The record-union., 1899-05-21

got to be done, that's all. But you see,
I've only got the $40 father gave me
for my jacket
Gertrude Olney." said Aida; her
jaw dropped. You don't mean-Ger-
trude Olney.'
Its all there is to do" said Ger
But that SO is all / have, and the bill
is SO, and I thought. Alida--you We're
there this morning when it happened,
and | thought maybe you'd want to
give little toward it." said Gertrude.
Goodness" said Aida.
Not unless you want to, of course, -
said Gertrude thinking how full Alida's
pocketbook always was
You do think of the funniest
things. said Aida. looking injured.
I've just spent So for skates-and--''
Never mind" said Gertrude, turning
back.
When Gertrude said to her father
and mother and her brother Hugh that
evening; that she was going to pay a bill
for Miss Lubbock with the money she
had intended to spend for Jacket, and
that the bill was SO, and that she
would Like to raise the other S5-when
Gertrude said this, the family smiled
at each other and did not say very
much. Right actions and kind deeds
were SO frequent and common in the
Olney family that nobody gushed over
them. Gertrude's father silently took
S3 from his pocketbook and handed it to
her
III give dollar" said Hugh. and
ms mother promptly subscribed the
other.
If your jacket wears out. Gerty.''
said Hugh, TN lend you my overcoat. .
Or mother will let you take her old
Paisley shawl said her father.
ana there are always horse blank
cts and the buffalo robe" said her
! mother. She put her arm around Ger
1lude Il will make your jacket
sleeves smaller, dear" she said, land
make new collar, and it will look
beautiful"
Gertrude took the money, bright and
early on Monday morning, and went
down to Mr.. Patterson's store
Mr.. Patterson" she said, 81 have
come to pay you that bill of Miss Lub-
books, that $15.''
"You-have?" said Mr.. Patterson,
/; blankly. You? What for?"
! Because" said Gertrude, st am so
! sorry for Miss Lubbock. She would
have paid you, Mr.. Patterson, if she
could have, and 1 want to pay you for
her."
Mr.. Patterson regarded her dumbly
is it your money!" he asked.
Ten dollars of it, Father and
mother and Hugh gave the rest" Ger
| trude answered.
Mr. Patterson Redeemed slowly He
said he would give her. the receipted
| bill, and turned to his desk
Il s'pose you'll take it to her?" he
said
Yes" said Gertrude, I'm going
now" But Mr.. Patterson called her
back when she was almost out at the
door.
Look here" he said, ''I kind of hate
to have you pay that money. 1t seems
funny for little girl like you to &C
and" Mr.. Patterson frowned down
/ ward at his feet.
Il don't really know he said, "as
it behooves you and your family to dc
that for Miss Lubbock any more thar
it does for me. Don't really s'post
| you're any better able to. I know she's
honest and I know she's in poor cir
cumstances, and I didn't mean to bt
hard on her. Tell you what I'll do:
know her front steps want mending up
and 1 know her woodshed leaks. II
send a man to fix up the steps, an6
I'll put a tin roof on her woodshed
I'll do that for her-or for YOU saic
Mr. Patterson, and bent a look of act
ual warmth upon Gertrude land yot
can tell her I will"
Gertrude looked back at him with
establishment and joy. For Mr.. Patter-
son it was, she knew, great very
great thing. ooh, thank you'll" she
said And she and Mr.. Patterson
shook hands.
Ben Stacey joined her, going home
from school that noon. 81 hear yol
are going to pay that bill for Mis-:
Lubbock Aida Codyell told me so
She said you were going to do that in
stead of buying you new jacket he
said, bashfully.
Goodness gracious," said Gertrude
warmly impatient with Aida Coryell
'She thinks you're awfully funny
! but I don't" said Ben. Il think you're
first-rate, I was awfully sorry fol
Miss Lubbock myself. Say; let me give
a little toward it, Gertrude. L car
as we'll as not, and I'd like to-
THANK you. Ben; but it's all done
I paid Mr.. Patterson this morning, and
took the bill to Miss Lubbock, receipt
ed, and-oh. Ben. you ought to have
seen her when I gave it to her. She
couldn't say anything; she put hel
arms around me and cried; and I cried
too" said Gertrude.
"Well,' Ben Stacey said, thoughtful
| ly, and with determination, I'm going
to do something for Miss Lubbock any
how. If you can, I can, and you see
| if I don't
Are you sorry you didn't get you1
| jacket?" Gertrude's mother asked her
a week later.
| mo, "ssaid Gertrude stoutly. you've