Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-01
Her Mothers Birthday.

| Next to Christmas Virginia thought her
I birthday was the happiest day in all the
year. AS she was seven years old she al
ready had celebrated with seven parties,
mother doing everything to make Virginia
and her friends have good time.
One day Virginia overheard her mother
| talking to a friend. The ladies both de-
clared that children had more pleasure now
| than when they were little girls. Virginia 8
| mother said she never remembered having
| had party or even birthday cake in her
Hfe Mothers then were too busy and chill
! dren too numerous to specially notice their
| frequent birthdays
Never had birthday cake in her life!
| Could 1t be true? OF course 1t was If
mother said it. Virginia thought long and
! earnestly of what she had heard. She de-
| ways make a cake for father, for grandma
and for lots of other folks when their
plrthoays came round? Why shouldn't
| some one do the same for her? The ques-
lions made Virginia quite angry. and she
made up her mind right then and there that
mother should have party and a cake
too. her next birthday.
By asking father, Virginia learned that
June 30th was the date of mothers birth,
or, as Virginia put it, 1.-The day her mother
got her. Only one week off, Not very
long for little girl of seven to get up q
party. was it? 1t proved long enough, how
ever, for willing hands and a kind heart
can accomplish wonders even in a very
short period of time.
Virginia went first to talk the affair over
with grandma, fathers mother, who lived
near by. Bursting into the kitchen, she
surprised the elderly lady with asking:
Grandma. can you make a birthday
cake?'
"A birthday cake!' repeated grandma
Your birthday is over; what do you want
with birthday cake? l haven't made any
kind of cake for twenty-five years. When
the girls grew up they always did all the
fancy cooking" continued grandma.
Il don't want it for myself. grandma; ]
want it for mother when her birthday
comes on the Both of June. That's next
Tuesday Do you know mother never had
a birthday in her life. I think it's dread
full; so am going to give her a party
Grandma smiled at the size of Virginia,
but the little girls earnestness made some
thing like tears come into her eyes. She
determined that if the plan needed any
fairy godmother to help it along she herself
should try to play the part.
Virginia could not give up the idea of not
having a cake. After thinking for few
moments, she said: Grandma, I've got it.
Isn't cook book to teach people how to
COOKE
YES" said grandma; that's their pur-
pose. I believe. although I've never put
much stock in them myself
well, mother has a very good one.
Don't you think If 1 brought it over you
could read the address of cake out of
it?' pleaded Virginia.
ran home for the cook book grandma was
thinking very tenderly of the little grand
daughter who was so happy in forgetting
herself and trying to bring some happiness
into her mothers life. .-...
Virginia returned shortly and, all out of
breath, began the search for the cake. This
was quite a task. for the index was gone.
They had to go through the soups, the en-
trees. the poultry, the laundry and desserts
before they came to the cakes. There were
SO many that both grandma and Virginia
looked hopeless. until grandma finally read:
"Grandmother's Birthday Cake So
That's it, said Virginia, clapping her
hands. 1t must be all right. The book
says it's simple and delicious. You want
it simple, don't you, grandma, and I'm sure
we both want it delicious!'
Grandma read through the directions
slowly and at the end said: well, dearie,
Til try my hand at this cake, but can't
promise that it will be as delicious as If
were in better practice"
II am sure it will be splendid" declared
Virginia. Anyway it will be good to stick
candles in, and that's very important.
Mother, besides. won't be hard to please.
She Is always telling me about my pres
ents. It's not the thing itself, it's the fact
that people love US that makes happy"
Saying this, Virginia kissed grandma good
bye and left, telling her to be sure and be
on hand next Tuesday at o'clock.
With beating heart Virginia sped on to
Cousin Louisa's house to invite her to the
party. Cousin Louisa was a fine house.
keeper, Dut usually was 50 busy keeplnk
things in order that she was apt to regard
birthdays and holidays generally as very
upsetting. She listened to Virginia's invi-
tation, and when she added that Grandma
Marsh was going to make the birthday
cake. Cousin Louisa's pride arose.
IF the Marshes are going to make cake,
/ think that Mary's own folks can keep up
their end as we'll as the Marshes. If you
really are going to have a party. child-and
/ do say that it is very sweet and good Of
you. only a baby yourself-you shall have
a good one or my name is not Louisa Trum-
bull. Well have ice cream, Virginia, and
two kinds, too. strawberry and vanilla"
I'D just love to have ice cream for it's
mothers favorite dessert but I only have
81 OF my own, and l know that would not
be near enough" said Virginia.
Who said anything about your buying
ice cream?" snapped Cousin Louisa II