The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-15
cranams'sFrench Birthday.

picture taltfls ana May was delighted
with one Of the pictures. where a love
~ old lady sat IN a beautiful parlor ana
ever SO many children, besides ladies'
and gentlemen, all crowding about her.
giving her presents md punches ~
flowers. Even the baby was held up
BY its mother to give something pretty
to the old lady. The picture was called
@La Fete de Grandmere"
what does a fete mean, mammal"
asked May
Well, it means a festival. but in
this case II means grandma's birth
day" said mamma
"Oh. mamma. said May, 'let Us give
dear grandma a French birthday"
Now 7 think Of It. your fathers
mother is seventy years old next SAT-
urday," said mamma Wen speak TO
papa about IT,"
All the aunts and cousins must
come" said Hay. 1T must be just Ike
grandma's fete day in the picture"
When papa came home they told him,
and he said that It would please his
mother very much, and If It was a
French fashion It was a very pretty
one, and he would give his mother q
watch. So mamma sat down ana
wrote notes TO all the aunts and uB-
cles, and everybody promised 70 bring
something handsome. Then they would
all 60 together to grandma's to sur-
prise her
Saturday evening came. In their
pretty little house grandma and grand
pa sat before their crate fire. Grand
ma was knitting and grandpa reading
his paper. Suddenly grandma took her
handkerchief from her pocket and be-
gan to wipe away some tears which had
risen to her eyes Il do feel 50 low
spirited. William" she said, ''just as If
my heart would break. Just think Of
IT, I'm seventy years old today"
you look very young for II" said
grandpa. Dear me, how time does fy.
Bet don't cry, Catherine; very few peo-
pie have been left to each other for so
long We've kept all our children, and
they are all doing we'll Why / feel
as If we were very happy people"
Il don't" said grandma, crying q
little more u brought up all those
children and gave them a good set-on
when they were married, and here not
one OF them cares ruything for u.s."
why, Catherine. you know they do.
said the old gentleman.
mo, they don't" said grandma. Not
one Of them remembers that I am sew
enty years old today. They are an
thinking Of anything but their ola
mother"
We'll well, they are good children
he said. but Of course they might
come out here oftener. AS for that. 1
ought to have remembered your birth
day and given you a present"
We'll, you didn't, said the old la
dy. 4 don't believe anybody cares any
thing about me-"
Just then "clang" went the door bell-
"Clang, clang, clangy' three times.
TITS those boys that rang the beli
for fun last night" said grandpa.
They viii catch Il this timer
He caught up his whip from the COR
ner. ran TO the door and pulled It open,
but he saw no bad boys.
A crowd Of people were coming up
the steps, and the first who ran in was
his little granddaughter May.
"Here we all areP she cried. ''Mam-
ma and papa and Uncle Ben and Aunt
Sarah and Aunt Eliza and Uncle Harry
and all Of us; and we've come to give
grandma a French birthday like the
one in the picture"
"Well, there, and thought you'd an
forgotten it" said grandma. Il was.
just now feeling very low spirited, but
you did remember H."
It's French birthday, grandma"
said May.
Is that any different from a Yam
kee one?n asked grandma.
It's prettier" said May. "Now, IL
must be like the picture You sit down
IN the rocker, and - all come up with
our presents"
'Presentsl Why, wasn't expecting
ipresents." said the old lady Then she
sat down. and first May gave her a
bouquet Of roses, and then put lovely
white silk shoulder shawl about her
Then Nays papa, who was son John to
grandma. gave her a watch and chain.
and mamma q black satin dress pat
tern. One Of the uncles had a lovely
silk umbrella and the other a brooch
with everybody's hair braided together,
and there we're pretty things OF silk
and lace. and bronzes for the mantel-
piece. and a tete-a-tete set Of china and
more flowers. and baby gave a pres
ent with her little hand like the baby in
the picture. and there-were more i0w-
ers and lots Of kisses and nice speeches.
The old lady.was as.happy as a. queen
Then an sat down in a circle about the
dre and they chatted Then one Of tho
auntles opened the plano and played.
and an the children sang a song they
bad been drilled in II was this.
Way down Upon the Suanee River.
Then some Of the aunties brought in
a basket full Of good things, and
grandma had some coffee made and