The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-07
A GIFT OF FINE LINEN.

pertaining to her-tn her tastes nef
friendships, her preferences, her expert
ences, her ambitions, her whole life and
personality past, present and to be-
was evident that morning in his Curl
osity about her correspondence. She
Eat your breakfast. sir. These are
matters that don't concern you.
He watched her with the eyes of
child for cake She twinlxled smiles at
him over the envelope, glowing with
flush of cold water and good health.
7 want q letter" he walled. I want
a letter. .
"O-oh iss-a-baby,'' she cooed.
What" he cried whats that?'
Baby talk" she laughed, with her
eyes in the letter. why, it's Aunt
Marcia. For goodness sake-just what
I wanted Listen. My very dear
niece she read in a voice Of mincing
primness-' Il have had a wedding pres
ent for you, which I should have sent
you ere this but that had great diff
Guilty in finding the particular box in
storage which contained it That's the
starch IN. Aunt Marcia's ink. In stOr-
age means in the attic. It is some
table linen which has been preserved in
our family for several generations, but
which, with the care which I know you
VIII give it, viii last as many more
And when you know Aunt Marcia as
well as I do you'll understand the in
situation behind that compliment
liable Iinen?" her husband interrupt
ed. She can't send it too soon.
II wonder" she said, IF Aunt Marcia
would have married a man with only
IF she had married him on the spur
of the moment"
She regarded him with mock stern
ness. You say that as if I were TO
blame"
We'll" he defended himself .if you'd
given your friends notice I'm sure they
would have provided purple and fine
linen for YOU
"Oh. yes she said cynically. WED
ding Invitations to contribute to our
household effects. I'm glad didn't force
them to be insincere.
Did you force Aunt Marcia %
She returned to the letter without an
swerfng. She says she'll bring it down
when she calls to see me in my new
residence She looked around the little
dining room with a lifted eyebrow.
well, it Is a miracle" she said. She
was so fond of Edith that she never
would have anything to do with me
Not that Edith profited by 1t. for she
has heaps of things-linen, plate and
glassware that have been in the family
for ages and she never gave Edith a
single thing. She keeps them locked up
in boxes in the attic, where they never
do anyone a bit of good. She's as
stingyl But this seems like a
disposition Of
-Improvidenee,'' he cut in.
Yes she laughed. of IMPROVE
0ELiCG- we II moi DuX announcer GtOIA I'M
til we hear from her.
How about napEins?' %
She shook her head She'll bring nap
kins, too. I feel it in my bones
Oh he said, with q gesture which put
aside all doubt. II you feel it in your
bones"
4 do she smiled, "and I'm an osteo-
path. Morris" she said after
pause, perhaps I've rnisjudged her. You
rely TOO much on first unprecedented
course this isn't a first impression, for
We .l known IN aunt Marcia an my life, but
/ might pc wrong after all, mightn,t I?'
You certainly might" he agreed.
Il accept things just the way they are
presented to me the first time
Yes; you accepted me the first
Now dearie, do be sensible. really
feel that have been horribly unjust. to
Aunt Marcia"
Some. good thing can come out. of
Yes; and I'm going to be nicer to her
'The. day she gives you the tablecloth. .
he said rising Well I'm not an osteo-
path | think I'd buy another cloth
I won't" she replied. TN wait and
She found it more difficult than she had
expected Aunt Marcia did not call, and
that evening the maid cams, to ask her
! for clean cloth That viii have to do
for tonight" she said. I'VE have some
Her husband leased her with protests at
/ dinner. She smiled them down. How
would it do to write to your aunt. !" he
that she was only going to bring table
CLOTH and you bet it was both tablecloth
Just wait" she predicted. esYou'n
apologize to the goodness of Aunt Marcia
Breakfast was laid on the same cloth.
She acknowledged that it was "a dis
grace"
napkin" he said.
Now, Norris she protested, sthe ia
bic napkins are not bad"
We'll, nc" he conceded, mot when
you compare them with the CLOTH
I don't care" she said. I'm not buy
any until I see" She sighed. What a
lot t.,1 Of things it takes to make home"
I'VE had plenty of them at home" she
continued her thoughts
"Sillys' she protested. wen. if she
buy cloth TOMORROW"
She did not come that day, but she came
on the following forenoon, and the young
| wife met her with an overwhelming en-.
thusiasm Of welcome. Having herself
viewed her aunt IN a new and more favor
able light. she was surprised to find tina
the old lady had not changed-at least ir
peaked little nose into every Corner o
their domestic arrangements; she shifted
her disapproval of this and that; sh
even went so far as to suggest that
proved by a settee. Her dear mother al
ways had a corner filled so. The wife
shuddering at the remembrance of he
grandmother's horsehair sofas. anti-ma
CAESARS, embroidered samplers and greer
rep. accepted the criticism with a smil
that would not allow her new opinion 0
Aunt Marcia to be discouraged.
Tint old lady left without word Of tn
linen
Norris chuelded at his wife's discom
/ future
she forgot it" the wife defended her
Il know she's strange She always wa.
But she's kind hearted under it all: sh
must have something in her, or why di
grandma leave her all the heirlo OTns an
/ leave mother nothing27
Perhaps your grandmother was strange
too. But I'd rather buy another tableclot
if I We're YOU"
No she ruled, s'there'n be a lette
from her tomorrow morning explaining.
And in fact, there was letter Aur
| Marcia on her return home had found he
parcel of linen where she had forgotte
tin her own room. She would assured
bring it down in the course Of a fe'
days.
The wife weakened. "I'u just get a Iii
tie cheap cloth that viii do for our breal