Thomas County cat., 1886-02-18
A QUEER GIFT.

A careless nail-it must have been
the nail which was careless-had torn
Bert's coat, but Aunt Marion had just
finished the bit of delicate darning that
made the jagged rent invisible. She
was shaking out the garment to hang
it away, when something dropped from
one of the pockets and fell on the'car-
pet at her feet. She picked it up-a
little brown leafy roll-snifed its odor
disdainfully, and, resisting her first in
clination to toss it into the CRATE, slow
ly laid it on the table beside her.
"Well, that is just what have sus-
pected for some time," she said. ''Poor
Bert! l suppose he thinks himself on
lhe sure road to manliness now"
The words were spoken only y to her
self, however; she said nothing to any
one else about it, though she sat for
few minutes with q very thoughtful
face before she hung the coat away and
took up other work. If Bert missed
anything from his pocket. he made no
Marion made none, and, as she did not,
he soon forgot the trilling affair in
what he considered more important
matters. Chief among these was his
birthday, which came a few days later,
and it was a very bright face which
greeted the parcels that lay beside his
plate at breakfast.
.sBut what is this?" he asked, with
puzzled look, as, in among the looks,
telescopes and half dozen other
things that he waDted. he discovered
neat little box holding only a short
steel chain.
"That? Why that is wrist chain,"
answered Aunt Marion, with great ear
nestness, as if the question were sur
prising one. sis it the right size, l
wonder? l had to guess at that" She
came around to his side, and lifting the
chain, slipped a steel ring attached to
it over his little finger; then, drawing
the ends of the chain down, she fast
ened them around his wrist. "Fits eX-
actly, doesn't it?" she said enthusi-
astically.
"Yes m, but Bert hesitated. From
her manner he fancied that it was
something he ought to know all about
and appreciate very highly. but he
really could not see its value. "What
is it for, Aunt Marion?"
"Why, to wear on your wrist. Don't
you see?" replied his aunt, giving it
another twist and settling it to her sat
iSfaction.
"Some new fashion that 1 haven't
heard about, l suppose" muttered
Bert to himself, looking dolefully at
his new adornment as he carried his
treasures up to his room. ''WOmen
have fancy for every new-fanglcd no
ton, so presume auntie thinks this is
something very nice; but declare don't
see the sense of it, He appreciated it
still less rs he went about his morning
work. 1t caught. tangled and Obtrudcd
itself disagreeably. sNot very con-
venient,'' he ventured to suggest to
Aunt Marion. But that lady only an
swered placidly:
''Oh, don't think you will mind
that very much when you get accus-
toned 70 it So she really expected
him to wear the troublesome thing and
get used to it! He was pondering the
subject when his friend Ralph came in
to see the new telescope.
"Hello! what are yon wearing that
dog-collar for?' he questioned, curl
ously, as Bert displayed his hand in az
ranging the glass.
ITS new thing. Didn't you ever see
one before?' asked Bert, coloring a
little.
.'Lots of them-on the necks of
canines," declared Ralph. with uncere-
monious frankness; "but l don't see
what you want to wear one on your
arm for"
swell, the fact is, / don't" con-
fessed Bert, "but don't know exactly
what to do about It. You see, it is one
of my birthday gifts-some new-fash-
ioned arrangement that has taken
auntie's fancy" 1t was a fashion of
which Ralph had never heard, and he
said so. His visits and comments left
Bert still less pleased with the odd gift
he had received. At last he decided to
talk it over with Aunt Marion:
''YOu see, l am ever so much obliged
to you, auntie, but ] don't know just
what to do with the thing" he ex-
planned. "What is the good of wear
ing it?''
''Oh, don't suppose there is any
good in it," answered Aunt Marion,
serenely.
'.Well, l don't think it is very-orna-
mental. YOU know" ventured Bert,
hesitatingly.
''Oh dear, no!-not the least bit or
namental." assented his aunt.
''And. besides, it's incOnvenient."
Probably; but l think you would
grow accustomed to that after awhile,
and not notice it much"
"But what is the use of getting ac-
customed to it-a chain like that?"
demanded Bert, growing more and
more bewildered. "Whht would you
want to wear it for?'
81? Oh, wouldn't want to wear it
for anything," declared Aunt Marion,
rs placidly as before. ''It is unsightly.
inconvenient and utterly useless. l
wouldn't wear it, but your taste might
be different"
"You must have q high opinion Of