
Mrs. Rutlege, who had been Anie
Grant, was widow with three
daughters = Sylvia, Amelia, land
Anne, these latter two now obi in
society, and always glad of new
dresses, bonnets, gloves, rihbons,
lace, and the thousand small fineries
girls never have to their full satis-
faction. There were Thomas Giants
two girls of thirteen and fifteen,
Rosamond and Kate, and his1ittle
boy Hal, crippled in his babMhood |
so that he must always % on
but as bright and Happy
as Grandma herself, and her srime
favorite.
Now it was Grandma's wav to
draw her money out of the bank
two week before Christmas, add 20
into Boston with Mrs. White toybuy
all the things she had previously
thought over for these ten and their
and one winter she had
made herself all ready to take ten
o'clock train, and had just taken her
pocket book out of the drawer, when
she was called down stairs to DE a
poor woman who had come begping
ior some clothes for her HUSBAND
"Come rightup stairs, Mrs. Slaek,"
said Grandma. Il don't have many
applications for mems things, 10 l
guess there's coat of Mr.. Grant's
put away in the camphor chest, ad
maybe vest or so; you sit ripht
lown by my fire whilst | go I'd in
he garret and look"
1t took Grandma some time to
ind the clothes under tho shawls
md blankets in the chest, and wien
ihe had given them to Mrs. Slack
he had to hurry to the station with
ler daughter, and the cars being on
he track they did not stop to get
ickets, but were barely in time ~
ind seats when the train rolled off.
The conductor came around in few
and Grandma put her hanl
n her pocket, suddenly turned pale
'pened her big satchel and turned /
'ut all its contents, stood up alm
hook her dress, looked on the flood
nd when Mrs. White said in amaz4
nent, "What is the matter, mother9'
he answered curtly, "I've lost n1s
pocket book"
"Was it in your pocket?" asked
Iaria.
"Yes at least ! s'pose so; l ca
ainly took it out of my drawer, for
noticed how heavy twas that new
asher gave me gold for most OF X I
on see." H.
you'd have known then il von
ropped it on the way, mother"
~ should think so; any way,A
ant go to Boston without it,. We {
nay as well stop at the next station
nd go back"
So back they went; asked at tlle
icked office if any such thing had
een picked up on the platform, and
eaving Il description Of it, weni ,
ather forlornly to the house. Hert
terrible upturning of everything
ook place; drawers We're emptied
runks explored, even the camphot !
hest examined to its depths, and
in it shaken out.
"lou don't suspect Mrs. Slack Y
inquired Maria.
Sally Slack no, indeed. re
nown her thirty year, Maria shes
$ honest as the daylight"
Still Maria thought it best to send
Or Mrs. Slack and inquire if she had