The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-02-20

and faneies about me yet, II am seventy
odd years old, and like to see pretty
girl dressed up, especially II she is my
own flesh and blood, And I've brought
you little diamond hair ornament-a
fleur- de-lis set ON long gold stem-that
wore to my first ball, more than half II
century ago! Never mind, Claribel-
your mother told me how unluoky you
were, but the diamond fleur-de-lis will
do just as well for the next merrymak-
ing, ehs"
"Oh, Cousin Grigg, how good you
are." murmured Claribel, as the old lady
placed kiss on her forehead aud the
fleur- lis in her hand.
"Wen, Pussikins," said Mrs. Grigg,
loosely, addressing little Penelope, who
stood by with hot-water bottle in her
hands. Sand what did you buy with
my present"
~ didn't buy anything" said Pen,
the most truthful of small witnesses. 81
gave it to the washerwoman's little girl.
1t was so very ugly, you know, after the
one bad-match eye fell out, that !
couldn't bear to look at it."
"Ugly9" cried Mrs. Grigg.
"Oh, very!n nodded Pen. "Please, I
don't want to hurt your feelings, but
mamma says we must always speak the
truth, 1t was ugly"
"And you gave it to the washer
woman's little girl9' slowly repeated
Mrs. Grigg.
"Why, yes" acknowledged Pen.
"She hasn't got so many of 'em as l
have, you know"
Mrs. Grigg stared.
$50 many what, childa"
"Dolls, to be sure" said Pen.
SIT wasn't DOLL" said Mrs. Grigg.
''It was ten dollar gold piece"
"No, it wasn'tl' declared Pen, posi-
lively. ~ guess ought to know, be-
cause got it."
"Child--" began Mrs, Grigg.
But Just then fevered hand fell on
Mrs. Grigg's arm, and Claribels eyes, full
of repentant tears, were lifted to her
face
"Send Pen away" she whispered,
"and l will tell you all about it. am
to blame--I only--and do think this
dreadful influenza is Judgment on me
for my folly and wickedness"
So Mrs. Grigg sent Pen down stairs to
get handkerchief out of the pocket of
her sealskin cloak, and Caribel sobbed
out her confession.
81 have been thief" she said-"a
wicked, mean conspirator! I've deceived
sweet little Pen and acted contempt
BILE lie, and l almost wish l could die
So there"
"Gently, Claribel-gently'" soothed
Mrs. Grigg. "There's no doubt but that
you've done wrong, but we're all liable
to error, and this, luckily, isn't thing
that can't be undone. Don't cry, my
child, but remember for the future that
the straight road is always the best one.
"Here, Pen," as the little girl came
painting back, "is the ten-dollar piece.
Buy yourself as nice doll as there is in
the stores. The other thing was all a
mistake"
ooh, Cousin Grigg, how much l thank
you!" gasped Pen, with eyes nearly as
big as the glittering coin which Mrs.
Grigg laid in her hand. ooh, what a
doll this will buy! And sister, look
here!" running up to the bedside,
''here's letter that Norah says dropped
out of the bouquet on the hall floor, and
she only just picked it up. Shall read
it aloud to you, sister,"
Should she read it aloud2 Never!
Claribel hid the letter away under the
fragrant bunch of smilax and roses until
everybody was gone, and then read it,
with secret thrills of happiness let
ter that told her, what she had hardly
dared to hope for, the story of Harold
Cartons love!
"And everything has happened for the
best, she murmured to herself, forgotful
of the beating headache, the pangs of the
poor, sore throat; s'and have got Har-
ODDS love and Cousin Grigg's diamond
fleur-de- lis, and I've regained my own
self-respect at last, for all l haven't de-
served single one of them. But I'll al
ways remember Cousin Grigg's words,
The straight road is the best road, and
this false step shall most assuredly be my
last"
While in the adjoining room little
Penelope lay fast asleep, with the ten
dollar gold-piece under her pillow, and
dreamed of doll so magnificent that all
the other dolls in the nursery upstairs
bowed down before her, as Joseph S
brethrens sheaves of wheat bowed down
before his in the Scripture story she had
read only last Sunday afternoon. -Satur-
dan Mlght.